Mount Tabor Historical Society
Richardson History House
32 Trinity Place
Mount Tabor, NJ 07878
973-975-0001
https://www.facebook.com/mounttaborhistoricalsociety/
Open: Sundays 1:00pm-4:00pm/Monday-Saturday Closed
Admission: Free but donations accepted and recommended to help the museum operate.
My review on TripAdvisor:
The Mount Tabor Historical Society at 32 Trinity Place
The Historical Society and the gardens
I went on the Mount Tabor House and garden walking tour in late September on a rather gloomy Saturday and I had a wonderful time. It may have been gloomy out but the museum could not have been more interesting and the people who opened their homes could not have been nicer.
The tickets were $35.00 at the door which I thought was very fair for this fundraiser. They had transportation from the elementary school to the site and back that ran on a continuous basis from 11:00am to 4:30pm when the tour was over.
The sign by the bus tour stop
The first stop where we bought the tickets was the old Mount Tabor Fire House
When we arrived in the historic Mount Tabor neighborhood, this had once been a summer Methodist Camp. The planned community still has the original layout of the tent community and plots of land that the houses had been built on since old camp closed.
The center of the community was Trinity Park, a beautifully landscaped park
My first stop on the tour was the old Tabernacle, the original gathering place and hall where the religious services took place.
The inside of the Tabernacle, now being used for the quilt show for the tour
The Quilts were displayed on all the pews
The quilts were all handmade, some really colorful and beautifully stitched. It was a really impressive show of artistry.
The beautiful quilts on display
The colorful quilts on display
After I left the Tabernacle display, I headed up to the Mount Tabor Historical Society Museum for a tour of the museum and gardens. It was located on Trinity Park.
The Mount Tabor Historical Society on the eastern side of Trinity Park
The museum is part of triplex with a private home in the two other former homes. They are undergoing a renovation right now
The J. Smith Richardson History House (1873): A Camp Meeting Cottage Museum
(from the museum website)
The Mount Tabor Historical Society is privileged to share our historic community, founded as a post-Civil War permanent Camp Meeting ground, and the Richardson History House – a Camp Meeting Cottage Museum. The 1873 History House invites visitors to travel back to another era and see what it was like to spend a summer “camp meeting style” in the cottage of J. Smith and Lydia Richardson.
The parlor area in the home of Mr. Richardson
The home on the furthest to the left of the building is the museum, once home to the Richardson family, who were part of this Methodist retreat.
Mr. Richardson’s portrait hangs proudly on the wall overlooking the parlor of the home
The homes pipe organ that was used to entertain the family
The table was formally set with period China in the Dining Room that was shared with the parlor area. The tour guide told me that the family kept meticulous records of everything and on the table was the wedding menu of Mr. Richardson’s daughter’s wedding.
The Dining Room table set for dinner
The beautiful Victorian China
The bride’s Wedding menu. You can tell they ate well that afternoon
The brides wedding was pretty elaborate for the time and you could tell by the menu they ate pretty well that afternoon.
The bride’s Wedding photo hangs proudly in the parlor
The family heirloom, the bureau, sits proudly in the corner of the room
The family did not leave much behind but this bureau is the one piece of furniture that the family owned. It now holds serving pieces and dinner items. The kitchen is small but has all the modern convenes of the time including a range coal stove and an ice box, which were pretty elaborate for the time.
The kitchen of this small summer home
The shelves with all the cooking and storage materials
There are all sorts of baking materials, cooking utensils and items to cook full meals for the household.
Baking and measuring items
Items for baking
The historic map of the Mount Tabor Camp Ground was hung in the kitchen
Off the kitchen door was a beautiful garden and a landscaped walkway
Some vintage clothing was on display in the parlor
Vintage women’s clothing on display in the front parlor
I took a trip up the narrow stairs to the upstairs bedrooms and bathroom. I discovered that the house was much bigger than I thought. There was a nice size bathroom at the top of the steps.
