I recently visited the birthplace of of our 22nd and 24th President of the United States of America and it is an interesting look into one man’s past. The Grover Cleveland Birthplace Museum was originally the pastor’s residence for the First Presbyterian Church in Caldwell, NJ.
What I found interesting about this historical home is that the President’s sister, Susan, saved everything of the family’s past. Things like furniture, home furnishings, cooking utensils, paintings and photos of the family plus personal items of the President such as his clothes, pipes, shaving kits and traveling cases so there is a lot of interesting items to see and well thought up display cases.
The house is broken up into the kitchen area, the living chambers, the former living room area which has most of the displays and then the front hallway where more family displays are located.
President Cleveland and Mrs. Cleveland’s personal clothes
Try to take a tour with the tour guide, Paula, who knows the house backwards and forwards and gives you an interesting take on the family. She will be able to point out all the family objects and personal items that have been donated by family members. Things from formal clothes to a piece of the President’s wedding cake.
A piece of the President’s wedding cake
The whole tour takes about an hour and you will find yourself memorized by the displays and the family history of the children and grandchildren. It is interesting to see how the family grew when they were living in Caldwell, NJ.
History of the Cleveland Birthplace Museum:
Grover Cleveland’s birthplace was built in 1832 as the Manse or pastor’s residence for the First Presbyterian Church of Caldwell. Cleveland’s father, the Reverend Richard Fally Cleveland was the minister here from 1834-1841.
Grover Cleveland’s early childhood
Originally this frame home had a two-story main section with a one-story kitchen to the east and a one-story lean-to at the rear. It was enlarged several times between 1848-1870 to meet the growing needs of the Presbyterian clergy. The house is a good example of local vernacular architecture.
The front Birthplace house and the church off to the side
The historical significance of the Manse was first noted in 1881 when Cleveland was running for Governor of New York. As his political star ascended, so did the interest in preserving his birthplace as a museum. A group of Cleveland’s friends and admirers began negotiations to purchase the Manse in 1907. Their efforts culminated in the opening of the house to the public on March 18, 1913.
Most of the first floor rooms portray the Manse as it was in 1837, the year Grover Cleveland was born. The decidedly middle-class character of the rooms reflect the day to day life of the Reverend Richard Cleveland and his family. Among the artifacts on display from Cleveland’s early years are his cradle and original family portraits.
Grover Cleveland’s crib where he was born
Contrasting sharply with the humble beginnings portrayed in these rooms, the exhibit gallery features a striking display of artifacts that reflect the financial and political success Cleveland achieved during the last quarter of the 19th Century. Here, the mud-slinging campaign of 1884, the public’s intense interest in his wife and children and America’s political climate throughout his split terms of office are explored.
The Grover Cleveland Birthplace State Historic Site is the only house museum in the country dedicated to the interpretation of President Cleveland’s life. It is the nation’s leading repository of Cleveland artifacts and political memorabilia. The Grover Cleveland Birthplace is listed on the New Jersey and National Registers of Historic Places.
The President’s time in New Jersey:
Stephen Grover Cleveland was born on March 18, 1837 to the Reverend Richard Cleveland and his wife, Ann. Named for the first ordained pastor of the First Presbyterian Church at Caldwell, he would in time become known by his middle name, Grover.
Cleveland was raised in a strict, modest home. As the son of a minister and the fifth of nine children, he had a religious and principled upbringing with few luxuries. When Grover was four, Reverend Cleveland moved his family to Fayetteville, NY.
Note: The Skylands Manor is decorated for the holidays during the first week of December and only for one weekend as it used for a banquet facility the rest of the time and as a hotel. The first weekend of December is when local Gardening groups are assigned one room to decorate and they have one week to put it together, display their ideas and explain how they did it to the public.
The front of the Skylands Manor during Christmas time.
The best day to go is the Thursday afternoon opening as it is the quietest day of the four day event with Saturday being the busiest. The best time on Thursday to come is in the morning.
In 2019, the decorations were not as elaborate as the previous two years. The snow storm before the event may have put a damper on a few of the groups decorating. Still the best day to visit the manor is Thursday afternoon as it is the quietest time and you can take the best pictures.
