Category: Historic Homes of New Jersey

Pilesgrove-Woodstown Historical Society                                 42 North Main Street                                                 Woodstown, NJ 08098

Pilesgrove-Woodstown Historical Society 42 North Main Street Woodstown, NJ 08098

Pilesgrove-Woodstown Historical Society

42 North Main Street

Woodstown, NJ. 08098

(856) 769-1886

https://www.facebook.com/people/Pilesgrove-Woodstown-Historical-Society-Museum/100057781264630/?ref=py_c

Open: Sunday-Friday Closed/Saturday 10:00am-1:00pm

My review on TripAdvisor:

https://www.tripadvisor.com/ShowUserReviews-g46943-d25105287-r881790546-Pilesgrove_woodstown_Historical_Society-Woodstown_New_Jersey.html?m=19905

The Samuel Dickeson House

The Mission of the Pilesgrove-Woodstown Historical Society:

To preserve and advance interest in and awareness of the history and heritage of the Borough of Woodstown and Pilesgrove Township by properly procuring, preserving and maintaining the art, artifacts and documents that relate to the cultural, archaeological, civil, literary, genealogical and ecclesiastical history of the local community. We welcome researchers and provide them with any available material.

On the site is the 1840’s one room schoolhouse that was moved from Eldridge’s Hill in the 1970’s and is open for touring during museum hours. The organization hosts quarterly presentations and participates with the Candlelight Tour on the first Friday of December.

Touring the house is a wonderful experience and I got an excellent tour from a member of the Board of Directors who took me on a full tour of the house and grounds. She explained that the volunteers take a lot of pride in the home, the displays and the artifacts and antiques that make up the décor of the house. The tour starts in the Library which is to the right of the entrance. This is where people can research their families and the towns’ histories. The house was originally owned by the Dickerson family and had changed hands many times over the years.

The Library:

This display has the portrait of John Fenwick and the family tree

The Library:

The Library:

The collection of books and manuscripts is held in the library of the home. Patrons can do their research on their family trees and on the local towns here.

The Living Room:

The Living Room:

The Living Room:

The Living Room:

The Living Room:

The Kitchen:

The kitchen had been modernized over the years but still retains its historic look to it.

The Kitchen:

The Kitchen:

The Kitchen:

The kitchen:

The Military Room:

Memorabilia from the Veterans of Foreign Wars

The Upstairs Bedrooms:

The Upstairs bedroom:

The Upstairs bedroom:

The Upstairs bedroom:

The upstairs bedroom has lots of children’s toys, clothes and musical instruments.

The Upstairs bedroom:

The Upstairs bedroom:

The hats and toy collections in the home.

The Bathroom:

The Commercial section of the home:

The outside grounds have a wonderful lawn area where the foliage was in full hilt when I was visiting and in the back of the home is the schoolhouse from the 1840’s. This was locked for the day, but I could see the classroom set up of an old-fashioned school room that has not changed all that much since that period.

The Schoolhouse on the society’s property

The Schoolhouse

The property behind the house was beautiful and well-kept with colorful foliage.

The house is well maintained, beautifully displayed with artifacts and there is a lot to see and do here. I just wish this wonderful site was open more often so that people could enjoy these wonderful artifacts and displays.

Some of the special programs that the society has run:

David Crockett, Scout and Adventurer” on March 26th, 2023:

The Pilesgrove-Woodstown Historical Society is presenting a free program for the community titled ” David Crockett, Scout and Adventurer.” There are many stories about “Davy” Crockett. Our speaker, Mr. Douglas Jones, in period clothing, will be sharing many and will have time for questions.  The date is Sunday, March 26th, 2023 at 2:00 pm in the Woodstown Friends Meeting House, 105 North Main Street, Woodstown, N.J. 08098 (this is down the road from the Historical Society).  The meeting house is handicap accessible with a sound system and onsite parking.  All are welcome. For more information or questions, call 609-313-7534.

Special Event on May 21st, 2023

The Pilesgrove-Woodstown Historical Society Quarterly Program, on Sunday, 2:00 pm, May 21st, 2023 is titled “Liberty, Loyalty, Libations, Love and Remembrance.”  The hosts, Jan and John Haigis, from “PastTimePresent” will be setting stories to music and song from Memorial Day Celebrations of our United States History.  

This free program will be held in the Woodstown Friends Meeting House, 104, North Main Street, Woodstown, N.J. 08098 is suitable for all ages, all are invited.  The Meeting House is handicap accessible with on site parking available.  For any questions or information call 609-313-7534.

Advertisement
Dennis Township Old School House Museum                   681 Petersburg Road                                Woodbine, NJ 08270

Dennis Township Old School House Museum 681 Petersburg Road Woodbine, NJ 08270

Dennis Township Old School House Museum

681 Petersburg Road

Woodbine, NJ 08270

(609) 861-1899

http://www.dennismuseumfriends.org/

https://www.facebook.com/people/Friends-of-dennis-township-old-school-house-museum/100066513017935/

Open: Every First and Third Saturday of the Month (Please check with the website on weather conditions)

Admission: Free but donations accepted

My review on TripAdvisor:

https://www.tripadvisor.com/ShowUserReviews-g35374-d25030718-r862673797-Dennis_Township_Old_School_House_Museum-Woodbine_Georgia.html?m=19905

I have been wanting this charming little museum for several months. This is one of the featured historical museums in Southern New Jersey. The museum is representing the local farming and manufacturing industries as well as life in a farming community at the turn of the last century.

