The David Library of The American Revolution

The David Library of the American Revolution is a nonprofit foundation devoted to the study of American history circa 1750 to 1800. The library's mission is the collection and dissemination of information on the period and the support of related programs. It was founded by Sol Feinstone (1888-1980), a businessman, philanthropist, and collector of Americana who emigrated from Lithuania in 1902 at age fourteen.

The library was established in 1959 and opened on its present location in 1974. For years, Feinstone had been passionately interested in educating the American public about the early history of their country. He contemplated several options for displaying his collection of books and original eighteenth-century manuscripts on the Revolutionary period that he had amassed over five decades. While in his early eighties, Feinstone conceived and brought to fruition an idea to construct on his farm in Washington Crossing a library devoted to the study of the American Revolution.

The nucleus of books and manuscripts initially donated by Feinstone has now grown to include 40,000 printed materials in bound volumes and microcards, as well as 10,000 reels of microfilm containing original American, British, Loyalist, French and German records. The collections also hold a wealth of material on women, families, African Americans, and Indians. Facilities include the research library, a conference center, and a residence facility for visiting fellows.

In May, 2019, the David Library announced that it will partner with the American Philosophical Society to form the David Center for the American Revolution at the American Philosophical Society. This means operations at Washington Crossing will cease at the end of 2019. Come see us before then!