William Trent House Facts for Kids

Quick facts for kids Significant dates

William Trent House Museum
U.S. National Register of Historic Places
U.S. National Historic Landmark

William Trent House in 2019
Location in Mercer County, New Jersey Show map of Mercer County, New Jersey Location in New Jersey Show map of New Jersey Location in the United States Show map of the United States
Location	15 Market Street, Trenton, New Jersey
Area	5.2 acres (2.1 ha)
Built	1719 (1719)
Architectural style	Georgian
NRHP reference No.	70000388
Added to NRHP	April 15, 1970
Designated NHL	April 15, 1970

The William Trent House is a very old and important building in Trenton, New Jersey. It was built way back in 1719 for a man named William Trent. He was the person who started the town of Trenton, which later became the capital city of New Jersey! This house is the oldest building in Trenton. Over the years, three different governors of New Jersey lived here. Because it's such a great example of old-style Georgian architecture, it was recognized as a National Historic Landmark in 1970.

What the House Looks Like
History of the Trent House
Gallery
See also

What the House Looks Like

The William Trent House is located just south of downtown Trenton. It sits on a beautiful piece of land about 2 acres in size. This area is partly surrounded by brick walls and fences made of stone and iron.

The house itself is made of brick and has 2 and a half stories. The front of the house has five sections, and the roof is sloped on all sides (called a hip roof). On top of the roof, there's a small, decorative tower called a cupola.

Most of the windows have a rounded top, like an arch. The main entrance has a double door with a window above it that has six small panes of glass. Inside, the house has a main hallway in the middle, with four rooms on each floor. Some parts of the house are still original, like the main staircase, the floors, and some of the wooden decorations in several rooms.

History of the Trent House

The land where the William Trent House stands was once known as the "Falls of the Delaware." Long before Europeans arrived, this area was home to the Lenni Lenape people for thousands of years.

Early Settlers and William Trent

The first European to settle here was Mahlon Stacy, a Quaker from England. He built a home around 1680. After he passed away, his son sold 800 acres of land to William Trent in 1714. William Trent was a very rich shipping merchant from Philadelphia. He bought even more land, which eventually included almost all of what is now the city of Trenton.

Around 1719, William Trent built his large country home on this land. It was a grand brick house, built in the newest style of the time. A long path lined with English cherry trees led from the house's entrance down to the ferry landing. There were also many other buildings nearby, like mills for grinding grain and sawing wood, located along the Assunpink Creek.

In 1720, Trent planned out a settlement, which he officially named "Trent Town." By 1721, he and his family moved into the house full-time. He lived there until he died in 1724.

Governors and the Revolution

After William Trent, the house had many different private owners. Interestingly, three New Jersey Governors used the house as their official residence: Lewis Morris, Philemon Dickerson, and Rodman McCamley Price.

During the American Revolution, two men lived in the house: Dr. William Bryant and Colonel John Cox.

Becoming a Museum

In 1929, a man named Edward A. Stokes gave the house to the city of Trenton. He had one important condition: the house had to be restored to look like it did originally, and it had to be used as a museum, library, or art gallery.

Restoration work on the house took place between 1934 and 1936. The William Trent House was officially opened as a museum in 1936 and welcomed its first visitors in 1939.

Gallery

Postcard showing the house, and the gazebo
Historic American Buildings Survey photograph

William Trent House facts for kids

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