The two best rooms in the manor in 2019 were the Entrance Hall and Grand Staircase decorated by the Magnificent Seven, a group of volunteers whose theme was ‘The Secret Life of Gnomes’ and the trees and staircases were studded with gnomes, large and small, on the trees and wreathes surrounding the stairs.
The other room that was very impressive was the Center Hall whose theme was the “Enchanted Forest, full of little fairies and painted rocks and jeweled winged ornaments. When you looked at the detail work of the trees and table displays you could see the work that went into the decor. Each little fairy on the stands and trees had immense detail and took a lot of time. This display was done by the Friends of Laurelwood Arboretum in Wayne, NJ.
The rest of the rooms in the manor were really pared down from 2018 and did not have the same elaborate details to them. The Library and Study did not have half of the display items that they did in the past.
The Carriage House on the estate.
The Carriage House was used as a restaurant and a gift shop during the event.
The fee to enter the home is still $10.00. The carriage house is being used for a cafe with Chicken Salad sandwiches and hot dogs with toppings. There are all sorts of crafts for sale.
The Carriage House for Lunch.
The menu at the pop-up restaurant at the Skylands Manor.
Watch the calendar for 2024 in early December for the next display.
Visiting Skylands Manor in 2023:
I was able to visit on Thursday morning and the crowds were very small. This is the best time to come to the Skylands Manor.
The front door leading inside of the house.
The house looked amazing as usual and because I came the first day in the morning, it was the perfect time to visit the manor while the crowds were away.
The entrance to the self-guided walking tour of Skylands Manor.
The tour was really spectacular in 2023. The whole house was decorated so beautifully.
The entrance to the house was decorated by the Passaic County Parks and Recreation. This display was based on the magic of the Scottish Highlands.
After passing through the entrance of the house, it was off to the Ladies Parlor of the home and the decorations of the Garden Club of Teaneck. Then off to the Dining Room that was decorated by the Master Gardeners of Bergen County.
The Dining Room was just breathtaking.
The Dining Room was festive with lots of lit Christmas trees.
The Dining Room was quite elaborate.
The Master Gardeners of Bergen County were very detail orientated with their display spreading the Christmas cheer as you entered the house. The next room was the Breakfast Room with beautiful sunlight coming into the room and views of the gardens that are dormant at this time.
The theme of the Breakfast Room was that of enchanted forests with sacred fairy springs and moss covered meadows. The Breakfast Room was decorated also by the Master Gardeners of Bergen County.
A beautiful view of the Breakfast Room done by the Master Gardeners of Bergen County.
The decorations of the Breakfast Room were quite elaborate.
The side of the Breakfast Room.
As I left the Breakfast Room, I entered The Center Hall where the many faucets of Robert Burns, the Scottish author of “My Heart is in the Highlands” themed room was decorated by the Ringwood Garden Club.
The Center Hall of the manor house.
The Center Hall led to the back porch that was decorated by the Demarest Garden Club.
The Back Porch of the house just off the Center Hall.
The room was done with the theme “We wish you Blythe Yule as you enter a pastoral view of Holidays in the Highlands”.
The next room I visited the was The Great Hall, which is a Jacobean style interior designed to impress with its arched beams, paneled walls and spectacular stained glass windows (Skylands pamphlet).
The Great Hall Christmas tree
The Great Hall by the stained glass window.
The Great Hall decorations by the fireplace off to the side.
I next walked through The Octagonal Hall, that is the transition room between The Great Hall and The Withdrawing Room/Living Room. This was transformed into a boutique lounge with custom made furniture and decor. Festive pops of pattern and color create a merry, modern vibe (Skylands pamphlet). The Octagonal Hall was designed by Stephanie Graham and Diane Simon.
The entrance to the Octagonal Hall
The decorations of The Octagonal Hall
The statuary in the room beautifully embellished.
The Living Room was decorated to celebrate a Hip Highland Holiday and transformed into a boutique lounge with custom made furniture and decor. The Living Room/Withdrawing Room was designed by local artists Nicole Cohen (Teaneck), Brenda Gallagher (Upper Saddle River) and Lisa Williamson (Ridgewood).
The Living Room in full view.
We were joined by the Winter Queen in the Living Room who was roaming around the manor home engaging with all the guests who attended that morning.
A modern twist to the Christmas tree in the Living Room.
The display by the stained glass windows.
