I have visited the Physick Estate for a third time, three times for the Christmas decorations and the other times to take the house tour with a different theme. It is an interesting place. The whole house was decorated with garland and trees done with a Victorian theme of the time period. The home is always so beautifully decorated for the Christmas holidays and should not missed.
The entrance hall at the Physick House decorated for the holidays
The house is set up for Christmas Day and their are actors portraying the Physick family before the holidays. They explain why the house is set up the way it was for the Christmas holidays and who will be coming for dinner. All the rooms are decorated which would not happen in a normal Victorian home but the society shows how each room would have been interpreted for the holiday festivities.
We started the tour on the first floor touring the Entrance Foyer, the Living Room, Dining Room, Music Room, Sewing Room and Library of the home. Since privacy was the order of the day in a Victorian home, all the rooms were connected by the entrance foyer and closed off with a series of doors so that the occupants could have privacy.
We started first in the foyer, with the tour guide describing the architecture, decorations and fixturing of the lamps and chandeliers. We discussed the make of the fixtures and the type of materials used to build and decorate the house.
The ceiling and fixturing of the hallway. The Chandelier was created with both gas and electricity when it became available. When the ceiling had to be repaired, the members had to use different materials to match what was already on the ceiling and you would never know the difference.
The fixturing of the house went from gas to electric
We next moved into the Living Room where the formal Christmas tree would be placed. During the early part of the century, the family like most Victorians would have had a tabletop tree but as time went on decorations became more elaborate.
The elaborate decorations of the full Christmas tree
The Living Room was so beautifully decorated
Elaborate China wedding gift
You can see the bedrooms with clothes and accessories, the game room with the billiards and work out objects and the living room, dining room and music room and library. It is how a proper Victorian home was set up at a time when families wanted privacy. The tour took us to each room where it was explained its purpose in a wealthy Victorian home. Most houses at the time would not have been this elaborate.
The Music Room would have been another place where the family gathered for entertainment long before the use of TV and radio. Family members would play instruments and sing to entertain guests who came to visit.
The Music Room
The decorative greens around the fireplace in the Music Room
The Table Top Tree would have been one of the first Christmas trees in Victorian times. Gifts, candies and cards would have been attached to the tree and would have been taken apart on Christmas day.
The beautifully carved fireplace in the Music Room
The beautiful flowers in the Music Room
The Parlor on the other side of the hallway was for more informal get togethers and for sewing. This is where the family would do more informal entertaining and use on a day in day out basis.
The Parlor Room for sewing and reading and informal entertaining
The comfortable seats in the Billiards Room
The Sewing Kit in the Parlor
The formal dining room was set for Christmas Dinner and you get to see the kitchen and where everything was prepared for the family.With the house being set up for the holidays, you can see how elaborate the preparations would have been and how the table would have been set and the food would have been served.
The Dining Room at the Physick Mansion set for Christmas dinner
The table was set with the best china, crystal and silver for the holidays
Food would be served from the Dining Room sideboard by the servants
The elaborate sideboard
The sideboard for drinks and dessert
The Dining Room Table set for Christmas dinner
The kitchen was set up for the cooking of the Christmas dinner along with the foods that would have been served and the recipes that would have been used to prepare them. Entertaining during the holidays would not have stopped with just a family dinner as people would be entertaining neighbors, friends and relatives. There would have been teas and receptions on top the formal Christmas dinner to prepare for in a Victorian home.
The Kitchen during the holiday season
Preparations for Christmas dinner
The Christmas Day menu
The coal burning stove in the ‘modern’ kitchen
The smaller original kitchen
Preparations for Christmas dinner and holiday gatherings
Holiday dishes being prepared
Getting the laundry and dishes done
Upstairs are the bedrooms and the Billiard Room that was used for entertaining as well. Men and women would relax and enjoy more informal entertainments. The bedrooms were prepared for the members of the house dressing for dinner, leaving for holiday visits and entertaining.
Mrs. Physick’s bedroom with clothes laid out for dinner or visiting
Christmas presents to family members
Mrs. Physick’s bedroom
Mrs. Physick’s dress
Mrs. Physick’s closet
Dr. Physick’s room with clothes laid out for the evening
The Servants Room
The Modern bathroom with indoor plumbing
The Servants room for mending
The Billiards Room would have been used for light entertainment and after hours play.
The Billiards Room on the Second floor of the Physick House
The Billiards Room
During the warmer months, they have a cafe and an afternoon tea for visitors to the home and more outdoor activities.
The Mansion’s Publicity Pamphlet:
Celebrating our history….Enriching your life
Emlen Physick Estate
Lovingly restored to its original splendor, the 1879 Emlen Physick Estate is Cape May’s only Victorian house museum. The 18 room Physick House was built in the Stick Style of architecture, with trademark design features of renowned Philadelphia architect Frank Furness. The Estate provides an in-depth glimpse of the period and offers year-round tours and unique living history programs.
The elaborate woodwork in the Physick House
The new theme for Physick Estate Tours in 2017 is “Let’s Go Shopping! Victorian Consumer Culture.” Revolutions in American industrializing, merchandising, advertising, retailing and consuming in the Victorian era forever changed how people shopped. Take a guided tour of the 1879 Emlen Physick Estate with this new theme for 2017 and you’ll discover how consumer culture has changed since the late 1800’s. The house is air conditioned and the first floor is fully accessible.
The Carroll Gallery and Carriage House Café & Tearoom
On the grounds of the Emlen Physick Estate. The estate’s 1876 Carriage House now houses a gallery featuring changing exhibits throughout the year and a charming museum shop as well as the Carriage House Café & Tearoom. Dine in the Carriage House or outdoors beneath the gaily-striped tent overlooking the gorgeous gardens. Enjoy a hearty lunch from our Café menu or a traditional English Tea Luncheon or afternoon tea with tea breads and scones freshly baked in our own kitchen. Open late April through October. Air conditioned and fully accessible.