For a small house, the bathroom was nice sized
The main bedroom was nice in size and also had a nice breeze from the window
The rooms were decorated with period furniture and bric a brac of the period. On the bed, lay funeral clothing of a family member in morning.
The clothing of someone in morning
The family bedroom set also returned to the house when donated back from the Richardson family
This gorgeous dollhouse was to the side of this bedroom with its tiny furniture and miniature decorations
The other bedroom was a little smaller but again was nicely furnished.
The view from the upstairs bedroom of the garden below
The second bedroom was a bit smaller and contained vintage clothes and toys
Family heirlooms, clothing and toys
The doll carriage for some lucky child
A sewing kit not too dissimilar from my grandmother’s
Baby dolls asleep on the second floor bedroom
The view from the parlor overlooking the Tabernacle
The Trinity Garden in the middle of historic district
The History of the Mount Tabor Methodist Camp:
(from the Society website)
Mt. Tabor, New Jersey, is a fine example of a 19th century community. Established in 1869 as a Methodist summer camp meeting ground, Mt. Tabor is now a full-time residential community.
While walking through Mt. Tabor, one can see Victorian cottages, complete with gingerbread, and several historic community buildings. Trinity Park is still a busy and central focus of the community. In addition to residences surrounding the park are three octagon structures. The Mt. Tabor branch of the Parsippany library occupies one of them, once known as the Ebenezer Pavilion. The Bethel, a pavilion erected in 1873 and enclosed in 1886, is used as a community meeting hall. Historic displays are featured in the Bethel the day of the annual house tour. The Tabernacle, built in 1885, is used to host large community events, including concerts. The fountain in Trinity Park is a close replica of the original fountain erected in 1875.
Throughout the 1870s and 1880s, private cottages were built at a rapid rate, while some summer residents stayed in tents. By the turn of the 20th century, more than 200 cottages were built, making Mt. Tabor a lively summer resort. The Depression and World War II brought some changes to Mt. Tabor: during these times when families could no longer afford two houses, the cottages were turned into year-round dwellings.
Mt. Tabor is still a special community. Its historic heritage is being preserved and its community is full of good will and participation. There are many events each year, including Children’s Day, an annual Holiday Craft Fair, House Tour, and concerts. The many active committees in town include the Garden Club, Historical Society, and Children’s Day Committee. Mt. Tabor also has a golf course and country club.
In 2001 we celebrated the reconstruction of a decorative iron arch at the entrance to Mt. Tabor closest to Dickerson Rd. at Rt. 53. The original arch was in place around the turn of the 20th century, and the reproduction was a project of the Mount Tabor Historical Society and the Beautification Committee of the Camp Meeting Association. It was completed in June of 2001, and helps one to visualize how Mt. Tabor appeared to people arriving by train, as many did. This project was made possible by contributions from individuals, from the Camp Meeting Association, and from money the Mt. Tabor Historical Society raises from events such as the annual House Tour.
Taking the Walking tour sponsored by the Society:
After the tour of the museum, I started my tour of the houses and gardens of the historic district. In the gloomy weather, I walked all the streets in the neighborhood visiting as many stops as I could.
As the rain subsided, I was able to walk around the neighborhood without juggling an umbrella. I wanted to see the gardens and parks first while the weather nice.
I loved walking around the neighborhood and admiring the homes
I walked up Strowbridge Avenue to make my first stop to see this whimsical front garden of this beautiful Victorian house.
The garden in front of 6 Strowbridge Avenue
The figures and small structures of this magical garden. I thought I would see ferries and elf’s walking around the yard.
The details of the front of 6 Strowbridge Avenue
The next house garden I visited 11 Sommerfield Avenue and this yard was hidden from the road to see its many surprises.
The front garden of 11 Sommerfield Avenue
The creative detail of the on just one side of the house
As you enter the garden, its theme was the Fall and Halloween
The water features and fountains of their background
The background fountains, water features and patio that make this backyard enjoyable
The new cottage home of 33 Embury Place
I walked down Embury Place to visit a last minute addition. I was surprised when the owner told me that six people once lived in the house. I saw the loft space and bunk beds that made this house work as a family home.