The festive trees of the Living Room
Transitioning out of the Living Room into the The Study, this room with its window seat is the perfect place to curl up with a good book or share stories of Christmas on a snowy afternoon. The study was designed by artist Linda Karen.
The window seat in The Study.
The dark wood paneling of The Study.
The last room on the tour was The Library that is resplendent with the holiday tree decorated with hundreds of lights and a myriad of ornaments representing the Scottish heritage of its owners (Skylands pamphlet). This room was designed by the Master Gardeners of Passaic County.
The Library at the Skylands Manor decked out for the holidays.
The Library in full view.
The fireplace in The Library is beautifully decorated for the holidays.
The Library in all its Christmas glory.
The Living Room was the last decorated room in the manor home for the holidays. I exited by the back door and then explored the grounds and the dormant gardens and look out areas of the estate that must look quite spectacular in the Spring and Summer months. I headed back to the Carriage House to look at the menu and explore the gift shop. This display is only open the first weekend of December and then for the rest of the year, the manor house is used for banquets and meetings and as a B & B. Until next year.
The front of the Carriage House where the restaurant and gift shop were located during the event.
History of the Skylands Manor & People:
The entrance to the manor that morning.
Clarence McKenzie Lewis bought Skylands in 1922 from the estate of Francis Lynde Stetson, who founded Skylands in 1891. Mr. Lewis was educated in England and Germany. While he was there, his widowed mother, Helen Forbes Lewis married William Salomon, founder of the New York banking house. Upon his return, Lewis attended Columbia University, where he received a Civil Engineering degree in 1898. In 1908, he married and bought a country place in Mahwah; it was there that Lewis became interested in horticulture.
The front of the manor home.
Helen Lewis Salomon, the mother of Clarence Lewis, was widowed in 1919. Not only thereafter, she and her bereaved son agreed to a joint project; she wanted a Tudor-style showplace; he wanted plants and gardens. Mrs. Salomon worked closely with the architect on Skylands Manor but she died in 1927 before its completion.
The entrance to the Walled Gardens.
John Russell Pope (1874-1937) “an architect born to work, in the grand style” was educated at City College, Columbia University, the American Academy in Rome and the Ecole des Beaux Arts in Paris. He trained under Bruce Price, the master builder of Tuxedo Park. Pope designed many outstanding public buildings, such as the Jefferson Memorial and the National Gallery of Art.
The estate gardens overlooking the mountains and the valley below.
Tutor Architecture originated in England in the late Gothic period and continued to be popular into the Renaissance. It features half-timbering on the exterior, crenelated walls, large groups of rectangular windows, oriel or bay windows and intricate chimney complexes The interiors usually had large central halls, wood paneling, molded plaster ceilings and elaborately carved staircases. Tudor Revival became a popular style for the elegant country houses of wealthy Americans.
The estate grounds.
The builder of Skylands was the Elliot C. Brown Co., of New York City, which also built the country homes of Franklin Delano Roosevelt at Hyde Park and E. Roland Harriman (Arden House).
The house as you enter the drive.
Samuel Yellin (1885-1940) decorative metal designer and craftsman, who performed to call himself “the blacksmith”, fashioned the lanterns. electrical fixtures, lamps, gate, and spiral staircase rail for Skylands Manor.
The side of the estate that afternoon in the late fall.
Native Granite for the exterior walls of Skylands was quarried at Pierson Ridge above Emerald Pond in the eastern part of the property in Bergen County.
Mrs. Salomon purchased a collection of antique Stained Glass Medallions from an English collector. The 16th century German, Bavarian and Swiss panes were set in leaded windows by Heinegke & Smith of New York City.
The entrance to the Botanical Garden.
Disclaimer: This information on the details of the history of Skylands Manor was taken directly from their pamphlet and I give them full credit for it. Please call the manor for times that it is open as it is used a banquet/catering facility and a B & B.
The NJ Botanical Gardens just off the Manor House:
I visited the NJ Botanical Gardens in the Fall of 2026 just as all the Fall flowers were in bloom. With the foliage in the background mountains, it gave the whole garden colorful effect on the late afternoon. I will have to remind myself to visit the gardens again in the Spring and early Summer next year. There is a real complexity to these gardens during each season. This warrants a visit again in the Spring and Summer of 2027.