The Emlen Physick Estate in Cape May, NJ
The entrance to the home
MAC is committed to making its programs accessible to as many individuals as possible. For information or if you require assistance, please call 609-884-5404 in advance so we may accommodate you. New Jersey Relay Center for TTY customers, please call 800-852-7899. MAC’s public history programs are funded in part by the New Jersey Historical Commission in the Department of State Restoration work at the Physick Estate has been funded by the New Jersey Historic Trust, the New Jersey Cultural Trust and the 1772 Foundations.
Touring the house for the Cape May Holiday Tour of Homes and Inns in 2025:
I came to Cape May the first weekend in December 2025 to take the Christmas Walking tour of all the places open for touring and the Physick House was the headquarters for the event and was so beautifully decorated for the holidays.
The whole estate so beautifully decorated for the holidays.
The start of the walking tour outside the house
Many houses, inns and museums were open for this walking tour in Cape May and the event takes place for three Saturdays before Christmas. Each of the places are beautifully decorated for the holidays and have tour guides and owners who led you through their establishments with great pride.
These were some of the rooms I was most impressed with in the house when I was on the tour in 2025. Even the gift shop was decorated to the hilt.
The tour guide in the Living Room welcoming us on the walking tour
The Victorian Christmas tree in the Living Room
The Dining Room set for a Christmas feast
The table setting for Christmas
The side board ready for dessert
The Table Christmas tree in the Parlor
Flowers all over the home
The gift shop was beautifully decorated for the holidays
Disclaimer: This information was taken directly from the Emlen Physick Estate pamphlet. Please call the Estate at the number above for more information.
The Salem Historical Society at 83 Market Street in Downtown Salem, NJ.
History and information on the Salem County Historical Society:
(from the museum pamphlet)
The Salem County Historical Society was founded in 1884 and has grown over the last century from generous donation from the community. It has over 10,000 objects in the collection that include fine arts, textiles, Native American artifacts and a variety of material culture artifacts.
The Society maintains extensive museum and library collections related to the region’s heritage. Our exceptional collection includes furniture, paintings, textiles, glass, china, silver, documents, tools and other family heirlooms. This collection enables us to graphically convey to visitors an understanding of the work, play, society and lifestyles of local inhabitants from generations past.
(The Society’s campus houses three other buildings: the Stone Barn, the John Jones Law Office ( a hexagonal structure housing New Jersey’s first law office) and the Log Cabin Educational Center).
I came across this little ‘gem’ when walking around downtown Salem, New Jersey on my Christmas break back in 2019. This historical society put some of the musty ones I have visited to shame. It is so beautifully set up and maintained. It also has some great exhibitions and was so nicely decorated for the Christmas holidays. It is a ‘must-see’ when visiting Southern New Jersey.
Museum logo
The Salem County Historical Society is housed in three interconnected historic houses, the centerpiece of which is the Alexander Grant Mansion (1721).
In June 2022, I finally got to return to the museum after COVID had closed it for months. The museum had been refreshed with new displays and more interesting artifacts mounted all over the museum.
I was lucky that it was quiet that afternoon and I was able to one of the members take me on a personal tour of the museum. He explained to me that during the pandemic since they were closed they were able to work on the displays and update and refresh the exhibitions. This is the one thing I like about the Salem County Historical Museum is that it is not a musty mish-mosh of displays. Displays are well thought out and explained to the public.
We started in the front room with a display of Revolutionary War memorabilia. Here you will see a ring with a lock of George Washington’s hair, the shoe buckles of General William Hancock, who was a prominent resident of the town who fought in the Revolutionary war.
Various objects from the family and the war years are displayed here.
Off to the main part of the museum and the one section of the museum that stuck out to me when visiting the first time was The Keeping Room, the original part of the house that was built in the early 1700’s. The large hearth was just recently opened from what I learned from the tour and was once the center of the original home due to a place of cooking and heat.
During the Christmas holiday season, this room was decorated with garland and a Christmas tree, which would not have fit the time period but still made a festive environment for the room. Here kitchen and home wares are displayed where the family would have concentrated their domestic chores. Cooking and serving items were displayed along with a spinning wheel to make clothes.
The Keeping Room at the Salem County Historical Society
The Keeping Room at Christmas time
The Keeping Room at Christmas time
The main room displayed many more pre and post-Revolutionary War items including home furnishings of desks, wardrobes and grand father clocks. The most interesting item that I saw the Inauguration dress of local prominent resident, Sarah Hancock Sinnickson, who was married to Thomas Sinnickson, whose family helped found Salem, NJ. The dress is prominently displayed and it was interesting to see an actual item that was on display the evening of that ball. If it could talk.
The historic dress of Sarah Hancock Sinnickson that she wore to George Washington’s Inaugural Ball
The Grandfather clocks and Sarah Hancock Sinnickson dress information
The next two rooms have displays of local materials. One room was dedicated to the local Native American population. There was a large display of arrowheads, hunting spears, cooking materials and grinding equipment to break down corn and wheat for baking. Each piece was displayed related to its use and it was fascinating to see how a society showed its sophistication by creating meals from the use of specialty styled sticks and rocks.
In another room was a display of early ice cream manufacturing including the delivery buckets and carts.
Several families were known for the ice cream making including the local Bassett family whose relatives still make ice cream for their store in the Philadelphia Reading Market and packaged for all over the world.
Evolution of Ice Cream
History of the Salem Ice Cream industry
Their first flavor: Tomato. The tour guide explained how companies would color their buckets differently so you knew where the ice cream came from.
Other standouts in the room was an original Edison Phonograph with the original cylinders which were the precursor to records. It was interesting to see how the modern day record player developed. The item had been housed in someone’s barn before it was donated and still had most of the original cylinders.
The early Edison Phonograph
Another object in the other room was the Lafayette Quilt made by local resident Annabelle Chatter. This quilt was so beautifully designed with pieces of cloth from all over the world including the coat that President Lincoln wore that faithful night. I learned from the tour guide that people were taking small pieces of the coat after the President died. This was strange because I saw the same coat at the Metropolitan Museum of Art’s Costume Exhibition and the coat was on display there and it looked pretty intact.
There was also an extensive display of items from the 1893 Columbian Exposition that showcased all the modern developments coming into society. This included pictures and objects that visitors could buy. Another display was on the Salem Oak Tree that once dominated the cemetery around the corner from the Society that fell in June of 2019. The room was made up of pictures of the tree and items that were made from limbs that had fallen in the past.
