April 18th and 19th is the 250th anniversary of Paul Revere's 1775 midnight ride, warning Americans about the British troops advancing upon the Massachusetts countryside.
We're celebrating this historic event with patriotic activities available Friday afternoon and all day Saturday.
Kids can make a stick horse to "ride," while adults can make punched tin luminaries. There will be Paul Revere coloring pages, a book display, and copies of the poem "The Midnight Ride of Paul Revere" by Henry Wadsworth Longfellow for you to take home.
This event is free, but we are gratefully accepting cash donations to help fund celebrations in 2026, the 250th anniversary of America's founding.
We hope that the Princeton Historical Society and the City will help us display two lights in a prominent place tonight, in keeping with a nationwide request by the Veterans Administration. Learn more at Two Lights for Tomorrow.
To learn more about Paul Revere's ride, visit The Paul Revere House's website.
Paul Revere was born in Boston in 1735. He was one of twelve children. He left school at age 13 to train as a silversmith.
Revere became active with the Sons of Liberty, formed in 1765. From this time onwards, he created engravings which promoted political themes, like liberty and resistance to taxation.
In 1773, Revere participated in the Boston Tea Party, and began serving as a courier for patriot organizers.
On April 18th, 1775, he made the famous “Midnight Ride” to warn local militia groups about the approach of British Army troops. At that time, he was 40 years old.
Other patriots, including up to 40 other riders, also helped to spread the message.
Because of their warnings, militia members were able to prepare for the battles at Lexington and Concord, which they won. This early success resulted in an outpouring of support for the Revolutionary cause.