Skylands Manor Garden:
The Pump House at the start of the Gardens
The Pump House used to irrigate the estate
The Orchard on the lawn of the edge of the estate
The Butterfly Garden sign
Even though Fall began the early Fall flowers were still in bloom
The main part of the Gardens
The Gardens with the Fall foliage in the way
The foliage was just beginning in the Gardens
I noticed this beautiful seating area in the corner of the Gardens
Looking at the length of the gardens from the center point stonework
The center point stone vase
The Rose Garden in the second set of Gardens was still in bloom
The Gardens were filled with statuary. Mostly little angels and fairies
The Fall flowers were in full bloom
The second set of Gardens were lined with small bushes and more colorful flowers
The beautiful flowers of the Fall
The Perennial Garden was still in bloom at the time of my visit
The Fall foliage served as a backdrop for the Gardens
The Gardens were so beautifully maintained
The archway into the Gardens from the main house
The beautiful flowers lining the edges of the Gardens
The Rock Garden
I thought this was so beautiful
I thought this garden was so pretty in the third set of Gardens
I though of the angels as a good sign
The flowers were so colorful by the archway
The full view of the Gardens from the lawn and orchard
The view of the mountains in the distance
The Rose Garden on the edge of the lawn
The variety of flowers on the Gardens
The view of the lawn and mountains on the background
The lawn looking north
Leaving the Gardens to head back to the parking lot
The Wildwood Historical Society at 3907 Pacific Avenue
I visited the Wildwood Historical Society George F. Boyer Museum (See review on TripAdvisor) when I was visiting Wildwood, NJ for a convention. It was a gloomy morning, and the museum is open from 9:00am-2:00pm. It is the perfect place to visit on a rainy day at the beach. When I revisited the museum in the summer of 2023, the museum was crowded with members of the fire service and their families visiting after the convention meetings.
The Front Gallery
The central gallery on the Wildwood businesses.
The back gallery of the museum
The museum is a treasure trove of artifacts of the history of the three towns, North Wildwood, Wildwood and Wildwood Crest. The history covers the original inhabitants when the Native Americans lived and fished in the area, the rise as a resort community especially its heyday in the 1950’s and 60’s as a solid middle class resort town and an extensive history of the police, fire department and schools as well as the town and its council people.
The Military display
The Fire display at the museum.
The fisherman’s display at the museum.
The doctor’s office display at the museum.
Each room of the museum is stacked with information, artifacts in case lines and the walls are lined with books, manuscripts and albums. The school history shows how integration worked even as far back as the turn of the last century and the development of the school system. There were books of graduation pictures, sporting events and band involvement.
The high school and public-school display.
There is a very interesting display of firefighting pictures especially of the amusement fires of the past and the rebuilding of the parks and piers. Take time to look at the artifacts in the hallways and pictures of the development of the parks. There are interesting pieces saved from the old parks.
The Dracula’s Castle display before the big fire at the park.
The Dracula’s Castle display
The Amusement Park and Dracula’s Castle display at the museum.
The artifacts from Dracula’s Castle
The display by Dracula’s Castle
There is even a section of restaurant menus and dishware from the well-known establishments of the past and many pictures of the hotels and motels of the ages. It showed how it went from a Victorian resort to the modern times of the sixties theme motels with art deco architecture. There was a real change after the war to a more middle-class customer who was depending on the automobile instead of the train system.
Popular businesses of the past
The Wildwood businesses of the past.
Artifacts from businesses from Wildwood’s past from restaurants to hotels.
There is also a large section on the old amusement piers with pictures and artifacts from the old “Dracula’s Castle” park that burned down in the early 2000’s. There are signs, old tickets, small ride cars and prizes from the games from the piers. There is extensive detail to the display, and you have to look at all the pictures of the amusements at various points of history.
The Amusement gallery by Dracula’s Castle
The Amusement Park display of artifacts in fun and interesting. The museum admits they were lucky to save these items.
The “Dracula’s Castle Fire” was one of the biggest in Wildwood history.
Plan about two hours as you will lose track of time when looking at all the pictures and displays. It is a little packed in here but there is so much to see and take time to watch their videos which are fascinating and informative on the history of the town of Wildwood.