The upstairs had rooms full of Samplers, a way for young girls in the 1800’s to practice their sewing skills for use in homemakingfor things like clothes and domestic items like blankets. There was a Blown Glass display on items made in the area. Companies had use of local sand in manufacturing making blown glass items a big industry in the area.
The last display is dedicated to clocks, both grandfather clocks and the development of the pocket watch. The one thing that I learned was on the creation of the face of the grandfather clock was the use of the Roman Numeral IV as IIII. The tour guide explained that makers of the clock did not find it symmetrical with the other numbers in the placement and that’s why they used the incorrect symbol number.
The latest exhibition that I saw in 2022, is the “Step into our Canvas: 200 years of Salem County Art”, a extensive exhibition of local deceased artists from Salem, NJ. This includes artists who are recognized locally, regionally and nationally for their skills. These range from 18 Century artists to present day with the entire exhibition from the Salem Historical Society Collection. It was an interesting mix of portraits, still life’s and landscapes. This exhibition of the Society’s visual art collection aims to perpetuate Salem County’s heritage and enhance awareness of its artistic roots (Museum pamphlets).
The “Step into our Canvas: 200 years of Salem County Art” exhibition
The exhibition timeline
Also in 2022, I visited the courtyard and gardens in the back of the museum which contains several buildings including a barn, a small schoolhouse that was moved here along with the oldest lawyers office in the country, a small octagon structure.
There was a small bathhouse designed in the “Oriental” style of the time.
The barn in the courtyard
The buildings line the courtyard in the back of the historical society and on a nice day is a very pleasant place to stroll around and see the buildings.
The log cabin that was built on this property
Programs sponsored by the museum:
The Annual “Salem Walking Ghost Tour” event:
In 2022, I attended the ‘Annual Salem Walking Ghost Tour’ which tours the historic homes of the Salem Historic District and the church cemeteries of the downtown. At each stop, we got to hear tales of the haunted houses of the district and the owners in the afterlife still are involved in their current owners lives.
We started the night with a concert at St. John’s Episcopal Church with organist Erik Meyer, who played music that we relate to Halloween.
St. John’s Episcopal Church on Market Street the day of the concert.
The “Tunes from the Crypt” concert was right before the walking tour.
The concert featured five musical numbers that are classic to all horror films. The music being played is what you might hear in a popular horror film or something to do with Halloween. It seemed a little strange to be in a church but the organist told us that a lot of churches are using this for a fundraiser.
Erik Meyer who was the organist at the concert before the walk
He dressed like a vampire which I thought was strange for a church. These concerts have brought people back to these churches and even the priest said that he had not seen crowds like this on Sundays. The church was packed that evening.
The inside of the St. John’s Episcopal Church for the concert
The beautiful stained glass windows the night of the concert
After the concert, we walked down the antique store where the tour started. We stopped at various parts of the historic district to tales of woes, travels and ghosts still haunting the homes they loved so much.
One of the decorated porches on the Haunted Walking Tour
The Historic District of Market Street
A resident of the house talking about his haunted home the night of the walking tour
No walking tour is complete with a trip to the cemetery
The walking tour really was interesting and residents talked about their experiences in their homes that they say are haunted. The tour was about an hour but is really worth the trip. It was interesting to see how Salem, NJ developed over the years. The tour takes place before Halloween every year and tickets do sell out fast.
sited got a kick out of how things have not changed that much but today kids are more into cell phones and video games.
The entrance to the museum during the holiday season is nicely decorated.
For a small museum, the Salem County Historical Society Museum offers a view into our past and how New Jersey played a huge role in the development of the United States as a nation. Really take the time to see each room and admire their objects on display. You’ll learn a thing or two on what modern items are based on.
During the Christmas holiday season, the museum is decorated with trees, garland and the “Keeping Room”, the original part of the house, is decorating for the holidays.
The “Keeping Room”, the oldest part of the museum.
The Hearth decorated for the holidays.
The Victorian Christmas tree in the main room.
The banister to the second floor decorated for the holidays.
The museum was simply but nicely decorated for the Christmas holidays and the exhibits were family friendly for the season.
The Exhibitions:
The Society utilizes its rich museum to present engaging and informative exhibits. Our museum features several ongoing exhibits including The Keeping Room, A Legacy fro Salem County and The Stone Barn. These displays showcase some of the Society’s treasures including fine and decorative arts, Wistar glass and signature quilts.
In addition to our semi-permanent exhibits, the Society features large special exhibits that change every two years. These exhibits take a closer look at specific events or aspects of Salem County history. Check the Society website to get information about current exhibits. The Society has also opened more rooms for small exhibits that rotate and change periodically.
In 2023, the museum exhibited “Through a Child’s Eye: Toys from the Past” toys from the permanent collection. The museum had a collection of dolls, trucks, games and housekeeping play things. Toys from the Victorian era to the 1960’s were based on domestic roles and getting children ready for marriage. Items like dolls were for child rearing, tea sets for etiquette training for entertaining, trucks , cars and trains for transportation jobs and later on tinker toys and erector sets for thinking and construction. Items like board games were for socialization and thinking skills.
The write up for the exhibition.
The selection of Boys and Girls toys.
Contemporary Board games, musical instruments and dolls.
Dollhouses, trucks and cars for future jobs in industry and in the home.
Domestic toys such as kitchen sets and dolls for women to prepare them for motherhood.
Toys were best for creativity and imagination.
Dollhouses were very popular in every generation.
A baby blanket
Dolls, trucks and tea sets were created a future of domestic and work based lifestyle.
The museum had an interesting collection all sorts of toys, games and vehicles from all ages. From what the museum docent told me was that the kids who vi
Research Library and Special Collections
Thousands of researchers make their own connections to Salem County with the help of the Society’s research library. Historians and family researcher trace their ancestors through time with the help of our library’s comprehensive collection of resources, thus helping to bring people closer to Southern New Jersey’s distinctive heritage.
The library’s holdings of family records, manuscripts, deeds and church histories serve scores of genealogical and historical researchers with primary documents.
