American Independence Museum facts for kids
Ladd-Gilman House, main building of the American Independence Museum
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| Established | 1991 |
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| Location | One Governor's Lane Exeter, New Hampshire |
| Type | History museum |
| Public transit access | Exeter Station 0.6 miles (0.97 km) |
| Nearest car park | Spring and Water streets (no charge) |
The American Independence Museum in Exeter, New Hampshire, is a special place where you can explore America's past. It's a historic house museum, meaning it's set up in old buildings that have a lot of history. The museum's campus is about 1 acre big and has two main buildings. One is the Ladd-Gilman House, built way back in 1721. It's so important that it's a National Historic Landmark. The other building is the Folsom Tavern, built in 1775.
The museum first opened in 1991. This happened after a very rare copy of the Declaration of Independence was found in the Ladd-Gilman House. This special copy is known as a Dunlap Broadside. It had been hidden for 200 years! Now, this Dunlap Broadside is the most important item in the museum's collection. The museum's main goal is to connect America's past, especially the time of the American Revolution, with today.
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Discovering American History
The American Independence Museum opened its doors in 1991. This was six years after a rare Dunlap Broadside was discovered in the attic of the Ladd-Gilman House. The Society of the Cincinnati, who owned the house, thought about selling the document. But the State of New Hampshire questioned who truly owned it.
Because of this, the Society decided to open the museum instead. They wanted to teach people about the Declaration of Independence and the American Revolution. Since then, the museum has also restored the Folsom Tavern. This added more space and exhibits. Today, the museum focuses on the Revolutionary War and how Exeter and the Gilman family helped create the new nation.
The Ladd-Gilman House: A Family's Role
The Ladd-Gilman House was once home to an important family from the 1700s. This family played a big part in the birth of the United States. Nicholas Gilman, Sr. was the treasurer for New Hampshire during the American Revolution. At that time, Exeter became the capital of New Hampshire.
His oldest son, John Taylor Gilman, read the Declaration of Independence to the people of Exeter in 1776. Later, he became the New Hampshire governor for many years. Another son, Nicholas Gilman, Jr., was a soldier in the Continental Army. He also signed the U.S. Constitution.
In the early 1900s, the Society of the Cincinnati bought the house from the Gilman family. They used it as a meeting place before turning it into the museum. Today, you can tour seven rooms in the house. Other parts of the house are used for museum offices and a research library.
Folsom Tavern: A Revolutionary Meeting Spot
| Folsom Tavern | |
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Restored front of the Folsom Tavern, facing Water Street in downtown Exeter
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| Location | 164 Water Street Exeter, New Hampshire |
| Built | 1775 |
| Built for | Colonel Samuel Folsom |
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N.H. State Register of Historic Places
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| Designated | October 29, 2018 |
When Colonel Samuel Folsom built his tavern in 1775, Exeter was the capital of New Hampshire. During the American Revolutionary War, this tavern was a popular place. Many important political discussions happened here. It was first located at the corner of Court and Mill streets.
The New Hampshire chapter of the Society of the Cincinnati was formed right here in the tavern in 1783. Even George Washington visited the tavern on November 4, 1789, during his tour of the states. After Colonel Folsom passed away in 1790, his wife and daughters continued to run the tavern. It became known as "Widow Folsom's Tavern." The Folsom family owned it until 1856.
In 1929, the Society bought the tavern and moved it next to the Ladd-Gilman house. Later, in 1947, a woman named Martha Foster Stearns offered to restore the tavern. In return, she would live there for a long time. The Society agreed, and Stearns restored and updated much of the old tavern. She lived there until 1956. From 1956 to 1992, the tavern was rented out to Phillips Exeter Academy for teachers to live in.
In 2004, the tavern was moved to its current spot on the museum grounds. It's now at the corner of Spring and Water Streets. The building underwent a lot of restoration work, including a new roof and siding. Inside, restoration started in 2006. The tavern officially opened in 2007. It is now part of the museum's regular tours. It's also used for museum events and can be rented for other gatherings. In 2018, Folsom Tavern was added to the New Hampshire State Register of Historic Places.
Museum Collections
The museum has many amazing historical items. These include the famous Dunlap Broadside. They also have two rare early copies of the U.S. Constitution. Another special item is a Badge of Military Merit. This was the original Purple Heart medal. General George Washington gave it to soldiers who showed incredible bravery.
Other collections at the museum include furniture from the 1700s and 1800s. You can also see beautiful decorative arts from that time. There are 18th-century weapons, military items, old letters, and documents. The museum also has portraits of important American leaders.
The Dunlap Broadside: A Rare Document
In 1985, the Dunlap Broadside of the Declaration of Independence was found. It was discovered in the upstairs floorboards of the Ladd-Gilman House. Electricians were installing a security system when they found it. This copy was the 23rd one ever found. Now, there are 26 known copies of these special documents.
These copies of the Declaration were printed by John Dunlap on the night of July 4, 1776. Dunlap was asked to print between 150 and 200 copies. One copy was sent to each state capital. Others went to military camps. Some were even sent to England to inform King George III. The museum's copy arrived in Exeter on July 16, 1776. John Taylor Gilman, the oldest son of the Gilman family, read it aloud to the people of Exeter.
The Dunlap Broadside is displayed only once a year. This happens on the third Saturday of July. It's part of the museum's American Independence Festival. This festival celebrates the day the document arrived and was read in Exeter.
Museum Programs and Events
The museum is open during certain times of the year. You can visit from May through November. It's open Wednesday through Saturday, from 10 AM to 4 PM. You can take a guided tour of the Ladd-Gilman House and Folsom Tavern. These tours start at 10 AM, noon, and 2 PM. Self-guided tours are also available until 3 PM. The museum hosts many public events. The biggest one is the American Independence Festival.
American Independence Festival
The American Independence Festival is a big event held every year. It used to be called the Revolutionary War Festival. The American Independence Museum organizes it. The festival takes place on the third Saturday in July. It celebrates the original reading of the Dunlap Broadside in Exeter on July 16, 1776.
The festival begins with a parade of reenactors. These are people dressed up in old costumes. Then, the Declaration of Independence is read aloud to everyone at the festival. The original Dunlap Broadside is also displayed inside the museum during this event. You can also see artisans showing traditional crafts. There are craft booths, local non-profit booths, and food vendors. Thousands of people visit this exciting event every year.
Images for kids
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Ladd-Gilman House, main building of the American Independence Museum
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Restored front of the Folsom Tavern, facing Water Street in downtown Exeter