Artifacts and pictures from the old amusement parks that were once part of Wildwood’s glory.
Who was founder George F. Boyer:
George F. Boyer was born in Philadelphia in 1904. He came to Wildwood around 1932 and earned his living as a butcher, a merchant and a fireman. His real local fame, however, came from his role as the City of Wildwood’s first and only official historian. While serving with Wildwood fire department in 1959, he came across the stump of a tree (now known as the “W” tree) in the old city hall.
Running down the origin of the tree, sparked a tsunami of information as he talked to local residents and researched and collected old records. One thing led to another and in January of 1962, Boyer was appointed in the city’s newly established historical commission and became the first president of the Wildwood Historical Society.
The Wildwood music and ‘Doo Wop’ display.
The entertainer Mario Lanza exhibit when he used to visit here with his parents
Tireless in his efforts to collect and preserve local artifacts, Boyer spoke to school and church groups as well as civic organizations, urging them to “act now. To gather those irreplaceable links with the past and preserve them for generations to come.”
A model of Wildwood in the Business Gallery at the museum.
Founded by Boyer, Wildwood’s first historical museum opened in 1963, on the second floor of the Municipal Building in October 1976, the City of Wildwood honored Boyer for his “long and devoted service” by renaming the museum, the George F. Boyer Historical Museum.
The museum sits proudly in Downtown Wildwood.
He passed away a month later but his legacy lives on. The museum, now located at 3907 Pacific Avenue, continues to welcome visitors and locals alike, just as it did a half century ago under Boyer’s care.
Household items of the past.
The town bell
The non-profit museum is made possible thanks to volunteers who dedicate time to our cause. We always need volunteers. To learn about volunteering, drop in during our open hours, call us or fill the contact form on the website.
The Wildwood Boardwalk and amusements today.
Disclaimer: This information was taken directly from the History of the Wildwood Historical Museum website, and I give them full credit for the information. Remember that the museum has limited hours and the resort is seasonal so please call the above number for the times and dates when the museum is open.
Northwest Bergen History Coalition History Day/Summer Open House 2026:
I visited the Hopper-Goetschius House Museum during the 8th Annual Northwest Bergen History Coalition History Day. I had never been here before and it is a real treat. There are many buildings on the property to visit on top of the house and the fact that this was someone’s house into the 1980’s is pretty interesting.
The historic marker in front of the house
The Hopper property in July 2026 for the Weekend Open House
The Gris Mill wheel
The historical tree stump
The historical plaque
The property in the Summer of 2026
Christmas Open House December 2019:
The house still holds many secrets. The best part of the tour of the house is the secret stairs in the kitchen that lead to the old second floor. This can only accessed behind a panel that leads to a narrow set of steps. You can see it from the new second floor from the top floor.
I attended Holiday Celebration on December 8th, 2019 and it was a beautiful sunny day for an outside event. It was a really nice afternoon. They had a visit with Santa at the Dutch barn which was decorated with trees surrounding him and presents and a decorated Dutch sleigh. In the schoolhouse, there were all sorts of games and talks to enjoy.
Santa in the Dutch Barn at the Hopper museum
In the outside kitchen, there were chestnuts and fresh popcorn being made that you could munch on while walking around enjoying the festivities and the smells of the cooking food were mouthwatering. The gentleman doing the cooking was doing a demonstration on how the food was cooked and the amount of time it took to make things.
The outside buildings still had a bit of snow left
The inside of the house was decorated for the Victorian holidays with a nicely decorated tree in the Living Room and garland all over the place. There was a Victorian music box playing songs and a reading of “The Night Before Christmas” being read on the hour.
In the kitchen of the oldest part of the house, they served hot cider and homemade Christmas cookies of all kinds. They were also selling fresh homemade jam that one of the members made. The kitchen was decorated for the holidays as well. There was an open tour of the house and it was fun to see the upstairs decorated with all sorts of Victorian toys and dolls. The fee was a $5.00 donation and it happens every first week of December at the site.
The Hopper House kitchen
The house is a treasure trove of period furniture and family items and on the property there is a schoolhouse, a barn, a blacksmith shop and an outhouse. During the Summer months, the house is open for special tours on the weekends and in the Fall, they have a Harvest Festival and Christmas holiday events. The house is run and operated by the Upper Saddle River Historical Society.
