Historic Happenings Blog

SUNDAYS Historic Seabrook-Wilson House Tours Sundays, through October 25, 1:00-4:00 PM Bayshore Waterfront Park, Port Monmouth 719 Port Monmouth Rd, Port Monmouth, NJ 07758 Ever wondered what it looks like inside that mysterious white building by the bay? Now is your chance to find out as the historic Seabrook-Wilson House opens its doors for informal tours. The Seabrook-Wilson House dates back to the early 1700s and is one of the oldest homes along the Jersey shore. The house includes displays on the ecology of the bay and local history.  Enjoy views of New York City and the beauty of Sandy Hook Bay while visiting this celebrated house listed on the National Register of Historic Places.

Cape May, Cape May County Emlen Physick Estate Tour Take a guided tour of Cape May's Emlen Physick Estate, the magnificent Stick Style mansion attributed to the renowned Victorian architect Frank Furness. A tour of the 15 beautifully restored rooms gives you a glimpse into the lifestyle of this Victorian-era Cape May family. Physick Estate Tours take approximately 45 minutes and end with a visit to the 1876 Carriage House where you can see the current exhibit in the Carroll Gallery. Tours will be at 11:15 am and 12:30 pm on Saturday and 12:30, 1:45, and 3:00 pm on Sunday .   Admission is $15 for adults, $8 for children (ages 3-12). Tickets can be purchased at the Emlen Physick Estate, 1048 Washington Street, Cape May, NJ. Sponsored by the Mid-Atlantic Center for the Arts & Humanities (MAC). For more information and to reserve tickets, call 609-884-5404 or 800-275-4278 or visit  www.capemaymac.org . Learn More  https://capemaymac.org/experience/emlen-physick-estat...

Sunday, June 7 -- Union County 240th ANNIVERSARY OF BATTLE OF CONNECTICUT FARMS AND DEATH OF HANNAH CALDWELL Hannah Caldwell Day will be commemorated by the Union Township Historical Society at the Caldwell Parsonage, 909 Caldwell Avenue, Union, on Sunday, June 7, from 2 to 5 pm. Rev. James Caldwell, portrayed by Doc Burkhardt, will greet visitors. He'll recall the heroism of his wife during the American Revolution, following the Battle of Connecticut Farms on that fateful day--June 7, 1780.   Observance of current social-distancing guidelines will make this a historic first for the Union Township Historical Society, which was founded in 1957. Entrance to the museum will be restricted to one individual or one couple or one family at a time to take a self-guided tour for ten minutes. Gloves will be provided, but guests are requested to bring and wear their own masks.   The UTHS was required to cancel tours in March and programs in April and May. Each of...

Thursday, June 4 – Monmouth County SAVE THE DATE -- JUNE 4, 2020 SPRING LAKE HISTORICAL SOCIETY 41st ANNUAL HOUSE TOUR   CANCELLED SPRING LAKE HISTORICAL SOCIETY 41st ANNUAL  HOUSE TOUR JUNE 4, 2020 Spring Lake is primarily a unique year-round community that welcomes a large influx of summer vacationers. The town boasts a quaint downtown area and a variety of charming historic Victorian homes, lovely bed and breakfast inns and a comfortable two-mile non-commercial boardwalk that borders a beautiful sand beach. On Thursday, June 4, 2020, from 10:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m., the Spring Lake Historical Society will hold its 41st Annual House Tour. The tour will feature several lovely homes.  In addition, there will be a Bed & Breakfast along with a Historic Church  The Historical Society’s Museum will be open for viewing with its Main Gallery, which contains the permanent collection, as well as the changing exhibits.   Tickets are $40.00 if purchased prior t...