The Museum at Christmas 2024
Programs and Special Events
The Society has an active calendar with many diverse programs. From our Quarterly Meetings to the popular John S. Rock Memorial Lecture series to genealogical workshops, there is something for everyone.
The Society also sponsors events such as the highly regarded Open House Tour which opens Salem County’s historic homes and churches to the public every spring. In the fall, the Society sponsors the Walking Ghost Tour, an evening of spirits and stories in historic Salem.
The Walking Ghost Tour in 2019 at the Society
Tunes from the Crypt in 2022
The Salem Ghost Tour in 2022 behind the Salem Historical Society
Touring the cemetery during the day is less creepy and very interesting.
Actors telling their tales the night of the Salem Ghost Walk
The Annual Christmas Yuletide Tour of Salem Homes and Museums:
With Sinterklaas being cancelled this year, it gave me a chance to visit Salem and Woodstown, NJ for their Annual House Decorated Tours. I took full advantage of the time and started early on the tour of Downtown Salem, NJ.
I started the tour right after the Salem Christmas Parade by visiting the Salem Fire Museum, which is never open.
I started my tour of Salem the second the parade was over. I did not want my chance to see the museum’s collection.
The inside of the first floor tells the story of early fire servic
The museum first floor was quiet before the parade to tour
The museum’s second floor with offices and a view of the downtown
The wild Christmas tree on the second floor
The antique pumper on the first floor was the main attraction
The more formal Christmas tree on the first floor near the rescue equipment
I found the Salem Fire Museum to be a fascinating look at firefighting at many different eras. It is nicely displayed and organized and the members of the Salem Fire Department were around to answer any questions.
I watched the Salem Christmas Parade in the morning after the tour of the museum, wanting to see that first before the crowds came. The parade was fun but sparsely attended and I swear the police blocked off every road so it was hard to cross or find parking.
The Salem Magic of Christmas Parade
The Salem Magic of Christmas Parade
The Salem Magic of Christmas Parade
The characters in the Parade
The Parade Queen and her Court rode throughout the parade
After the parade was over and I had a quick snack, it was time to start the Holiday tour of the homes and businesses of Salem.
Salem has limited restaurants but Bravo Pizza & Pasta at 179 West Broadway in Downtown Salem, NJ
My favorite place for lunch, Bravo Pizza on East Broadway
While I was downtown, I stopped at the old bank to see their display before I started the walking tour of the homes. This is now an artist school and gallery. Their take on the holidays was quite clever.
The walk in safe decorated for the holidays
The history of the bank and the downtown
I started the tour of Downtown Salem, NJ homes at the antique store to pick up my map and look around. They have some great things to buy here.
The beautiful Federalist homes the lined northern Market Street had all sorts of elegant decorations on them.
He beautiful and historic Downtown Salem, NJ
He first stop on the tour was Salem City park to watch the military display of arms
The gazebo was nicely decorated for the holidays
The whimsical decorations in the park that day
My next stop was the historical cabin in the downtown. It had been a recreation of an original cabin used during the Revolutionary War.
The cabin had been set up for the military display
The inside of the cabin set up to reflex the war years
I then moved on to start the tour of homes and churches along this stretch of North Market Street.
Even the homes not on the tour were decked out for the holidays
The first house on the tour on North Market Street
The Dining Room of the home was set up for an elegant Christmas lunch
The Living Room was decorated to receive guests
The sideboards were maddened with holiday decorations and Christmas cookies
Most of the homes on the tour provided refreshments complimentary. The first home’s kitchen was laden with trays of homemade Christmas cookies and candies
I loved the use of garland and greens on these homes at the holidays
The second home I visited both floors were designed with elegant holiday displays.
The first floor and second floor had several Christmas trees on display
The second tree on the first floor with the theme of Gingerbread homes and people
The elegant tree on the second floor of the home
I then moved on to St. John’s Church to hear the organ music and wondering singers and look at how nicely decorated the church was for holiday services.
The home at North Market Street from the outside
I had been in the church several years before for the ghost tours and knew of its history.
The sign for the historic St. John’s Church
St. John’s Church on the tour
The church was decorated for Christmas Mass
As a fundraiser in their Chapel, the church was selling soup and sandwiches at very reasonable prices. It was a cool morning and I got the New England Clam Chowder and Sourdough bread. It hit the spot!
The homemade New England Clam Chowder was excellent
The strolling carolers entertained us throughout the tour at each site. Even they stopped to enjoy lunch here.
Another house downtown decorated for the holidays
On the way to the next church and some of the historical buildings, I stopped at the new Willows Wisp at 82 Market Street. This cute little shop had just had a soft opening and was just letting hg the community know they were here.
I stayed for the first couple of songs to warm up before I moved to the Salem County Historical Society across the street to take a quick tour of the exhibitions.
The Salem County Historical Society at 83 Market Street
The museum was open for the duration of the tour of homes and had their interesting Portrait and Toy exhibitions (as noted above) still open to tour and view with docents.
Since I had toured them earlier to see what exhibitions were still there and found I had seen the all, I looked over the Dutch Keeping Room to see an early display of a Dutch Christmas activities. This is the oldest part of the original home that houses the Salem County Historical Society. It used to be where the original Christmas tree was placed which is now replaced by the Victorian Christmas tree further in the museum.
The Keeping Room at Christmas time
The Keeping Room set up for a Dutch Christmas
The Keeping Room decorated for Christmas
After visiting the museum. I went over at Old Salem Courthouse and toured the historical building. The building sits on the site of the original building that was built in 1692. This building’s cornerstone was built in 1735 and enlarged in 1817. The building was moved and renovated in 1908. It is now the oldest Courthouse in the United States under continuous use since its inception (Salem Historical Society Guidebook),
The Old Salem Courthouse at 113 Market Street
The beautiful decorations on the side of the building
The inside of the oldest Courthouse being used in the United States
The side of the room decorated for Christmas
The old fashioned bell that was once used outside
When I was finished with my tour of the Old Salem County Courthouse, I was down the block to my next stop, the Salem Friends Meeting Room building, one I had walked past many times.