The antique toys in the upstairs bedroom
In April of 2023, I returned to the Hopper-Goetschius House for the Northwest Bergen History Coalition Day for the event. It was a gloomy day with mist and rain but that did not put a damper on the event. There were lots of activities going on in each of the buildings.
My first stop was at the barn where the ladies were doing a demonstration on spinning thread and we had a conversation of where the expression “Pop goes the weasel” came from (from the spun threat reaching its max and then the machine made a ‘pop’ sound). The ladies were demonstrating the way women spun yarn and made clothes and the work that it entailed.
The yarn spinning demonstration at the Hopper Barn
The ladies explaining how the spinning works
‘Pop goes the weasel’, the weasel at the Van Riper-Tice Barn
When I left the barn, I went over to the school house building to see what was going on. A very bored volunteer took up all my time and would not leave me alone. She had to read from a script and take me all over the house. I just wanted to get out of there. Thank God another person walked in so that I could escape and see the rest of the property.
The Ramsey House was moved to the property to save it from destruction and the society has done a good job transform it to a turn of the century classroom. This is a surprising display in many historical societies as I am sure that people have donated so much of their childhood mementos.
The Ramsey House schoolroom
The schoolroom
The teacher’s seat at the school room. Nothing has really changed.
The farm artifacts at the Ramsey House schoolhouse
After the tour of the Ramsey House, I took the tour of the main house again and its secrets. The Hopper House is a very interesting home as the owner did not want plumbing in the house. Up until 1963, she still used the well. She was forced by her nephew to get a modern bathroom. I thought this was strange that the woman did not want a bathroom. She still used the outhouse into the 1960’s.
The Hopper House kitchen
The home is decorated with all sorts of beautiful antique furnishes and decorations. The house is so well organized and the volunteers do such a nice job telling its story especially at the holidays. I visited all the rooms where the volunteers explained its purpose.
The bedroom upstairs
Bedroom Two
Bedroom Three in the upstairs loft of the house
My last part of the tour was visiting the Smokehouse right behind the house.
The Smokehouse during the Summer Open House
Inside the kitchen during the Open Kitchen
The inside of the Smokehouse
The volunteers were cooking corn bread, homemade potato soup and biscuits in the fireplace. It was interesting to see how food was cooked on the farm in the days before modern kitchens.
The two volunteers working there were so happy to see someone. They told me that no one wanted any soup. On a cold rainy and misty day, I was taking them up on it and it was really good! Talk about warming you up.
The Smoke House on the Hopper estate was cooking away that afternoon
The volunteers were making breads, biscuits and soup that afternoon that warmed me up
The delicious Potato Kale Soup warmed me up on this rainy day
The delicious Corn Bread was cooked with bacon fat and tasted so good! I munched on most of this.
I finished eating and talking with the volunteers about all cooking they were doing. They told me that they were following the recipes that were from the late 1700’s that would have been cooked at the farmhouse at that time. It was a really interesting conversation we had on cooking. It was nice to eat something as well. I was starved at this point.
After the meal, I left to go to the next site. I felt for these volunteers. The Hopper House is off the beaten tract and they must have not gotten the visitors that the other homes had seen. Still it was a wonderful visit with members who care so much about the house and its grounds.
The Hopper estate with the barn, school house and ice house in the distance during the Northwest Bergen Historical Coalition Day
The Hopper House entrance hall
The Hopper-Goetschius house on the corner of Lake Street and East Saddle River Road dates back to 1739. Built by the Hopper family, it is the oldest remaining house in Upper Saddle River. We know it existed in 1739 because it was recorded in surveyor Charles Clinton’s journal and possible it is older.
The picture of Steven Goetschius and his wife,
The other family pictures on the table in the parlor
Rosalie Fellows Bailey in her book on pre-Revolutionary Dutch houses, says it was marked as the home of Gerrit Hoppa on a rough sheepskin map made about 1713.
The Goetschius family, the second owners of the house
The house underwent several changes in the mid 1800’s. The large central chimney with back to back fireplaces was removed. Probably, with more modern forms of heating available such as wood stoves, the fireplace seemed a bit old-fashioned and the owners took it out. Besides, they wanted to use the entrance hall as a room, so the stairway along the east wall was removed and a central staircase added where the fireplaces had once been. The dormers were added in the Victorian era.
