Rockingham offers a wide variety of programs throughout the year. Our largest annual events are the Holiday Candlelight Tour in early December and Children’s Day in early May, both presented with the help of the volunteers from The Rockingham Association and the Montgomery High School Live Historians.

ROCKINGHAM’ CHILDREN’S DAY 2008
Calling children of all ages! Rockingham State Historic Site will be holding its annual Children’s Day event on Saturday, May 17, from 12:00 pm to 5:00 pm. Rockingham, with support from the Montgomery High School Live Historians Club, the Rockingham Association and the Stony Brook Garden Club, will be offering activities and demonstrations of 18-century life. Children might play the Game of Goose, try toys such as buzz saws, put on clothes that were in style in the 18th century, learn to write with quill and ink, marble paper, make paper tri-corn hats and lace pinners, tour the kitchen garden or watch 18th century activities. There will be light refreshments available. No registration is required. While admission to the event is FREE, donations are very gladly accepted!

CELEBRATE THE 225TH ANNIVERSARY OF GENERAL GEORGE WASHINGTON'S RESIDENCE AT ROCKINGHAM IN 1783.  Mark your calendars now!!!

August through November
Representatives from the Postal Service will attend events and hand cancel mail containing commemorative stamps.

Saturday, June 21, 2:00 pm.
Kingston Fire House, Kingston, NJ
Art & Craftsmanship: Creating Washington Military Reproductions at Rockingham
Presenters: Richard & Regina Toone, Living History Shop

Craftsmen Dick and Regina Toone will discuss how they turned Mount Vernon- and Smithsonian-owned General Washington military equipage originals, including his camp bed, mess kit and shaving box, into useable reproductions for Rockingham display. Learn how the skills were developed to re-create the originals with early American tools and materials and see historical reproductions, including Rockingham’s, up-close for a hands-on experience. NB: No photography allowed. $5.00 donation appreciated.

Saturday, July 12, 2:00 pm.
Nassau Presbyterian Church, Princeton, NJ
Fighting for Independence While Decorating in the English Taste: Furniture in Washington's Revolutionary America
Presenter: Matthew Thurlow, Metropolitan Museum of Art

A chair, a desk, a tall-case chest of drawers—these objects can impart knowledge of their time to us in the way they were constructed, their style, their individualized use and social history. Learn how to listen to these silent witnesses of our Revolutionary past, with an emphasis on furnishings of the type found at Rockingham. $5.00 donation appreciated.

Saturday & Sunday, August 23 & 24, all day.
Rockingham Historic Site, Kingston, NJ
“Receiving the Commander in Chief”: General Washington Arrives “Near Rocky Hill,” 1783

General Washington arrives at Rockingham on Saturday, the 225th anniversary of the day he originally arrived, greeted by Mrs. Berrien, owner of the property, and local citizens in a formal ceremony. His accompanying guard of dragoons, von Heers’ Marechausee will be encamping for the weekend while the General is in residence at the house, with various activities presented throughout the two days. $5.00 donation appreciated.

Sunday, September 7, 3:00 pm.
Rocky Hill First Reformed Church, Rocky Hill, NJ
“In Whatever Situation I May Be”: Martha Washington, General’s Wife at Rockingham
Presenter: Pat Jordan, American Historical Theatre

Martha Washington, wife of the General, accompanied him throughout much of the Revolutionary War and came with him to Rockingham. Pat Jordan portrays Mrs. Washington, the General’s closest confidant and helpmate and talks about being the wife of the Commander-in-Chief. $5.00 entrance fee.

Saturday, September 20, 2:00 pm.
Kingston Presbyterian Church, Kingston, NJ
“Never Rise to Speak Till You Have Something to Say”: Meet Rev. John Witherspoon
Presenter: George Luck

The Reverend Doctor John Witherspoon was a delegate to the Continental Congress from New Jersey and signer of the Declaration of Independence. George Luck, local resident, portrays him, reciting excerpts from one of his sermons and talking about his life as a Church of Scotland (Presbyterian) minister, president of the College of New Jersey (Princeton University) and NJ legislator. $5.00 donation appreciated.