Saturdays, December 7, 14 & 28 Don't miss our 46th Annual  Christmas Candlelight House Tours! Saturdays, Dec. 7, 14 & 28, 2019  5:30pm to 8:30pm Experience the high point of Cape May’s holiday season during these self-guided walking tours, which feature: ​Homes, inns, hotels & churches specially decorated for the holidays ·       Christmas caroling and strolling musicians ·      Hospitality centers with warm beverages & home-baked goodies ·      Admission to the Emlen Physick Estate, Cape May’s only Victorian house museum, and to “An Old-fashioned Christmas: Holiday Traditions through the Years” exhibit in the Carroll Gallery ·      Limited trolley shuttle service provided Tickets: Adults $40, Children (3-12) $20 Tickets are selling quickly, so ho-ho hurrrrrry up and reserve yours today! Click here to buy tickets!  https://www.capemaymac.org/christmas-candleligh...

Sunday, December 8 -- Mercer County The Hightstown-East Windsor Historical Society will hold its Christmas Tea on Sunday, December 8 from 1:30 p.m. to 3 p.m. at Ely House.  All members and friends of the society are invited to enjoy cookies, punch and shop at the Holiday Boutique. No ticket is required for this event. Following the tea, The Hightstown Woman’s Club and Friday Club are sponsoring a Christmas Candlelight House Tour of several private homes in Hightstown and East Windsor. The Tour will be from 3 p.m. to 6 p.m. rain or shine following the tea. Advance-sale tickets for the tour are $15 and will be available later this year at Perennial Home, 119 West Ward Street, Hightstown. Day of Event Tickets for $20 can be purchased at The Ely House, 164 North Main Street. Children: $5. Much of the proceeds from this event will go to the Hightstown-East Windsor Historical Society. If you would like to participate in any way for these events, please give Shirley Olsen a call at  ...

Saturday, November 2 – Mercer County Historical Society of Princeton Presents 2019 House Tour The Historical Society of Princeton is pleased to present its 18 th  annual House Tour from 10 AM to 4 PM on Saturday, November 2, 2019.  This signature fall event celebrates significant architecture and design in the homes of HSP’s supportive community. This year’s Tour features six unique homes, each one a distinct example of its own time and style. Visitors will marvel in the modifications, redesigns, furnishings, salvaged materials, and architectural features during a self-guided tour of the homes throughout the day. This year's tour will feature: Manor House at Princeton Academy of the Sacred Heart: Perhaps one of the most intricate homes  designed by prolific Princeton architect, Rolf Bauhan, the Manor House was constructed for Mr. and Mrs. Thomas S.  Dignan and completed around 1930. Mrs. Dignan’s family owned the Ward Baking Company, makers of Wonder  Bread. Bau...

SUNDAYS Historic Seabrook-Wilson House Tours Sundays, April 28-October 27, 1:00-4:00 PM Bayshore Waterfront Park, Port Monmouth 719 Port Monmouth Rd, Port Monmouth, NJ 07758 Ever wondered what it looks like inside that mysterious white building by the bay? Now is your chance to find out as the historic Seabrook-Wilson House opens its doors for informal tours. The Seabrook-Wilson House dates back to the early 1700s and is one of the oldest homes along the Jersey shore. The house includes displays on the ecology of the bay and local history.  Enjoy views of New York City and the beauty of Sandy Hook Bay while visiting this celebrated house listed on the National Register of Historic Places.

Saturday, October 12 – Cape May County Museum Hosts Historic House and Building Tour CAPE MAY COURT HOUSE – Historic houses and buildings throughout Cape May County will open their doors Saturday, October 12 from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. to allow visitors a peek inside the walls of our county’s past.     The Museum of Cape May County is hosting a Historic House and Building Tour that will highlight vintage homes and buildings located throughout the county.     “The houses and buildings on this tour are stunning,” said Museum Director Donna Matalucci. “Each has been meticulously maintained and plays an important role in documenting our county’s rich heritage.”    Included on the tour are 10 houses and buildings, including the Aaron Ludlam and Carmen-Norton houses in Lower Township, the John Wesley United Methodist Church in Swainton and the Henry Ludlam house in Dennis Township.      This tour has been created ...

