Background
The Sandy Hook Foundation, the official nonprofit friends group to the National Park Service at Sandy Hook, New Jersey, has partnered with the Monmouth County Historical Association to produce a heritage immersive experience centred on Colonel Tye, an enslaved man from Colts Neck who escaped bondage and became one of the most feared Loyalist raiders of the Revolutionary War in Monmouth County.
The deployment
Launched on 2 May 2026 at the historic Taylor-Butler House at 127 Kings Highway in Middletown, New Jersey, the experience — titled Colonel Tye: Fighting for Freedom — runs on Apple Vision Pro headsets. Two visitors at a time can participate in a single session lasting approximately 25 minutes, on a first-come, first-served basis. Admission is free. A minimum age of 13 applies for headset users; a secondary screen display is available for those who prefer not to wear the device.
The experience is open every Saturday and Sunday between 1 and 4 pm from May 2 to July 25, 2026, with extended hours over the opening weekend, and closes on 4–5 July.
Content and narrative
The experience uses primary source historical documents and spatially anchored content to guide visitors through four chapters of Tye's life: his years of enslavement on New Jersey farms; his decision to flee to the Loyalist stronghold at Sandy Hook; his enlistment under the British, who offered emancipation in exchange for military service; and his leadership of the Black Brigade, a mixed Black and white Loyalist unit that conducted more than a dozen documented raids deep into Patriot-held Monmouth County.
Context
The Monmouth County Historical Association contributed historical research and archival material to the project. The Sandy Hook Foundation, established in 1989, has a long track record of funding cultural and educational programmes connected to Gateway National Recreation Area.