The elegance of 33 Embury Place
I walked down Morris Avenue, which is the heart of the complex and then walked up the “golden stairs” to West Park Place to next set of gardens and parks. The gardens in front of 12 West Park Place may not have been as elaborate as other homes but was nicely landscaped which complimented Mother Nature.
The gardens in front of 12 West Park Place
The gardens in front of 12 West Park Place
Across from these creative gardens is St. James Park, which sits in the middle of the complex. The park was gloomy with the rain drizzle so I really could not appreciate it. Still I could see how engaging the park must be in nice weather.
St. James Park
The Labyrinth in St. James Park
I made my way back down the stairs and made a walk down Morris Avenue to visit more homes. I noticed that time was running out and I only had an hour to visit this part of the neighborhood.
Trinity Park in full bloom when the rain stopped
Looking down the street down Whitfield Place during the tour of homes
A stuffed bear on display at 60 East Morris Street
The family who opened their home at 60 East Morris Street had a beautiful home. They invited us into their home, had a fire going on their patio and served us homemade cookies and apple cider which I thought was a nice touch. I saw this whimsical bear in one of the bedrooms.
71 Morris Avenue is the home of artist Gabriella D’Italia and her family
The artist’s work on the walls and her collection of puppets
The last set of gardens that I visited were at 36 Boehm Avenue. The rain had stopped and I was able to visit the gardens and not feel rushed.
The yard at 36 Boehm Avenue.
The yard at 36 Boehm Avenue where gold fish I thought were a nice touch
I saw this point of creativity at 26 Whitfield Place
When I finished the tour, I explored the area around Trinity Park. I walked around the park around the Pollinator Garden and admired the foliage.
The gardens at the start of the Fall
The map of the historical sign of the complex
The historic marker of the complex
The historic buildings around Trinity Park
The Gazebo in the park
The Methodist church on Simpson Avenue
The old Firehouse where we checked in
The old Camp office
It really was a wonderful walking tour and I learned a lot about the old Mount Tabor site. This was an eye opener of how a former Methodist camp becomes a desirable historical neighborhood that everyone wants to live in. The museum was an interesting look on how people lived in the past here and the walking tour showed how modern times living here that not much has changed. People still making these small charming houses home. This walking tour in Mount Tabor, NJ is every September.
After the tour for lunch:
After the tour was over, I stopped into Downtown Denville, NJ right down the road, which is right off Route 46 and Route 80 for a late lunch. Denville has a very nice downtown with lots of restaurants and stores. Even on a gloomy afternoon, most everything was open. I checked out by Advantage Dining site and found Second Half on Main at 5 East Main Street. This contemporary bar/pub had all the TV’s going for the football game and a packed bar. I ate in the dining room section of the restaurant and was able to stretch out in one of the booths.
The Second Half of Main Street Street at 5 East Main Street in Downtown Denville, NJ
https://www.secondhalfonmain.com/
My review on TripAdvisor:
The restaurant is a lively place and the bar area was busy. The menu has a nice selection of salads, burgers, pastas and large entrees with a nice beer listing. It got cold and miserable outside and it was the perfect burger day. I chose the Texas Burger with Bacon, BBQ sauce and sharp Cheddar Cheese and that hit the spot. What I liked about Second Half on Main is the prices are very fair. The burgers will run you around $15.00 and they include the French Fries, something you do not see in the Hudson River Valley or Bergen County anymore. They pull the a la Carte routine since COVID.
The Dining Room area at Second Half on Main
The burgers here are excellent. Perfectly cooked, stacked with ingredients and are juicy. The fries were also perfectly cooked. On a cool gloomy day, the burger hit the spot. If you are touring in the area, I highly recommend the restaurant. After lunch if the weather is nice, check out Downtown Denville.
The Texas Burger and French Fries at Second Half on Main
The Texas Burger and Fries is the perfect meal on a cool day
Yum!