The museum was started in 1994 in a partnership with the town of Woodbine, NJ and houses the history of Dennis Township. It is an all-volunteer museum, and the docents were really helpful describing all the displays that surround this small former schoolhouse. Their Friends of the Dennis Township Museum group does a nice job walking you around the museum and describing the displays.

The Friends of the Dennis Township Old School House Museum

The museum tells the story of a small-town farming community with a history of different local businesses, the Dennisville School district from 1874-1948 and the Methodist colony that was a big part of the community in the early 1800’s. The shipping industry was very important to any small town that used to supply its fruits, vegetables and fish to Philadelphia.

Some of the displays were dedicated to the local family businesses with the small cranberry industry that used to be in the area with equipment and packaging. The Mason Basket Company used to make the small and large wooden baskets for fruits and vegetables used to ship these items to both New York City and Philadelphia. These baskets are a staple at any farmers marker today. The other big business in town was the shingle making business that prided itself on supplying the shingles for Independence Hall in Philadelphia.

Farming equipment and small-town life display

The building had been the local one room schoolhouse for the surrounding community from 1874-1948 until the new schools were built in the 1950’s. There was a display on the school’s history as well as lots of pictures of the students at the turn of the last century with their period clothing and proper manners taking pictures with their schoolteachers. There were displays of desks, clothing and items that would have been in the school room.

The town had once been a Methodist community with a large meeting house and surrounding homes for parishioners to stay. They showed the meetings and how the group would spend their summers in the area.

The Summer Community in Dennis Township at the turn of the last century

The museum showcased live in a small-town farming community with all sorts of farm and farmhouse equipment. There were all sorts of home making items like cooking utensils to make meals from scratch, baking and serving in homes where being a housewife took a lot of strength. The farm equipment included hoes, racks and seeders that kept the farms going.

There were pictures of the renovations of the Ludlam family cemetery that had gone through a renovation by the Boy Scouts and showcased it beauty. The members did a nice job renovating the tombstones and landscaping.

In the corners of the museum, there is period clothing from the Civil War to the 1930’s with hats, gloves and dressing plus accessories. There is a small display to the local veterans of war. Near the entrance there is a working pipe organ and more information about the town from the early 1900’s.

The docents told me that they have the old town records and that people come to the museum to research their families that used to live in the area. They have had people come from all over the country to find their family roots.

For a small museum, it is chock full of small displays offering a glimpse into a community of time past and how it has grown over the future and changed.

Take time also to drive around this small town loaded with historical homes that have been beautifully maintained and labeled with the year that they were built. Some looked like they had the family names on them.

The beautiful homes of downtown Woodbine, NJ are beautifully maintained and give the town its Victorian appeal.
Day Two Hundred and Forty Visiting the Historical Sites of Southern New Jersey in Cumberland and Salem Counties-A Local Journey on Father’s Day Weekend                                                             June 18th-19th, 2022

Day Two Hundred and Forty Visiting the Historical Sites of Southern New Jersey in Cumberland and Salem Counties-A Local Journey on Father’s Day Weekend June 18th-19th, 2022

Grab your tour book and get in the car to visit all these wonderful sites. There is so much to see and do in Historical Southern New Jersey!

The Nicolas Gibbon House

mywalkinmanhattan

The one thing I refuse to do on Father’s Day is to spend the day at the cemetery. I know that is some people’s idea of honoring one’s family members but it is not mine. I went on Friday and paid my respects to my father (whom this blog is dedicated to) and spent time remembering some of the good times we had in past. I dropped some cut flowers from our gardens (some of which he planted) and said a small prayer. Then I left.

My idea of honoring my father and spending Father’s Day with him is to do something that we would have shared together. We were always running around somewhere and exploring something new and doing something fun. That is how I wanted to honor him. By being active and giving him a toast at Sunday dinner.

I had gotten a pamphlet on the historical sites…

View original post 8,238 more words

The Doll House at the Boulevard Circle                    Hasbrouck Heights, NJ 07604

The Doll House at the Boulevard Circle Hasbrouck Heights, NJ 07604

The Doll House at the Boulevard Circle

Hasbrouck Heights, NJ 07604

No phone number

Open: Sunday-Saturday 24 hours you can visit

My review on TripAdvisor:

The Doll House at the Boulevard Circle in Hasbrouck Heights, NJ

The Little Doll House on the Boulevard Circle in Hasbrouck Heights has been a landmark in town almost eighty years. The little house stood in the back of 122 Boulevard since I had moved into town in 1988 and was always painted the same way as the Neil Parrott Reality Company.

The Doll House was built in 1943 by owner Issac V. Young for his grandchildren and then the house was purchased by Neil Parrott for the family realty business. It was used as a playhouse for client’s children while their parents’ conducted business inside the office.

The Historical sign at the Circle in Hasbrouck Heights, NJ

Neil Parrott Realty closed back in the early 2000’s and the Doll House was overgrown with vines and was in disrepair. When the new owners bought the house, they were approached by members of the community to see what they were going to do with the Doll House. When it looked like they were going to demolish it, a group of citizens wanted to save it and restore it.

The restoration was funded by the Hasbrouck Heights Lions Club and conducted by a group of citizens from Hasbrouck Heights fixed the Doll House and placed it on town land so that the colorful landmark can be shared by everyone driving into Hasbrouck Heights.

The Doll House in Hasbrouck Heights at Christmas time

The committee decorates the Doll House for all the holidays.

We want to thank all the members of the Hasbrouck Heights community for putting the effort together to take care of this fun and whimsical landmark.

The Doll House at Halloween 2022

The Dollhouse at Christmas 2022

The Dollhouse decorated for the Christmas Holidays in 2022