“I know no way of judging of the future but by the past.” – Patrick Henry, March 23, 1775, from speech in Virginia Convention, Richmond.
Henry’s words ring true more than 200 years later. The men behind the American Revolution knew they were entering unknown territory when they declared freedom from Great Britain. But their values are still cherished today, values considered traditionally “American” – greater opportunity, freedom from monarchy, and success based upon merit, not social class.
Discover the stories behind America’s revolutionary past and how they relate to your experiences today by visiting the American Independence Museum. Located in historic Exeter, New Hampshire, the museum features stories of the brave men and women who overcame their uncertainties about freedom from Great Britain and established our country.
Tours and exhibits in the museum’s Ladd-Gilman House (1721), a National Landmark Property, introduce you to the Gilman family, prosperous Exeter merchants who become inextricably linked to the Revolution. The Folsom Tavern, down the hill from the Ladd-Gilman House, built c. 1775 by local entrepreneur Colonel Samuel Folsom, was the center of Exeter’s political scene during the Revolution.
The American Independence Museum exhibits highlight the Society of the Cincinnati, the nation’s oldest veterans’ society, and its first president, George Washington. Among the museum’s permanent collection of documents chronicling the nation’s founding are an original Dunlap Broadside of the Declaration of Independence and early drafts of the U.S. Constitution. View these fascinating documents during the museum’s annual American Independence Festival. Permanent collections include American furnishings, ceramics, silver, textiles and military ephemera.
Located in historic downtown Exeter, the American Independence Museum comprises the 18th century Ladd-Gilman House, Folsom Tavern, and over an acre of landscaped property in downtown Exeter. Tours of the museum introduce you to the Gilman family, prosperous Exeter merchants who become inextricably linked to the Revolution:
In 1985, a Dunlap Broadside of the Declaration of Independence was found in
the Ladd-Gilman House. This amazing discovery is now a major focus of
the museum’s collections and programming. The museum was founded
in 1991 to display this rare document and teach visitors our nation’s
founding principles.
Museum collections include two rare drafts of the U.S. Constitution as well as an original Purple Heart, awarded by George Washington to soldiers demonstrating extraordinary bravery. Exhibits highlight the Society of the Cincinnati, the nation’s oldest veterans’ society, and its first president, George Washington. Permanent collections include American furnishings, ceramics, silver, textiles and military ephemera.
The Folsom Tavern, down the hill from the Ladd-Gilman House, built by local
entrepreneur Colonel Samuel Folsom, was the center of Exeter’s political
scene during the Revolution. Currently under restoration, the Folsom
Tavern opens to the public in spring 2007 as an interactive exhibits and education
center.
The American Independence Museum is a private, not-for-profit institution whose mission is to provide a place for the study, research, education and interpretation of the American Revolution and of the role that New Hampshire, Exeter, and the Gilman family played in the founding of the new republic.
One Governors Lane,
Exeter, NH 03833
By phone: 603-772-2622
By email
Whether, its leading guided tours, teaching school programs, assisting in the office, or serving customers in the museum store, you can be an invaluable part of our team. Click here for a Volunteer Application form.
