Picturing Princeton 1783: The Nation’s Capital
July 1, 2008 — June 2009
The Picturing Princeton: 1783 exhibit is in honor of the 225th anniversary of Princeton acting as the nation’s capital when it became the temporary seat of Congress. This exhibit includes images and rare documents, including letters written by George Washington.
Over 40 lenders contributed to this 10-gallery landmark exhibition, interpreting Congress’s five-month stay in Princeton in 1783. The exhibit shows the military crisis in Philadelphia that prompted Congress to take flight for the rural village of Princeton, the president of Congress’s residence at Morven, meetings of Congress at Nassau Hall, George Washington’s arrival in August, the Treaty of Paris negotiations to end the American Revolution, and Congress’s victory celebration in Princeton in October.