The historic signs for the Friends Meeting
The Friends Meeting House in downtown Salem
The historic Friends Meeting House
The view from the top of the Friends Meeting House
The Friends Meeting House was indeed old and I was amazed that this building was still being used for worship. I looked like a relic from another era. There was not much decorations either so it did not seem to festive. I walked around the downtown to the next destination.
Historic Downtown Salem, NJ during the tour, the Courthouse to the left and the firehouse to the right
As it got later in the day, I stopped by the old JC Penney building at 225 Broadway, that was now being used as a training ground for carpenters. They were showing us around the old department store.
Then it was a quick tour of the Brown & Smith Building, which was at 193 Broadway. The historic building was now a gift shop and art gallery. I toured the items of the store before I moved onto my last two sites before I got to my B & B. The next place I visited was the Sarah Hall House at 90 West Broadway, which is now an Insurance company. The front of the offices had been decorated for the holidays with vintage decorations.
The former Sarah Hall House at 90 West Broadway in Downtown Salem
Some of the decorations when we entered the house for the tour
The Christmas tree inside the older home portion of the building
This delightful little doll was owned by one of the members of the Insurance company’s grandmother. The home had also once been the Masonic Lodge. So I could see the addition in the back of the building.
The last private home I saw on the tour was the Matlack House at 24 Oak Street, which had been built in 1868. The couple that owned it now were on property to tell us how they renovated and cared for this home.
The beautiful Matlack House at 24 Oak Street
The owners had done all the wallpapering herself and it was very impressive
Their Christmas tree just off the kitchen
One of the decorated trees by the old Library
What I liked about visiting this house was the sheer creativity of the decorations and the beauty of the design of the home. The last place on the tour was the Barrett Plantation House, where I would be spending the night. The B & B was on the tour that evening so I could not check until the tour was over.
It was really nice to be part of the tour as I got to see all the rooms in the B & B and hear more of its history. The fireplaces were going when we toured and they had a Revolutionary violinist playing and telling us stories of the holidays back then.
I never realized that this house was built in 1735 as a plantation which once encompassed five hundred acres. It was so beautifully decorated for the holidays and what was nice about it was that the fireplaces were going and it was nice and warm in the main room.
The inside of the main room during the tour with the fire going
The beautiful decorations were all throughout the home
One of the bedrooms decked out for the holidays
The violinist who entertained us with music and stories of Christmas’s past
This was the end of the former tour and I just relaxed at the Barrett House to warm up and listen to the music. Since my hosts needed some downtime to get the B &. B back in shape, I went back downtown for the Christmas tree lighting outside of the Old Courthouse.
The Salem Tree Lighting was not part of the House Tour but a nice an accompaniment to it and the earlier parade. I have to admit it was a small tree. I thought in a town as old as Salem they would have this large tree in town but it looked like they had just planted it.
The outside of the Salem Courthouse for the Tree Lighting
The Courthouse decked out and lit for the evening
The Choir singing before the lighting
Videos of Santa arriving on the Salem Fire Truck and The Tree Lighting:
The tree lighting with the parade queen and the choir joining in the fun
The tree at the end of the Tree Lighting ceremony that evening
The Tree Lighting ended my tour of the day. It really was a wonderful house tour and there were so many beautiful homes and public building to tour and visit and so many gracious hosts. I highly recommend this tour for people who want to see the beauty of Revolutionary homes decked out for the holidays.
My stay in Salem, NJ the night of the Yuletide Tour and Tree Lighting:
After the tour was over, I went back to Barrett’s Plantation B & B for the evening. My host Gaynel and Craig greeted me warmly after a long and cold day of touring homes and the downtown. I was greeted by my hosts in the Living Room with a warm fire going and a glass of wine. We had small snacks of Shrimp Cocktail and a Roast beef sandwich with a side of Red Skin Potato salad.
After a nice conversation and getting to know the other guests a swapping ghosts stories, it was time for bed. I highly recommend the Dickerson Room, one of the two suites. I slept soundly that night.
The Dickerson Suite
The Dickerson suite when I woke up to start my day touring
The Sitting Room in the Dickerson Suite
The breakfasts at the Barrett’s Plantation are always wonderful. In the warm and inviting breakfast room, warm fire was going and the table was set for us with juice, fresh fruit and tea. For breakfast with the fresh fruit was Amish Honey Bread and Sunday Casserole with a side of potatoes. What a wonderful way to start the day.
The table set for breakfast
The table setting with fresh fruit
The fresh fruit to start the meal
The Amish Honey Bread
The Sunday Casserole with a side of potatoes for the main dish
The decorations around the house
After the wonderful breakfast, I was ready to start my day. I just loved the decoration inside and outside the house. The couple really did a wonderful job making the B & B festive for the holidays.
Decorations around the house
The side of Barrett’s at the holidays
The beautiful decorations outside
The grounds at Christmas time were nice to walk around in
The grounds at Christmas time
I left that morning to tour other museums and to explore the area more for my blog. It was an excellent tour of the homes and the sites and I highly recommend the Yuletide Tour to really get to know Salem, NJ.
Information on the Society:
(Taken from the Museum pamphlet)
Why become a member of the Salem County Historical Society?
The mission of the Salem County Historical Society is to seek, document, preserve, interpret and perpetuate Salem County’s heritage and to enhance the awareness and appreciation of that heritage through research, collections, functions, exhibits, educational programs and publications, for the benefit of future generations and for the betterment of the community.
The Society offers a wide variety of programming and services that are unduplicated regionally. These programs are presented at locations around the county and are designed to reach and serve a wide range of audiences. This includes guided tours, school lessons on site, outreach programs and our Open House in Fenwick’s Colony tour and Quarterly Meetings. Most programs are free and all are open to the public.
Salem County’s history and the evidence of it that is all around us in the origins and architecture of its buildings, is one of its greatest assets and should be a source of pride for all of us. The growing number of visitors using the Society’s research library, museum displays and public programs is testimony to the increasing interest of the general public in enjoying Salem County’s history.
Membership Benefits
*Receive our award winning quarterly newsletter
*Free admission to our library and museum
*Discounted copies and services in the library
*Discounts on Society events and programs
The funds needed to operate the facility and to maintain and improve the level of services provided by the Society, come in part from annual membership dues. If you are not already a member, please consider a membership. You may join online at http://www.salemcountyhistoricalsociety.com or stop by and visit the Society.
