Paine was a man always on the move, traveling through England, the United States and France in his quest for democracy and equality. Here you can view the locations and markers that he visited in this life in images. The images are in chronological order. Click on any image to enlarge. Enjoy!
A plaque at the birthplace of Thomas Paine in Thetford, England erected by the Antiquities Borough of Thetford. Paine was born here on January 29, 1737 – FlickrA photograph of the cottage in which Thomas Paine was born in Thetford, England taken by photographer A.G. Bagshaw – American Philosophical SocietyThe “Old School” at Thetford Grammar School which was a one-room school at the time Paine was a pupil from 1744 to 1749 – British Listed BuildingsPaine returned from his life as a privateer and moved to this white building in Sandwich, UK in 1759. He opened a staymaking shop and married Mary Lambert on September 27, 1759. However, the business did not succeed and Mary unfortunately died in childbirth along with the baby – FlickrA plaque marking the George Hotel in Grantham, UK where Paine lived from 1762 until 1764 while employed as an excise officer – Photo by Iain StandenA plaque marking the building in Alford, UK where Paine worked as an excise officer from 1764 to 1765 at the customs office on this site – Photo by TonyMo22Bull House, an inn located at 92 Lewes High Street in Lewes, England where Paine lived from 1768 to 1774. Paine lived here after coming to Lewes to take up a position as an exciseman. He found lodging with Samuel Ollive – an established and respected grocer and tobacconist. In 1771, Paine married Elizabeth Ollive, the daughter of his recently deceased landlord. It was while living at Bull House that Paine wrote his political pamphlet ‘The Case of the Officers of Excise’ in 1772, asking Parliament for better pay and working conditions for excisemen. He frequently participated in political debates here and formed many political connections – Photo by PoliphiloThis plaque is attached to the Bull House in Lewes, England and informs visitors that Thomas Paine lived in this house from 1768 to 1774. – Photo by Simon HarriyottThe 16th-Century inn, the White Hart Hotel, at 55 High Street in Lewes, UK was frequently visited by Thomas Paine and is where he formed ‘The Headstrong Club’ which met regularly in the hotel – Wikimedia CommonsA marker in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania indicating the location of Robert Aitken’s printshop, The inscription reads in part, Aitken ‘published the Journals of Congress, its official proceedings, and The Pennsylvania Magazine which introduced the writings of Thomas Paine to America’. The marker was erected in 2012 – Pennsylvania Historical and Museum CommissionA marker in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania has the following inscription: ‘At his print shop here, Robert Bell published the first edition of Thomas Paine’s revolutionary pamphlet [Common Sense] in January 1776. Arguing for a republican form of government under a written constitution, it played a key role in rallying American support for independence.’ The marker was erected in 1993 by the Pennsylvania Historical and Museum Commission – Photo by J. J. PratsA plaque in Fort Lee, New Jersey claims to mark the site where Paine’s ‘The Crisis’ pamphlet was conceived as he fled the British invasion on New York with the American army – Historical Marker DatabaseA plaque at “New Bridge Landing” in River Edge, New Jersey that marks the location of a key bridge built in 1745. Describing the American retreat from Fort Lee on November 20, 1776, eyewitness Thomas Paine wrote in The American Crisis, “Our first objective was to secure the bridge over the Hackensack, which laid up the river between the enemy and us”. It is here where British troops attacked the American rear guard on November 21, 1776. New Bridge served as a battleground. The plaque was erected by Bergen County Historical Society – Photo by Bill CoughlinA marker in New Brunswick, New Jersey shows the house of Henry Guest. A 1951 New Brunswick Sunday Times article theorizes Thomas Paine’s rumored stay at his friend Guest’s house may have been in early December 1776, where he was in hiding just before the city fell to the British. Paine is said to have been in the midst of writing ‘The American Crisis’ during his stay – Photo by Bill CoughlinA marker from the Pennsylvania Historical and Museum Commission shows Francis Bailey’s Printshop in Lancaster, Pennsylvania. The inscription reads, “Francis Bailey, official printer to both the U.S. Congress and the Commonwealth, operated a printing office on this site from 1773 to 1780. Here, he produced many historic imprints including Thomas Paine’s ‘Crisis No. 4′” – Pennsylvania Historical and Museum CommissionCookes House, also known as Tom Paine’s House, is a historic home located at 438-440 Codorus Street in York, Pennsylvania. It is claimed by some to have been the home of Paine while the Second Continental Congress convened in York from September 30, 1777 to June 27, 1778 – Library of Congress“Map of Philadelphia and Parts Adjacent” is a 1752 illustration of Pennsylvania State House, now known as Independence Hall. He served as the Secretary to the Committee for Foreign Affairs for the Continental Congress from April 1777 to early 1779, which held its meetings at Philadelpha’s Independence Hall. Appointed to manage correspondence and aid diplomatic efforts, he acted as a key figure in foreign relations, but was forced to resign after exposing confidential information regarding the corruption of the well-connected Silas Deane. Paine was essentially