The Hopper house in 2023
The Hoppers farmed the land and had a lot of it by today’s standards. The property extended from the Saddle River (Lion’s Park) up the hill almost to Montvale and up the East Road to where Creative Gardens was located.
The antique dolls at the Hopper House bedrooms
(From the Society website)
In 1814, the house became the home of the Reverend Stephen Goetschius of the Old Stone Church. It remained in the Goetschius family for a century and a half, always a place of central importance in town as Stephen Goetschius, the great-great grandson of the Reverend Stephen, served as the borough clerk for over 40 years and conducted his town business from the east room of the house (SRHS.com).
The Hopper House Living Room
The house was without running water until Stephen’s death in 1962. Until improvements were made at that time, Steve’s wife, Lizzie, as those before her, carried water from the well for washing, cooking and shoveled coal for heat (SRHS.com).
The Hopper House Kitchen
The kitchen in the new section of the house
In 1985, the Hopper-Goetschius house was presented to the Borough of Upper Saddle River by Clinton and Grace Carlough. Lizzie Goetschius, the last resident of the house was Clint Carlough’s aunt. The house today serves as a museum, run by the Upper Saddle River Historical Society and offers the public historically related events throughout the year (SRHS.com).
The Hopper House Living Room
The back bedroom Dutch wardrobe
The Patriotic Display for the ‘Bergen 250’
(Upper Saddle River Historical Society)
The Hopper House property also contains:
*The Privy or Outhouse that was in use at the Hopper-Goetschius House until 1962 when plumbing was installed in the house.
The Outhouse
Hopper House estate with all the important buildings in the Summer of 2026
*The Ramsey Sayer House was moved to the grounds in 1999 to become part of the museum complex. This is the oldest existing from house in Upper Saddle River, a good example of a tenant house common on farms in this area. The Ramsey Sayer house belonged to William Ramsey, the grandfather of Kate Fisher Goetschius, mother of Steve Goetschius, who lived in the Hopper Goetschius house for many years.
The Ramsey-Sayre House now serves as the makeshift schoolhouse
The schoolhouse at the turn of the last century
The Native American artifact collection at the Schoolhouse
*The Van Riper-Tice Barn was erected about 1800 by the Van Riper Family on their farm on West Saddle River Road (near the Cultural Center). It was later owned for many years by Harmon Tice.
The Dutch American barn in the Summer of 2026
Sleighs and buggies and outdoor equipment
In 1989, it was scheduled to be demolished to make way for a development, the Historical Society dismantled it, moved it to the Museum ground and had it restored and rebuilt on its present location.
The inside of the Van Riper-Tice Barn at the Hopper House estate
Winter transportation at the barn
Transportation and farming equipment
The farming equipment display
More farming equipment
The displays of wool at the Van Riper-Tice Barn
The display of waffle irons
The Apple Cider Press that the Tice and Van Ripper families were so well known for making especially at Thanksgiving
*Snake Fence: a zig-zag fence of split rails once common in this area was added in the property north of the Van Riper Tice barn. The project was completed in 2001 with the help of Will Mazzuto and the vision of John Kroner and Joanne Lombardo.
The Hopper House estate
The Blacksmith Shop
The blacksmith doing a demonstration
The Upper Saddle River Historical Society:
The Upper Saddle River Historical Society was organized in 1977 to collect, preserve and distribute the history of the Upper Saddle River area. The Society is also responsible for the management and restoration of the Hopper-Goetschius House Museum located at 245 Lake Street, Upper Saddle River, NJ.
The Historical Society has over 500 members and is host to nearly 2000 museum visitors each year. The Society holds program meetings throughout the year along with special events such as a Spring Concert, a wonderful Harvest Fair in the fall and an Old Time Holiday Open House in December, featuring mulled cider with chestnuts roasting on an open fire.
The Museum is open for tours every Sunday during July & August from 2:00pm-4:00pm or by appointment. For group or individual tours contact: Althea Gardner @ (201) 327-7807 or Kay Yeoman @(201) 327-2236.
Hopper-Goetschius House Museum Restoration Fund Drive
Disclaimer: This information was taken directly from the Upper Saddle River Historical Society website. Please check the site for the hours and days it is open.
