Stillwater Historical Museum/Historical Society of Stillwater 900 Main Street Newton, NJ 07860

Stillwater Historical Museum/Historical Society of Stillwater 900 Main Street Newton, NJ 07860

Stillwater Historical Museum/Historical Society of Stillwater

900 Main Street

Newton, NJ 07860

https://www.facebook.com/groups/HistoricStillwater

https://www.historicstillwater.org

Admission: Free but donations are appreciated

Open: check the website for hours/Seasonal

My review on TripAdvisor:

https://www.tripadvisor.com/ShowUserReviews-g46674-d34737428-r1081596401-Stillwater_Historical_Museum-Newton_New_Jersey.html

The front of the Stillwater Historical Society

The last museum on my tour during the Sussex County Heritage Weekend was the Stillwater Historical Society Museum in Stillwater, NJ, a small town just west of Newton, NJ, the County Seat of Sussex NJ.

The Historical Society is set up like a General store on the first floor with displays with merchandise of the past and household items. They have recreated the recreation of the past with a modern twist. How did a small town buy and sell a hundred years ago? How did they socialize when this was the place of communication?

The sign for the museum

The Historical Society of Stillwater Township:

(from the museum pamphlet)

Since its organization in 1977, the mission of the Society has been to foster and promote an interest in Stillwater area history by maintaining a museum and reference library of historic artifacts and genealogical records of area families and support preservation efforts of historic structures sites and events.

Through the generous foresight and planning of Mr. Amos F. Dixon and his wife, Mrs. Mary W. Dixon, the museum associated with the Historical Society of Stillwater Township has been located within the Neighborhood House on Main Street in Stillwater since 1954. Originally a one room schoolhouse from 1842 to 1909 and the home of Mary W. Dixon Library, within the building are interpretive displays of a restored schoolroom and a general store with a post office. A collection of artifacts depicting the early life of the village and surrounding area is on display as well as a costume collection, mineral collection, Native American artifacts and military items dating back to the Revolutionary War. Genealogical records, photographs and newspaper clippings of historic significance to the area and its families are part of the Reference Library.

The first floor gallery of the Stillwater Historical Society is set up like a general store.

The first floor gallery

The History of the Museum:

(from the museum pamphlet)

The museum’s collection has grown and flourished throughout the years thanks to generous donations from the Stillwater community. The Society is always seeking locally-relevant physical artifacts and genealogical information. Dedicated members are working to preserve the artifacts and we are currently computerizing our collections to make the information.

The Preservation of the Museum:

(from the museum pamphlet)

Along with the continued preservation of the Museum and its artifacts, the society has supported the concept of an historic district in Stillwater and recently assisted in the historic registry designation of the Shafer Grist Mill in Stillwater village. The Society & the Casper Shafer residence on Main Street previously assisted with the preservation of Keen’s Mill in the Swartswood Lake area.

The Van Horn family burial plot is also preserved and maintained by the Society. The Society supports all efforts to preserve these and other important historic structures and to make them available for public enjoyment and educational purposes.

To support Stillwater’s community life, the Society hosts educational programs and fund-raising events throughout the year. Past topics have included the evolution of grist mills, herbal remedies used during the 18th Century, Revolutionary War weaponry, the Tocks Island Project and historic cemeteries. Fundraising events range from festivals featuring music, food and games to seasonal bus tours.

The General Store display

The General Store display

The old pot belly stove the center of the General store

The stove of the old General Store

The pot belly stove

Kitchen artifacts

Local artifacts from the Stillwater community

The second floor galleries were broken up into two different sections, Native American and early settler artifacts plus part of the building was once a schoolhouse so the museum also set up a schoolhouse display.

The Lenape Native American display

Native American artifacts

Native American artifacts

This was the old stage of the elementary school now being used to house the Children’s display.

The Children’s Schoolhouse display on the old second floor stage

The other side of the second floor galleries houses clothes, accessories and household goods. The clothing was beautifully displayed.

The second part of the second floor galleries

The back part of the second galleries

It really was an interesting little museum with wonderful artifacts nicely displayed throughout the museum. The museum did a nice job with this.

The Morning clothing display

Day and Evening dresses

Hats and gloves and other accessories

Military outfits and some formal clothing

Farming equipment

Farming equipment

Shoes and sewing items from the turn of the last century

Household items for the turn of the century home

The Town of Stillwater, NJ:

(from the museum pamphlet)

https://www.historicstillwater.org/township-overview

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Stillwater_Township,_New_Jersey

Home

Stillwater Township is located in Sussex County, eights miles west of Newton. Its encompasses an area of 28 square miles. Three small villages: Stillwater, Middleville and Swartswood, together with residents now residing in what was only a few years ago a farming community, compete its population of approximately 4,500.

After my tour of the Stillwater Historical Society Museum, I took a walk in the rural downtown of Stillwater, NJ. I felt like I was in a quaint New England village and not twenty miles from Manhattan.

The beautiful Victorian homes

The town was decorated for upcoming Halloween

The General Store restaurant downtown

The farm view from the downtown

The historic sign for the old Casper Shafer farm

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Casper_Shafer

https://www.sussex.nj.us/585/Casper-Shafer

https://www.facebook.com/groups/HistoricStillwater/permalink/10159716198614329

The original farmhouse decorated for the Halloween holidays

The ghost on their porch

The picturesque farmland

The farm stand in front of the house (on the honor system)

The plant and pumpkin stand on the farm (also on the honor system)

The also had a arranged flower stand with colorful Fall flowers

The back of the old Shafer farm in the Fall

The town was so beautiful and picturesque and it was so much fun just walking around looking at the foliage. It was also a nice way to end my tour on the Sussex County Heritage Tour for the afternoon. I could not believe I was still in New Jersey.

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