Volunteer
Volunteers play a crucial role in the Society’s operation and overall success. The Society welcomes individuals with varying backgrounds and interests to contribute to our overall mission of preserving and caring for the history of Salem County. Please contact us to learn more about volunteer opportunities.
Resources & Records:
*Bible Records
*Census, Church and Cemetery
*Military Service
*Published family histories and family files
*Rare manuscripts and subject files
*Birth, marriages and death resources
*Newspapers on microfilm
*Online access to Ancestry.com
Special collections:
*Maps
*Photographs
*Rare books
*Recorded and unrecorded deeds
*Diaries and journals
*Historical publications about county, state, military, ethnic and industrial history, as well as topics of local interest such as glass, brick houses and agriculture
*Unique house and church files
Publications
The Society publications an award-winning Quarterly Newsletter featuring Society news, events and scholarly articles. Our bookstore features books and periodicals on Salem County topics from many local authors. Publications are available to purchase on our website and at the Historical Society.
Education
The Society brings history to life for hundreds of children every year, providing hands-on lessons about life in 18th and 19th century Salem County. Utilizing current exhibits and permanent collections, children are introduced to the region’s rich heritage through presentations and hands-on activities.
These programs complement school lessons for traditional and homeschooled groups. All of our education programs meet state curriculum standards for Social Studies, Language Arts, Visual and Performing Arts and Mathematics, grades 4-12.
The Society offers educational programs based on the American Revolution, the Civil War, life in the colonial past, which has students identify objects from the past and modern equivalents. The Society also offers educational programming based on the current exhibits. These programs are available at the Historical Society and the programs on the Revolution, Civil War and “History’s Mysteries” can be presented offsite upon request.
Please check the education section of our website to learn more about these programs. Field trips and group tours can be scheduled by contacting the Society at (856) 935-5004.
Accessibility
The Salem County Historical Society strives to make all of our programs accessible to the public. Our library and museum exhibits are wheelchair accessible. Persons requiring special services should contact the Society in advance of your visit. Group visits are welcome and available by reservation.
The Society’s programs are made possible in part by funds from the Salem County Cultural and Heritage Commission, the National Society of the Daughters of the American Revolution and our generous Corporate Sponsors. If you are interested in corporate sponsorship please call the Society.
Museum & Library Admission: $5.00 per person
Directions:
From the Delaware Memorial Bridge:
Take the Route 40 exit and immediately bear right onto County Route 540. Follow 540 to Route 45 south, which becomes Market Street in Salem City.
From NJ Turnpike and I-295: Take Route 40 exit, proceed across overpass and go straight onto County Route 540. Follow 540 to Route 45 south, which becomes Market Street in Salem County.
Disclaimer: This information was taken directly from the Salem County Historical Society pamphlet and membership forms. It really is a nice place to visit and take about an hour to visit the galleries. Please call the above numbers for more information.
I have been to the Hermitage Museum many times for events and they do a nice job portraying the house in different periods at different times of the year. Both Christmas and Halloween at the homestead are always a treat.
The Hermitage at Christmas is very special.
The front of the Visitors Center and Gift Shop at Christmas time.
I have taken the Haunted House tours during Halloween when The Hermitage hosts seances. Their medium was not that convincing and I did not believe a word he said. We took a tour around the house at midnight and that was interesting. The house can be quite spooky at midnight but then every house is spooky at midnight. I noticed the boards creaking and the wind blowing around the house but that’s what old houses do. The house does creak a lot and when the wind acts up you can jump. Still there was noting to convey to me that the place was haunted.
The Hermitage is spooky at Midnight at Halloween.
The tour guides will go through how the family fortunes changed the way people lived in the house up to the 1970’s when the last family member died. Please don’t miss visiting the home during Halloween for their ‘Ghost tours’ . It can get quite spooky in the house at midnight with the wind hallowing and things creaking.
Things are much more cheerful at Christmas time when the house is decorated for the holidays. During the Revolutionary War, things were kept simple. There was church service in the morning and then a Christmas lunch and visits to family. It was not until the Victorian Age and the Industrial Revolution that things got more elaborate. Queen Victoria’s husband, King George came from Germany and brought with him Pagan traditions of evergreens, garland and greens all over the house to show life in the colder months of the year.
The tours of the house are $25.00 and very reasonable for a hourlong tour.
The house was decorated in 2018 for Christmas in the 1930’s during the Depression and it showed that people still decorated and gave presents in a more subdued way during this tough time.
The Hermitage keeps this tradition alive by decorating the house for the holidays. The entrance to the kitchen was kept simple but welcoming for visitors.
The decorations outside were kept simple with greens.
The outside of the house for the tour in 2023 was done in simple lights and greens but when it gets dark the magic of the holidays shows it beauty in the house. Each room is decorated for the holidays and there are all sorts of displays about Christmas, life at the Hermitage and elaborate displays of toys and gifts and meals that would have been served to the family at that time. There did not seem to be a nook or cranny that was missed and the house was just beautiful.
Getting ready for the holidays at the Hermitage.
The docent took us room by room and we got to see how the families lived at different times of the house’s history. We were allowed a glimpse into their daily lives at the holidays.
The Hermitage decorated for Christmas
In 2019, the house was decorated for the Victorian era and was done up quite elaborately. The Dining Room was set in the best china and silver with decorative poppers for Christmas lunch. The meal that day was one of the biggest and finest of the year with roasted oysters, roast turkey, sweet and mashed potatoes and many root vegetables.
The Hermitage is beautiful at Christmas time
The Living Room was decorated with an elaborate tree with lights and beautiful Christmas ornaments and there was garland all over the room leading into the hallway with more garland on the banister. The upstairs rooms were set with seasonal plants and clothing depicting the era. It looked like the family was going on an outing.
Sweets and Treats on sale and after the tours at Christmas time.
The Hermitage gift shop has amazing things at Christmas.
Touring the house at Christmas is always a treat as it was set up for a Victorian Christmas and the whole house was decorated inside and out. The pathways were set with luminaries and white lights and the porches were elaborately decorated.
The side of the house was decorated with white lights and luminaries.
