2025 First-Class Forever Stamp - Battlefields of the American Revolution: Old Barracks Museum, Trenton New Jersey

US #5977g
2025 Battle of Trenton: Old Barracks Museum

• Commemorates the Battle of Trenton, New Jersey
• Part of Battlefields of the American Revolution set
• Honors the 250^th Anniversary of the start of Revolutionary War
• Part of multiyear celebration of America’s 250^th...  more

US #5977g
2025 Battle of Trenton: Old Barracks Museum

• Commemorates the Battle of Trenton, New Jersey
• Part of Battlefields of the American Revolution set
• Honors the 250^th Anniversary of the start of Revolutionary War
• Part of multiyear celebration of America’s 250^th birthday
  
  

Stamp Category:  Commemorative
Set:  Battlefields of the American Revolution
Value:   73¢, First-Class mail rate (Forever)
First Day of Issue:  April 16, 2025
First Day City:  Concord, Massachusetts
Quantity Issued:  15,000,000
Printed by:  Banknote Corporation of America
Printing Method:  Offset/Flexographic
Format:  Panes of 15

Why the stamp was issued:  This stamp is part of a pane of 15 issued to commemorate five significant battles of the Revolutionary War and the 250^th anniversary of the start of the war.

About the stamp design:  This stamp features a photo of the Old Barracks Museum in Trenton, New Jersey.  These building housed Hessian and British soldiers before the battle.  Each battlefield is portrayed using a modern photograph of the site, along with an illustration of the battle spanning two stamps.  US Postal Service art director Derry Noyes chose Greg Harlin to illustrate the battle scenes using watercolor paintings.

First Day City:  The First Day of Issue ceremony took place at Minute Man National Historical Park in Concord, Massachusetts.  This is the site of the opening battle of the American Revolution.

About the Battlefields of the American Revolution Set:  The American Revolution was defining struggle that tested the courage and resolve of the colonies in their quest for independence.  From the first shots fired in Massachusetts to the final surrender in Virginia, these battles were the baptism of fire in which a new nation was forged. 
Lexington and Concord (April 19, 1775) ignited the war when Briths troops clashed with colonial militia.  The “shot heard ‘round the world” at Lexington was followed by a colonial victory at Concord, Marking the start of open rebellion.  At Bunker Hill (June 17, 1775), despite losing the battle, the Americans showed they could stand up to the British.  The costly British victory demonstrated the resolve of the colonial forces and made them realize the war would not be easily won.
After leading a late-night crossing of the Delaware River, Washington commanded his troops in a daring attack on a Hessian garrison in Trenton on December 26, 1776.  A turning point of the war, it boosted American morale and reinvigorated the Revolution.  The Battle of Saratoga (1777) was a decisive win that convinced France to formally ally with America, strengthening the colonial cause.  Finally, at Yorktown (1781), Washington’s forces, with French support, forced British General Cornwallis to surrender, effectively ending the war and securing American independence.

History the stamp represents: The Old Barracks Museum in Trenton, New Jersey, offers a fascinating glimpse into the history surrounding the pivotal Battle of Trenton.
Built in 1758, the barracks initially served as a military facility for British soldiers during the French and Indian War.  However, it is best known for its association with the Revolutionary War Battle of Trenton.  Prior to the battle, British and Hessian (hired German) soldiers stationed in the city slept in the barracks.  Loyalists in search of protection from the Continental Army also hid there during the battle.
After crossing the bone-chilling Delaware River on the night of December 25, 1776, General George Washington led a surprise attack on the Hessians in Trenton. After securing a decisive victory, Continental forces established a hospital in the barracks, which provided smallpox inoculations.  It was the first largescale medical treatment in the Western Hemisphere and the barracks is one of the last original structures that offered that vital service.
Today, the Old Barracks Museum preserves the site where this critical chapter in American history unfolded.  Visitors can explore the rooms where Hessian soldiers once slept or walk through exhibits detailing the battle and life during the Revolutionary War.  The battle and the museum are also honored on this 2025 stamp.