Every year, in observance of Independence Day, Morven Museum and Garden at 55 Stockton Street in Princeton hosts a FREE event celebrating America’s heritage at the home-turned-museum of Richard Stockton, a signer of the Declaration of Independence.

The festivities take place on Tuesday, July 4, from noon to 3 p.m. No registration is necessary.

Perfect for the entire family, the fun-filled afternoon will feature live bluegrass music on the front porch by Ocean Country Band; an All-American BBQ with refreshments by Oink & Moo BBQ, Tower Dogs and Halo Pub; an opportunity for children of all ages to “sign” the Declaration of Independence; and a meet and greet with General George Washington portrayed by renowned reenactor Bill Agress.

Stacy Flora Roth will perform “Over Here, Molly Pitcher!” a dramatic presentation highlighting the lives of women who “belonged to the army” during the American Revolution. “Molly” reminisces about the days when she accompanied her husband through summer battles and winter encampments from Valley Forge to Monmouth to Morristown. Relating her tales of firing cannon in the heat of battle to trudging “behind the baggage,” she provides a glimpse into what it was like to be a “camp follower” in the days when American Independence was a dream rather than a certainty.

There will also be a various demonstrations of early American domestic life including ice cream making, papermaking, music, gunsmithing and more, with plenty of opportunities for guest participation.

Inside the Museum, the new exhibition “Newark and the Culture of Art: 1900-1960” will be open in the second floor galleries.

Visitors are invited to use the Princeton Theological Seminary or Monument Hall parking lots, or park on the street as there will be no parking at Morven due to the many children who are expected to on the grounds.

This event is SHINE only due to the outdoor activities. It will be cancelled if there is prolonged rain.

July 4th Jubilee is supported in part by a grant from the New Jersey Department of State, Division of Travel & Tourism.

About Morven Museum & Garden: 

Situated on five pristine acres in this university town, Morven is a short walk from the Princeton Campus.  The museum boasts a growing collection of fine and decorative arts, including loans from the Boudinot Collection at the Princeton University Art Museum. Morven’s second floor galleries serve as a changing exhibit space with new shows opening every few months that celebrates the cultural heritage of New Jersey.

 For more than 200 years Morven has played a role in the history of New Jersey and the nation. Originally part of a 5,500-acre tract purchased from William Penn in 1701 by the Stockton family, it became the site of the home of Richard Stockton, a Signer of the Declaration of Independence. As well as serving as a Stockton homestead into the 20th century, Morven was also home to Robert Wood Johnson and his family, and eventually five New Jersey governors.  In 1982, the New Jersey Governor’s Mansion was relocated to nearby Drumthwacket and Morven began its conversion to a museum and opened to the public in 2004.