Saturday, September 28 – Morris County Mount Tabor's 26th Annual Victorian House Tour       This fall, as Mount Tabor celebrates its 150th anniversary year, the Mount Tabor Historical Society's annual House Tour will take place on Saturday, September 28, 2019. The self-guided tour will be held rain or shine 11 am to 4 pm.      This walkable tour of the Mount Tabor Historic District provides visitors an inside look at the unique charm of this historic community with more than 15 private houses, plus several historic buildings open to the public.  Annual features include a furnished replica Camp Meeting Tent and the Richardson History House, a camp meeting cottage museum. Stop by the gift shop, which is stocked with Mount Tabor souvenirs and vintage items. For our visitors, lunches and beverages will be for sale.      Founded in 1869, the Mount Tabor Historic District embodies the distinctive characteristics of a p...

Sunday, September 22 – Essex County Tours of the Crane House & Historic YWCA and The Schultz House Montclair, NJ  – Sunday, September 22 from 1 to 4 pm. Visit one or both houses in one afternoon. The Crane House and Historic YWCA is a window to the history of our nation from its early years as an independent country to a country embroiled in the civil rights struggle.  The Shultz House (Evergreens) is a fully intact time capsule of a family that takes you back to life in early 20th century Montclair. Tours of the Crane House & Historic YWCA are on the hour, last tour at 3 pm. Tours of the Shultz House are on the half-hour, last tour 3:30 pm. Admission is $6/adult; $5/student/senior with ID; $4/child; under 2 free, good for both sites. From 1 to 4 pm. Members get in free! 30 North Mountain Avenue and 110 Orange Road, Montclair.

Sunday, June 16 – Essex County Tours of the Crane House & Historic YWCA and The Shultz House Montclair, NJ  –  Sunday, June 16 from 1 to 4 pm. Visit one or both houses in one afternoon. The Crane House and Historic YWCA is a window on to the history of our nation from its early years as an independent country to a country embroiled in the civil rights struggle. The Shultz House (Evergreens, pictured) is a fully intact time capsule of a family that takes you back to life in the early 20th century Montclair.  Tours of the Crane House & Historic YWCA are on the hour, last tour at 3 pm. Tours of the Shultz House are on the half hour, last tour 3:30 pm. Admission is $6/adult; $5/student/senior with ID; $4/child; under 2 free, good for both sites. From 1 to 4 pm. Members get in free!  Join here. 30 North Mountain Avenue and 110 Orange Road, Montclair.

Saturday, June 8 – Hunterdon County   The Tewksbury Historical Society and Garden Club of Hunterdon Hills Host Second Biennial House and Garden Tour   The Second Biennial House and Garden Tour, co-sponsored by the Tewksbury Historical Society and the Garden Club of Hunterdon Hills, takes place on Saturday, June 8, 10 AM - 4 PM, at multiple locations throughout Tewksbury Township, rain or shine.    Visit the 1 st  floor interiors of 4 homes along with their gardens plus 3 additional garden only locations.     Advance tickets are $40 per person until June 7 and $50 per person on the day of the Tour.  Tickets are limited and can be purchased on-line thru PayPal or Visa/Mastercard at  www.tewksburyhistory.net . Click on the House & Garden Tour page on the left.    Tickets will not be mailed but must be picked up the day of the tour or purchased the day of the tour, while they last, beginning at 9:3...

Thursday, June 6 – Monmouth County SPRING LAKE HISTORICAL SOCIETY'S 40TH ANNUAL HOUSE TOUR THURSDAY, JUNE 6, 2019      Beautiful, historic Spring Lake is a year-round community that welcomes a large influx of visitors during the summer months. The town boasts of a quaint downtown area with small shops and restaurants. It is also well known for a variety of charming historic homes, lovely bed and breakfast inns and its two-mile non-commercial boardwalk along a beautiful sand beach.      On Thursday, June 6, 2019 from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. the Spring Lake Historical Society will hold its 40th annual House Tour. The tour will feature six homes and four historic buildings, including the Historical Society Museum displaying both the permanent collection and changing exhibits.     Tickets are $35 and can be purchased in advance at: Kate and Company, 1100 Third Avenue -  Camel's Eye, 1223 Third Avenue - J  Mclaughlin, 1306 Third...