NJ, USA

Old Barracks Museum

Museum

The Old Barracks, built in 1758 to house British soldiers during the French and Indian War, is the only surviving colonial barracks in New Jersey. The stone building served as quarters for Hessian soldiers during their occupation of Trenton in December 1776 and was the scene of fighting during the Battle of Trenton on December 26, 1776. Today it operates as a museum interpreting the military history of Trenton and the Revolution.

What Happened Here

The barracks were constructed by the colony of New Jersey in 1758 after local residents protested the quartering of British soldiers in private homes during the French and Indian War. The U-shaped stone building could house approximately 300 soldiers. During the Hessian occupation of December 1776, troops from Colonel Rall's brigade were quartered here and in houses throughout Trenton. When Washington's forces attacked on the morning of December 26, fighting swept through and around the barracks as Hessian soldiers scrambled to form defensive lines. After the Revolution, the building served as a residence, boarding house, and at one point nearly faced demolition before being preserved in the early twentieth century.