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:
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
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.
