Letter T is for Trenton. Trenton is our capital city and it sits in Mercer County. If you have never been to the state's capital, it's worth a visit. Last year, I visited the capital on a class trip with one of my daughter. The tour of the state house, pictured below, was really informative and the kids enjoyed the tour they were given, as well as hearing about how laws are made and voted on.
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It was an extremely impressive sight to see, especially for the kids. |

Overall, the highlight of the day was (hands down) our visit to The Old Barracks Museum, where living history is reenacted. That, was my favorite part of the trip, because the kids got really excited about interacting and learning in this type of format. There is A LOT of history to be learned here, and I really believe it's much more fun and engaging for the kids (and me) to learn about history in this type of format.
Have you ever been to a living history museum? What's your state capital? Have you ever visited?
The reenactment looks fun. It's cool when you can see how people really lived during that time.
ReplyDeleteIt really makes learning much more interesting.
DeleteThe State House is gorgeous!
ReplyDeleteI have never been to a living museum, but it looks like fun.
The capital of Florida is Tallahassee and I've never been there. I should go one of these days.
I've been to Tallahassee! It's really pretty. My aunt lived near there.
DeleteAnd the state house is ridiculous inside- it's all gold and gilded and beautiful. I didn't think we should sit down, being all dirty from playing outside. But definitely worth the visit.
My kids and husband would love a living history museum. That's cool. The capital of North Carolina is Raleigh and that's where we go for all of our fancy schmancy shopping, dining, concerts and culture. Livin' here in a small beach town we don't get much of that.
ReplyDeleteRaleigh is a cool place- I went there with The Hubs back when he was stationed not too far away in the military.I really like that area.
DeleteI’ve been to Trenton. An interesting place for sure. But, I’ve never visited the Capital Building.
ReplyDeleteI have been to Williamsburg, VA. Pretty cool!
I think our next trip is going to be to Williamsburg, since my kiddos are really into history like their mom and dad. Trenton is such an interesting place, so much going on there! I never knew how beautiful the statehouse was, until we visited.
DeleteI love living history museums! When I graduated from high school, my mother offered to take me to Disney World, but I cashed that trip in for a trip to Williamsburg in Virginia. They have a whole town set up during the summer. I am such a geek!
ReplyDeleteOur capital is Charleston and I toured it. Being the unwitting big mouth that I am, during the tour, the guide bragged about how many millions of dollars my state spent to refinish this old elevator, I of course had to comment that it was good to know that while they just boosted our tax rate, our congressman didn't have to climb a flight of steps or take the modern elevator. I'm fun wherever I go.
Hahaha! I can see me opening my mouth like that. They were just lucky in Trenton the day we visited, that the governor wasn't in his office. I might have had a few fun words for him, that's for sure!!
DeleteThe first time I offered to take my girls to Disney they passed as well. In favor of Hawaii though, so who can blame them? When we finally did make it to Disney last year, I really wanted to go have a Princess tea. My girls were like, "Uh, Mom, give us a break!" Instead, they only wanted to visit one park, which was Epcot. The rest of the time, we did things like, go on an air boat ride through the freaking Floridian swamp to see alligators. Nice. A long time ago, I had to resign myself to the fact that I don't have your average girls... They are quite unique my girls. Quite unique.
History is much more fun when it's right in front of you! We have a lot of castles in Britain that put on jousting and other events. Makes a fun day out.
ReplyDeleteI am so going to a castle in Britain one day! That is on the tip top my list of places of vist, and where to go when I get there. Jousting outside a real castle, oh yeah, I'd be there in a heart beat!!
DeleteThere is San Luis Rey Mission closeby, but the really interesting place is Old Town in San Diego, CA. Re-enactments are there several times a year. Great field trips.
ReplyDeleteHi Susan!! When I lived out in California we visited missions. It was where we brought all of our visitors from back East. San Diego is gorgeous, and always a fun place to visit.
DeleteThe only history museum I've been too is the Natural History Museum here with dinosaurs.
ReplyDeleteWe have the Museum of Natural History in NYC that's where we go to visit the dinosaurs. It's also where they filmed "Night at The Museum". It's a pretty cool place.
DeleteI've been to several small-scale living museums. We ended up going to a local one almost every year for 4 or 5 years while at school.
ReplyDeleteAnnalisa, writing A-Z vignettes, at Wake Up, Eat, Write, Sleep
I can't even imagine all the history that surrounds where you live. We are so young here in the US compared to your history- I know I would find it fascinating. But as a kid, to watch that history come to life, right in front of your eyes, is so much more rich of an experience.
DeleteLiving history is great !!!
ReplyDeleteHope you are enjoying the A to Z challenge
Hi Moonie! I love living history too. So fun. Thanks so much for popping in and commenting.
DeleteOur state capital in South Carolina was moved from Charleston to Columbia a long time ago. So besides the State House, it doesn't have much history to it. At least compared to Charleston
ReplyDeleteSouth Carolina is so pretty. I've been to Charleston and loved it. I've also been to Columbia, and all the surrounding areas of Parris Island, while The Husband was in the Marines. I really liked it down there.
DeleteJ here, stopping by from the #atozchallenge - where I am part of the A to Z Ambassador Team! (I'm a minion/volunteer under Arlee.)
ReplyDeleteGreat post. I'm looking forward to more. Let me know if I can help you in any blogging way this month. Congratulations on making it this far! Finish strong. You can do it!
Don't forget our after party. The Relections Linky List will open on Monday May 4th. (For links directly to posts, not to general blog addresses.)
I've followed you on GFC.
-J @JLenniDorner
Yes, I've been there!
Thanks so much for stopping in and all of the encouragement. I appreciate all the time and effort you minions are putting in!! I will look for the list on the 4th and join in the after party for sure. Thanks Jenni.
DeleteWe don't have state capitals, we have county towns and in Kent ours is Maidstone :) I was born there, but haven't been back much since I was 4! I've been to a couple of living history museums around the country, but not recently - I seem to remember they were fun. Looks like a lot of smoke from the rifle in you photo :).
ReplyDeleteTasha
Tasha's Thinkings | Wittegen Press | FB3X (AC)
Tons of smoke and so realistic. How fun for all of the kids to get to experience that. It really brings history to life.
DeleteNo state capitals? Huh. That's different for us. As a kid, getting dragged from one museum to another can get boring. But living history just draws them in and they remember their lessons on muskets- for sure!! Thanks so much for stopping in and commenting Natasha.
When we lived in California we visited a Spanidh mission with living history events. They showed how the looms were used and how bread was made in the old ovens. Here in Wyomimg during Cheyenne Frontier Days, there us an Indian village that shows actual Lakota Sioux tribes in their tribal clothing building fires and dancing and teaching the ways if the Plains Indians. There is also a living history at the military base showing how the soldiers lived on the forts during the days of the Wild West.
ReplyDeleteI love 'Living History Museums', and have visited many all over the country and in the VI. It makes it so much more 'real', to see history in action.
ReplyDeleteMy state capitol is Carson City and I visit there often. Living at the lake in a resort town, you need to 'go to town' to do your 'real' shopping and Carson city is the closest 'real town'.
Now, about Trenton. I've heard of it and it has become somewhat famous or should I say infamous in the Stephanie Plum series of novels written by Janet Evanovich. I must say although these stories are a bucket of fun and a great beach read, they do not paint as favorable a picture of Trenton as you have here. I'm sure the Chamber of Commerce would thank you greatly.