In July 2026, the United States will celebrate the 250th anniversary of the signing of the Declaration of Independence. To mark this historic occasion, the Middletown Township Public Library (MTPL) is planning a year-long celebration! Beginning in January 2026, MTPL, along with the Township of Middletown, Monmouth County, and the state of New Jersey, will offer a variety of programs, resources, and exciting events leading up to this momentous milestone.
America 250 Events
Please click on an event to register in advance, as space is limited. Note the location—events may be held at the Middletown Library, other Middletown Township locations, or elsewhere in Monmouth County
April 2 at 2pm – Craft with Wild Jersey – Lenape Coil Pots: Learn with WILD Jersey about New Jersey’s native people, the Lenape, and how they lived! A hands-on program where kids will get to make traditional coil pots out of clay and learn more about their local history in celebration of America’s 250th. For grades 3-6. Located in the Children’s Program Room.
April 9 at 7pm – War within a War Lecture: American Revolution in Monmouth County with Ed Devlin. Located in the MTPL Community Room.
April 13 at 12pm – New Jersey Book Club: Join as we discuss Paterson by William Carlos Williams. Community History Project. Located in the MTPL History Room or via Zoom.
April 15 at 2pm – Genealogy Club: Warren Vincentz will discuss efforts to restore Woodland Cemetery. Community History Project. Located in the MTPL History Room.
April 23 at 2pm – Community Read Series with Claire Garland and Rick Geffken: Discussion of 1776 by David McCullough, Part 4 of 4. Located at the Taylor-Butler House, 127 Kings Hwy, Middletown, NJ.
April 28 at 7pm – Unearthing Revolutionary New Jersey through Archaeology – Middletown Township Historical Society: Join The Middletown Township Historical Society lecture with Dr. Richard Veit. Located in the MTPL Community Room.
May 8 at 2pm – Preserving Family Photographs with Gary Saretzky: Gary Saretzky will provide guidance on how the life of printed family photographs can be extended so that they can be passed down to future generations. Community History Project. Located in the MTPL Community Room.
May 11 at 12pm – New Jersey Book Club: Join as we discuss Radium Girls by Kate Moore. Community History Project. Located in the MTPL History Room or via Zoom.
May 20 at 2pm – Genealogy Club: More information to come. Community History Project. Located in the MTPL History Room.
May 23 at 10am – Grandparents & Me Family Scrapbooking. Community History Project. Located in the MTPL Children’s Craft Room.
May 27 at 7pm – Sandy Hook During the Revolution – Middletown Township Historical Society: Join the Middletown Township Historical Society’s lecture with Todd Braisted. Located in the MTPL Community Room.
May 28 at 10am – Yankee Doodle Books and Bubbles: Join us in celebrating America’s 250th with a Yankee Doodle Books and Bubbles Storytime! Located in the outdoor children’s garden.
May 30 at 4pm – Middletown Township “Road to Liberty” Block Party. Located on Kings Highway, Middletown, NJ.
June 8 at 12pm – New Jersey Book Club: Join as we discuss Three Hundred Years Hence, by Mary Griffith. Community History Project. Located in the MTPL History Room or via Zoom.
June 13 at 1pm – Community History Fair: Learn more about the many local historical organizations that are helping to preserve and make accessible Middletown’s history. Community History Project. Located in the MTPL Community Room.
June 17 at 2pm – Genealogy Club: More information to come. Community History Project. Located in the MTPL History Room.
June 23 at 7pm – Philip Freneau: Monmouth County’s Revolutionary Poet: Join the Middletown Township Historical Society’s lecture with Dr. Stanley Blair. Located in the MTPL Community Room.
July 2 at 6pm – Thursday Night Theatre – 1776: Join us as we view the 1972 musical film 1776. Located in the MTPL History Room.
July 13 at 12pm – New Jersey Book Club: Join the discussion of author David Rosenfelt’s character, Andy Carpenter. Community History Project. Located in the MTPL History Room or via Zoom.
July 15 at 2pm – Genealogy Club: More information to come. Community History Project. Located in the MTPL History Room.
July 16 at 7pm – Mixed-Media Self Portraits – Painting Wave Fine Art – For Adults: More information to come. Community History Project. Located in the MTPL Makerspace.
July 22 at 7pm – Mixed-Media Self Portraits – Painting Wave Fine Art – For Teens: More information to come. Community History Project. Located in the MTPL Makerspace.
July 28 at 7pm – Divided Loyalties – Middletown Township Historical Society: Join the Middletown Township Historical Society’s lecture with Dr. Maxine Lurie. Located in the MTPL Community Room.
Book Discussions
Please click on the events to register in advance as spaces are limited.
New Jersey Book Club
The Second Monday of each month at 12pm in the History Room
Community Read Series – 1776 by David McCullough
Thursday, January 22nd at 2pm – MTPL History Room
Thursday, February 19th at 2pm – MTPL History Room
Thursday, March 19th at 2pm – Grover House
Thursday, April 23rd at 2pm – Taylor-Butler House
Community History Project – “Engaging with Middletown History”
In 2025, the Middletown Township Public Library received a grant from the New Jersey Council for the Humanities, aimed at helping community-centered groups launch projects that focus on exploring and sharing their stories and histories.
Our project is focused on discovering ways our community in Middletown already engages with history – both our own personal histories and history on a wider scale – as well as facilitating ways that we can further tell our stories and histories. From now until September 2026, we’re doing a multitude of programs that focuses on both aspects – learning about what came before and engaging in our “now.”
The Community History Project is supported by the New Jersey Council for the Humanities with funding from the state of New Jersey and the National Endowment for the Humanities.
Book & Media Recommendations based on American Revolution
Middletown Township and Monmouth County Events
Liberty’s Ride for Freedom Activity Book – Download Here
Need Help with event registration, or have a question?
Please contact the Reference Desk at 732-671-3700 ext. 320 or e-mail us at contactus@mtpl.org