Saturday, October 18, 2:00 pm.
Rocky Hill First Reformed Church, Rocky Hill, NJ
Music for the Washingtons
Performers: Practitioners of Musick

Practitioners of Musick are not just musicians, they are scholars who meticulously research the music and the instruments they play. During this performance, they will be presenting music played and listened to by General and Mrs. Washington, using instruments of the 18th century, including harpsichord, violin, cello, English flute (recorder) and voice. $5.00 entrance fee.

Saturday & Sunday, November 8 & 9,
All day Rockingham, Kingston, NJ
“The Curtain of Separation Will Soon be Drawn”: The General Takes His Leave, Rockingham 1783

Von Heer’s Marechausee is encamped once more, guarding General Washington in his final days at Rockingham. On Sunday, the General will take his leave of those assembled with a review of the major events during his tenure at the site, including the official word of the signing of the Treaty of Paris to formally end the American Revolution and the Farewell Orders to the Armies, penned during his stay. $5.00 donation appreciated.

Other programs focus on various aspects of Colonial life and may be more appropriate for adults only or may be of interest to children as well. Recent events have included:

a workshop “From Fleece to Wool and Flax to Linen”,  explaining harvesting, preparing and spinning sheep’s wool and flax in the 18th century; attendees were given the chance to card wool and spin yarn on a drop spindle.

a celebration of George Washington’s 275th birthday.  Director Lisa Flick designed an afternoon of special Washington themed tours and trivia questions for which visitors—adult and children alike—could win prizes.  Special birthday tri-corner hats, Washington cake and punch were provided to all those who attended.

"Anatomy of a Death: Death and Dying in the 18th Century”, held twice in six months because of its popularity. Volunteer actors re-enacted the activities which occurred after a death in the colonial period. Participants then followed a trail along the Delaware and Raritan Canal to the Kingston Presbyterian Church Cemetery for a tour of the gravestones there.

entertainment by The Practioners in Musick with English flute and harpsichord.

reenactments of the Berrien family and Revolutionary War artillery units

Please check the website regularly for announcements of future events and programs.

History to Go!  

The Children's Museum at Rockingham sponsors an outreach history project: History to Go!. This program is an opportunity for your groups to prepare to come to Rockingham, or to have Rockingham come to them! This program enables groups to see and use some of the most popular items from our Children's Museum in the convenience of their own classroom, living room or civic center.

How did this program begin?

Rockingham, with the support of the New Jersey State Society of the Daughters of the American Revolution, realized that many people of all walks are interested in learning about American History. The most effective way of teaching is a "hands-on" approach where one can touch items, play games, and try on clothing from Colonial times. Rockingham wanted a program that would be available to all, regardless of their ability to come to our historic site. The program has been extremely beneficial during the site's closing.

Who can use this program?

Anyone who wants to learn! Classroom groups that are planning to come to Rockingham while studying the Revolutionary War may use History to Go! In preparation for their visit. Other schools who are unable to come to Rockingham may want to use this project to supplement textbook explanations of the Colonial period. Scout troops, church groups, community centers, clubs, families, or home school organizations and all interested parties are encouraged to contact the site office for further information.

What is included in the project?

That depends on your group. The basic program consists of lesson plans, a video about George Washington and Rockingham, recipes, four complete children's costumes, accessories, hats, personal items, games, and craft projects all housed in three baskets. Optional features that require a charge include sugar loaves ($3.00 per loaf), quill pens with ink ($2.00 per pen), sealing wax and stamps. These items must be ordered in advance..

What is the fee for?

There is a $35 fee for this program, to be paid at the time the baskets are picked up.

To Reserve the Program:

Call the Office (609) 683-7132 when the site is open to arrange a time to see the baskets and contents. We will help you to tailor the program to the needs of your group!

Or write:

Rockingham State Historic Site
P.O. Box 496
Kingston, NJ 08528

This program was made possible by a generous donation of the New Jersey State Society of the National Society of the Daughters of the American Revolution, the Children of the American Revolution, Somerset County Cultural and Heritage Commission, and Forbes Newspapers.