The porch was decorated with an old fashioned sleigh
The front entrance to the house at Christmas.
The Hermitage Museum History:
The Hermitage Museum in Ho-Ho-Kus, New Jersey is a charming and romantic mid-19th century Gothic Revival cottage. Surrounded by more than four acres of park land, the Hermitage is restored and furnished to reflect the lifestyle and interests of the Rosencrantz family during the second half of the 19th century.
The Revolutionary War display.
The fourteen room home is built in the Gothic Revival architecture that surrounds the original Dutch American home built in the 1700’s. The original colonial estate was bought by Ann Barlow DeVisne, who was from Manhattan, for herself and her five children.
The Rosencrantz Doll collection at the Hermitage.
One of the children, Theodosia Bartow Prevost, lived in the house with her husband, James Marcus Prevost. Major James Marcus Prevost fought on the side of the British during the Revolutionary War in battles in Georgia and North Carolina. Her husband would be later killed in the War.
The front of the house decorated for Christmas 2023.
During battle time with the British, Theodosia invited General Washington to stay at the house which he and his troops did in 1778. Theodosia welcomed all troops, both British and American to stay at the house during the war. In 1782, she married Aaron Burr, a soldier she had met during the war. On top of her five children by her first marriage, she had another child with Aaron Burr named Theodosia. Theodosia Prevost-Burr died in 1794.
The original Ice House/Smoke House at night.
The house was then sold to the Rosencrantz family in 1807 and then the house was expanded from the Dutch tradition into the Gothic Revival addition between 1847-48 by noted architect, William H. Ranlett. The addition was at the request of Elijah Rosencrantz Jr.
The Revolutionary War display at the Hermitage.
The house was lived in by four generation of Rosencrantz’s. Elijah’s daughter, Mary Elizabeth, was born in the house in 1885 and lived there her entire life until 1970 when she fell ill. She left the house to the State of New Jersey as a National Historical site.
The history of the Hermitage display at the museum.
The Hermitage is special at the holidays
During Christmas time, the house is decorated for the holidays. This year’s theme in 2018 is “Home for the Holidays: A 1930’s Christmas at the Hermitage”. The house is decorated at the time of the Great Depression and how people dealt with those times while still providing holiday cheer to their families. The decorations do not reflect Victorian times but more when times were tough and people had to watch their budgets.
The house was beautifully decorated for the holidays.
Even the gift shop offered cheerful items such as ornaments, collectables, small trees and elaborate gifts.
This cheerful Santa was on sale at the gift shop at the Hermitage. By the time I came back from the tour, he was sold.
Disclaimer: this information was taken directly from The Hermitage pamphlet and Wikipedia and Google. Please call the facility for information on special events.
The Hermitage “Tea Room” exhibition where the family made money during the 1900’s -1930s.
I have visited this interesting small history museum a few times and they do a wonderful job in presenting their displays with interesting facts catering not just to a local crowd, but anyone interested in history and events.
The one-room schoolhouse, built in 1872, operated as a public school until 1905. It was part of the district school system formed in 1864 or 1865, which was geographically defined rather than by township. It was operated as School District No. 45. When the towns incorporated in 1894, that district system was dissolved, and the school became part of the Ridgewood school district.
The Ridgewood Schoolhouse Museum’s permanent collection
Tradition has it that the original land grant to the Dutch Reformed congregation from Pierre Fauconier and his daughter, Magdalena Valleau, stated that room should always be given upon the church land for a school. We know that a small school building opened in 1785. A second stone school was built in 1820 and eventually replaced by a frame structure in 1845.
Eventually the present schoolhouse was built in 1872 at a cost of $4600.00. It is likely that other schools existed on the church property from the time the church was built in 1735 to 1785, for the consistory assumed responsibility for education and the exact time when that responsibility was handed over to the public is not known.
The large bell summoned children from miles away to school each morning. The original belfry is gone but the bell stands in the entryway. It was used in other schools and a church after the school closed in 1905 but was returned to the historical society in 1977.
The original entry was divided into separate entrances and cloakrooms for boys and girls. The potbelly stove is original as are the windows and the two central lamps. The black boards around the room have been removed except for one behind the teacher’s platform.
There is a recreation of the old schoolhouse when you walk into the museum
When the Historical Society started the museum, the privy building was attached to the main building to provide more display area. In their special display area, they have an exhibition space for farming and a local comedian.
The schoolhouse display
In April 2018, they have a very interesting exhibition call “The Thread of Life” which tells the story of family’s progression in home life from the end of the Civil War until the beginning of the Depression and times changed between the Civil War and WWI. Between the Victorian Era, the sinking if the Titanic and the devastation of WWI, the baby boom of the teens and the ‘Roaring Twenties’ with the stock market built changed the attitudes.
The way of life for an entire generation until the Great Depression put a halt on it. You can see the changes of behavior in the displays of clothes and household decor. It is an interesting display.
A Morning Outfit during the Victorian Age
Union Army outfits and display for the “Civil War” artifacts
They also have an ongoing exhibition of farm equipment and a continuation of their “Farming in Bergen County” exhibition that just closed before this show. This is how farmers of Bergen County produced their crops.
Dutch items in the collection
The Blauvelt, Zabriskie and Haring families are known farming family names in Bergen County and were important in business and politics during the after the Revolutionary War.
The “Farming and Agricultural” display
Also, see their ‘Halloween Cemetery Walk” in my blog, “MywalkinManhattan.com” entry “This is Halloween” Day Ninety-Six, October 31, 2017. Don’t miss it this year!
Day Ninety-Six: This is Halloween-MywalkinManhattan.com:
The Cemetery Walks in October are extremely popular
Don’t miss the “Here comes the Brides” exhibition that just opened up in May of 2019. It shows the history of formal wear for weddings along with accessories, menswear, invitations and even cakes toppers.
‘Here comes the Bride’ Exhibition 2019
In July of 2020, as Phase Three of the Opening in the State of New Jersey, the Museum is now open from 2:00pm-4:00pm for viewing with a new exhibition “A” is for Artistry: Celebrating Centuries of Art, Artists & Creativity”. The exhibit is a combination of local donated art and heirlooms from Ridgewood and the surrounding towns.