America’s first whisleblower and also its first secretary of state, managing crucial, often secret, correspondence with foreign powers like France. Paine also served as Clerk of the Pennsylvania General Assembly at Independence Hall from November 2, 1779, to 1780 where he supported the Pennsylvania Constitution of 1776, wrote the preamble to the state’s 1780 act abolishing slavery, and facilitated crucial supply efforts for the Continental Army – Library of CongressA marker in Bordentown, New Jersey shows the location of the house Thomas Paine bought in 1783 where he lived periodically until his death. Bordentown is the only place in the world where Paine bought property. The marker was erected by the State of New Jersey – Photo by Devry Becker JonesPaine bought this house at 6 W Church St in Bordentown, New Jersey in 1783, the only property Paine ever purchased in his life. This photograph was taken in 2026.Starting in 1787, Paine visited the Louvre Museum in Paris to present his plans for an iron bridge to the Académie des Sciences of France, which met in the Louvre at the time – Photo by Ali SabbaghA sign at the Old Red Lion Theater Pub in London says “On this site in 1791 Thomas Paine wrote part of ‘Rights of Man (Part Two)'”. It was published in February 1792. Soon after, Paine was forced to flee to France as the British monarchy became more hostile following the popularity of Rights of Man – Photo by Matt BrownThe Paris site of the mansion farmhouse Thomas Paine shared with six others in 1793. In Paine’s time, the address was number 63 but it’s now numbered 144 Rue Faubourg Saint-Denis – Ordinary PhilosophyThe entry of the Hotel de Monnais on rue Guénégaud in Paris, the site of the famous salon owned by Sophie de Grouchie and her husband, the Marquis de Condorcet. Paine, Thomas Jefferson, Adam Smith and Benjamin Franklin were regular guests. In 1791, Grouchie translated two articles written by Paine – Ordinary PhilosophyThe Luxembourg Palace, now the Senate Building of France, was made into a prison during the French Revolution. After the death of Henry IV in 1610, his widow, Marie de’ Medici, became regent to her son, Louis XIII, and built the palace for herself to be her royal residence. Paine was arrested on December 28, 1793 and imprisoned here until November 1794 – Ordinary Philosophy95 Rue de Richelieu, Paris is the former residence of James Monroe, at that time the American Ambassador to France. Paine lived here for the two years while recovering from his serious health problems following his release from prison in 1794 – Ordinary PhilosophyA plaque on the Paris house of Paine’s friend, printer and writer Nicholas de Bonneville. Paine lived in this house with Bonneville, Bonneville’s wife, Marguerite Brazier, and their children. The plaque reads in French: “British by Birth, American by Adoption, French by Decree, Thomas Paine lived in this building from 1797 to 1802, where he placed his passion for Liberty at the service of the French Revolution, becoming a Deputy to the Convention which wrote The Rights of Man” – Wikimedia CommonsThe Paris house of Paine’s friend, printer and writer Nicholas de Bonneville at 10 rue de L’Odeon. Paine lived in this house with Bonneville, Bonneville’s wife, Marguerite Brazier, and their children – Wikimedia CommonsThe Thomas Paine Cottage in New Rochelle, New York. The New York State Legislature awarded Paine 320 acres with this cottage in New Rochelle in 1784 for his service in the Revolutionary War after confiscating the land from a British loyalist. Paine lived in this cottage periodically from 1802 to 1806 – US National Park ServiceA drawing of Cornelius Ryder’s house at Number 293 Bleeker Street in Manhattan where Paine lived with Madame Bonneville and her two sons until May 1809. Paine can be seen sitting in the window – The New York Public LibraryA map showing the residences of Thomas Paine before and at the time of his death on June 8th, 1809, in the Greenwich Village neighborhood of New York City. The map was made in 1864 for David T. Valentine, C.C. by John Randel and is oriented with north to the upper right. – The New York Public LibraryThis plaque hangs on the outside wall of a brick building on Grove Street in Greenwich Village in New York City on the site where Thomas Paine died on June 8, 1809. It was placed on the June 9th, 1923 by the Greenwich Village Historical Society – FlickrThis plaque describes the history of Barrow Street in New York City, named after artist Thomas Barrow, and its previous name, Reason Street in honor of Paine’s “The Age of Reason” that was changed after a campaign by anti-Paine churches in the area – Researching Greenwich Village HistoryPaine’s New Rochelle Monument is a 12-foot marble column marking his burial site. In 1837, Gilbert Vale, editor of the New York Beacon, started a subscription for the purpose of erecting the monument. It was dedicated on May 30th, 1881. Sculptor William Macdonald created the bronze bust that was placed upon the monument on May 30th, 1899 – Flickr
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![Marker in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania with the inscription, ‘At his print shop here, Robert Bell published the first edition of Thomas Paine’s revolutionary pamphlet [Common Sense] in January 1776. Arguing for a republican form of government under a written constitution, it played a key role in rallying American support for independence.’ Erected in 1993 by the Pennsylvania Historical and Museum Commission – Photo by J. J. Prats](https://thomaspaine.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/12/thomas-paine-common-sense-788x1024.jpg)
