By Stephen Appezzato
MIDDLETOWN – As the nation approaches its 250th anniversary, Middletown is joining communities across the country in commemorating the milestone through a range of local initiatives, including a volunteer-driven effort to preserve Revolutionary War history and a yearlong slate of public programs.
One exciting local historical push is a new transcription project led by the Middletown Township Historical Society, which is seeking volunteers to help transcribe Revolutionary War pension applications tied to the township and surrounding communities.
“We’re asking for volunteers to go on the National Archives website and transcribe the pension applications of Revolutionary soldiers who were born in, grew up in, or enlisted in the military when they were in Middletown,” said Thomas Valenti, president of the historical society.
The handwritten records, some more than 200 years old, have already been digitized by the National Archives, but many remain untranscribed and difficult to search. Valenti said about 100 relevant pension files have already been identified, with more likely to surface as the project continues.
“Some people have already transcribed them, but we’re uncovering a lot that have not yet been transcribed. So that’s what we’re focusing on,” he said.
Volunteers will access the National Archives website and use its AI text-extraction tool to help decipher the original, handwritten records, Valenti said. Once a volunteer enters their transcription on the website, a separate review group of volunteers compares the transcription to the original records as a double-check for accuracy. After the transcription is finalized on the website, the review group then copies it and sends it to the historical society.
Because Middletown’s borders were far larger during the Revolutionary era, the project extends beyond today’s municipal lines and includes soldiers from much of northern Monmouth County.
The goal, Valenti said, is twofold – to make the records easily accessible to future researchers through the National Archives’ transcription platform, and to use the material locally to bring Middletown’s Revolutionary history to life.
“Once that’s completed, the Middletown Township Historical Society is going to be using info from these applications,” he said. “Maybe we’ll be placing quotes on social media. We have a new museum that we’re opening up, and our first exhibit will be about the Revolution. We’re also thinking about compiling these into a book at some point.”
The society’s soon-to-open museum is located in the township’s historic train station, dating back to 1876, across the street from the current Middletown Train Station and Middletown Arts Center.
Volunteers for the transcription program can complete the work from home and will receive guidance, including assistance from the National Archives’ AI tools.
Those interested in helping can contact the Historical Society at middletownhistory@gmail.com.
Historical Programming
in 2026
The transcription initiative is part of a broader slate of America 250 programming planned by the historical society, including a monthly speaker series running from February through July, the opening of its new museum, and school-based activities such as a classroom door-decorating contest tied to Revolutionary themes.
Complementing those efforts, the Middletown Township Public Library is launching a yearlong series of America 250 programs beginning this month, designed to connect national history with local stories.
In partnership with the township, Monmouth County and the state of New Jersey, the library will host lectures, discussions, hands-on programs and family-friendly events throughout 2026.
The series began Jan. 22 with the first session of a four-part Community Read discussion of David McCullough’s Pulitzer Prize-winning book “1776,” led by Claire Garland and Rick Geffken. Additional discussions are scheduled for February and March, with a concluding session in April. The library also hosted a lecture this week by Dr. Bill Anania titled “Revolutionary Medicine & Surgery,” examining medical practices during the war, and has additional programs over the next few months, including “Revolutionary War Songs, Drumming and Fifing,” Feb. 16, presented by History on the Hoof, and a “Technology Through the Ages” Makers Day March 21.
The library is also highlighting local history through its Community History Project, launched in 2025 with a grant from the New Jersey Council for the Humanities. Through September 2026, the project will feature monthly New Jersey Book Club and Genealogy Club meetings focused on community stories and shared history.
A full schedule of America 250 events and community history programs is available at mtpl.org/america250.
The article originally appeared in the January 29 – February 4, 2026 print edition of The Two River Times.