The Exhibition “A is for Artistry”
There are interesting displays of early photography and portrait painting as a way of preserving a persons’ image for the future. The use of oil painting, tin and then photo ‘sittings’ came in vogue as the technology changed.
Portraits were the form of imagetry before photography was invented
There was an interesting display of Children’s toys from the handmade farm toys of clay and corn husks to the fancier toys of bisque and cloth when imports and specialty toy stores were created for children’s playthings. They even had a collection of the famous “Punch & Judy Dolls”.
The Punch & Judy Dolls at the “A is for Artistry” exhibition
Children’s playthings over the last two hundred years
Another standout of the exhibition was the display from General Westervelt, a local citizen of Bergen County whose shipping expertise helped the North during the Civil War. His use of navigation and sailing was a detriment to the South and there was a $1000.00 bounty on his head. He died during the Civil War.
The “Object Lessons-Treasures that tell our Stories” exhibition
In 2022, when the Museum reopened after a long closure with COVID, they opened with two exhibitions: One was “Object Lessons-Treasures that tell our stories”, in which household objects, farming equipment and all sorts of artifacts from the pre-Revolution, Revolutionary War and Civil War periods were shown. It showed the progression that life took for families between the Revolutionary War and the beginnings of the Victorian Age.
“American Revolutionary War” display
They had local Dutch family heirlooms such as chests, cabinets, china, clothing and even documents. The average Dutch family kept their family linens, china, silver and bedding in a locked chest as these were valuable family luxuries that needed protection and proper care.
Dutch Chest with family items that were locked up.
There was a “Lincoln display” at the museum. They had a copy of the poster from the night that President Lincoln was assassinated at Ford Theater during the performance of “My American Cousin”. There was a family shot of the Lincoln family and items from the period.
The “Lincoln Display” that showed an original poster from “Our American Cousin” the night Abraham Lincoln was assassinated.
The other exhibition was “Toying with the Past: Antique Toys & Games”:
Toying with the Past was an interesting exhibition in that it showed how much toys have developed and changed over the years and how much they have stayed the same. There was a beautiful collection of china and bisque dolls, some that were made as playthings and others used as marketing tools to show women the latest fashions coming out of Europe. The dolls would be dressed in the dressmakers’ newest designs.
The Doll Collection is beautifully displayed
There were older versions of modern board games, everyday items like marbles and Jaxs. There were kitchen-based items that a little girl might be given to improve her domestic skills and there was even an early version of an “Easy Bake Oven”, with an electric oven that could be plugged in and boil water.
The items a young girl would receive to prepare her for homelife
Fancy rocking horses and dolls
Vehicles and Board Games that sparked children’s imagination
More dolls and vehicles over the last 100 years
There was also all sort of toys on wheels and rocking horses that could entertain a grumpy child for hours. They even had a selection of play clothes and school items to show what classroom work was like at the turn of the last century.
Childhood was changing for young people after the Civil War and during the Victorian Age
The Latest Exhibition that was on display in April 2023 was the “History of Hats” that replaced the Toy exhibiton:
Hats from all ages
Men’s hats through the ages
Military Hats
General’s Hat
Ladies bonnets
‘Fashion of the 1880’s’
Special Events and Lectures at the Museum:
Don’t miss their ‘Cemetery Walks’ during the day. I took one recently at the old Dutch Reformed Church and we discussed the history of the church, the location of the old church versus the building of the new one, which is why the cemetery looks the way it does and the locations of the tombstones as well as how time and advancement in carving went from sandstone, which fades and chips over time when to the production of granite and marble for future tombstones.
The Cemetery Walks in Valleau Cemetery across from the museum
The cemetery is filled with names famous and prominent in Bergen County and North Jersey history which includes participation in the wars and the building of Bergen County including the Westervelt’s, Van Riper’s, Haring’s, Zabriskie’s, Terhune’s, Demerest’s, Blauvelt’s and Tice’s families. It is a fascinating place to learn Bergen County history and its development.
The Cemetery Tours that take place the week before Halloween are interesting as well. The paths of the Valleau Cemetery in Ridgewood are lined with candles and you follow the path with the town historian who takes you on a creepy tour of the famous dead residents of Ridgewood. These include prominent athletes, business people and local laborers. You pretty much tour about a third of the cemetery as you move from one tombstone to another met by costumed actors, who they themselves have to sit in the cemetery in the dark waiting for you. That is a horror movie into itself.
The Valleau Cemetery Walk and Lecture
The best part of the tour is you are greeted at the museum with a tour of the museum and a table laden with fresh apple cider and cider doughnuts that make the perfect refreshment on a cool fall evening. Make sure to take the 7:00pm tour when it is dark out and make the reservation well in advance as these tours fill up fast.
Taking the Cemetery Tours is interesting!
Don’t miss their upcoming tours for Halloween, Christmas and their lecture series.
Please check out the museum’s website for all their very original special programming.
The museum’s latest acquisition, a Native American on horseback
For the 2024 Northwest Bergen Historic Coalition Day, I visited the museum again and they were having an exhibition entitled “It’s Personal-100 years of obsolete Everyday Essentials”. It made me feel old when I saw a rotary phone, ink well and some of the other items that were in the exhibit. Some of them were from my generation and I do not consider myself old.
The sign from the “It’s Personal” exhibition.
The entrance to the Ridgewood Schoolhouse Museum for the “It’s Personal” exhibition
The Ridgewood Schoolhouse Museum “It’s Personal” exhibition.
The Ridgewood Schoolhouse Museum “It’s Personal” exhibition.
The Inkwell display at the “It’s Personal” exhibition to be replaced by the modern pen.
The Sewing Kit at the “It’s Personal” exhibition to be replaced by the modern sewing machine than by Ready to Wear clothing.
The Vanity which is still in use depending on the person in the “It’s Personal” exhibition.
The development of the phone and then the change to the modern cell phone in the “It’s Personal” exhibition.
The exhibition was interesting because its takes the modern perspective of the development of objects and their use over the last 100 years and show them with a modern twist on how times continue to change.
Visiting a Museum: The Unique, Unusual, Obscure and Historical 