Historical Sights Announcements

Historical Sights in New Jersey

September 22, 2011

Whether it's a Revolutionary War battlefield, a lighthouse, a village reminiscent of times long past, or the home of a president, poet or industrial pioneer, there is something for everyone to experience and enjoy at New Jersey's State Historic Sites. Come and explore these fascinating and significant historic resources that span the 18th, 19th and 20th centuries. Discover New Jersey’s storied places and learn why New Jersey’s history is America’s history.

New Jersey's state historic sites are open year round, Wednesday through Sunday from 10 a.m. to noon and from 1 p.m. to 4 p.m., although times may vary. Sites are closed Wednesdays following Monday holidays. For specific hours, please call the historic site you wish to visit. Sites open to the public are listed below.

For more information on New Jersey's State historic sites or parks, call (800) 843-6420 or (609) 984-0370. Text telephone users: call NJ Relay Services at (800) 852-7899.

Absecon Lighthouse
31 South Rhode Island Ave., Atlantic City, NJ 08401
(609) 449-1360
New Jersey's tallest lighthouse and the country's third tallest masonry lighthouse. Climb the 228 steps to the top for the only 360 degree view of Atlantic City. First lit in 1857, it features the original first-order Fresnel Lens still in place at the top. A two-acre property with outdoor exhibits, a Keeper's Cottage, museum, gift shop and ample free parking. The lighthouse is leased by the nonprofit Inlet Public Private Association. They hold many special events throughout the year, including special group tours and even sleepover opportunities.

Allaire Village, Allaire State Park
P.O. Box 220, Farmingdale NJ 07727
(732) 938-2371
Allaire State Park is best known for Allaire Village, a well-preserved early 19th-century ironmaking town with a general store, blacksmith shop, carpenter's shop, owner's house, foreman's house, church, and museum. Allaire Village Inc., a nonprofit corporation, sponsors more than 40 programs and events annually, including living history events, antique shows, arts and craft shows, and flea markets. For more information call (732) 919-3500.

Barnegat Lighthouse, Barnegat Lighthouse State Park
P.O. Box 167, Barnegat Light NJ 08006
(609) 494-2016
The site of Barnegat Lighthouse on the northern tip of Long Beach Island in Ocean County was regarded as one of the most crucial "change of course" points for coastal vessels. A panoramic view of Island Beach, Barnegat Bay and Long Beach Island awaits visitors to the top of the lighthouse.

Batsto Village, Wharton State Forest
Batsto, RD. #9, Hammonton NJ 08037
(609) 561-0024
This Pine Barrens village is composed of 33 historic buildings and structures including the Batsto Mansion, gristmill, sawmill, general store, workers' homes and post office. Batsto Village was a former bog iron and glassmaking industrial center from 1766 to 1867 and currently reflects the agricultural and commercial enterprises that existed here during the late 19th century.

Boxwood Hall
1073 East Jersey Street, Elizabeth NJ 07201
(908) 282-7617
Built about 1750, Boxwood Hall became the residence of Elias Boudinot, president of the Continental Congress that ratified the Peace Treaty with Great Britain. George Washington visited his friend Boudinot in 1789 on his way to New York for his first inauguration.

Cape May Lighthouse, Cape May Point State Park
Box 107, Cape May Point NJ 08212
(609) 884-2159
The 157-foot high lighthouse is still an aid to navigation. Visitors who climb to the top of the lighthouse can view the constantly changing Cape May peninsula shoreline. The first known lighthouse at Cape May was built in 1823, but had to be moved. The present lighthouse was built in 1859. For information on tours and hours of operation visit The Mid Atlantic Center for the Arts or call (609) 884-5404.

Central Railroad of New Jersey Terminal, Liberty State Park
Morris Pesin Drive, Jersey City NJ 07305
(201) 915-3400
From 1892 through 1954, the CRRNJ Terminal stood with the Statue of Liberty and Ellis Island to unfold one of this nation's most dramatic stories: the immigration of northern, southern and eastern Europeans, among others, into the United States. After being greeted by the Statue of Liberty and processed at Ellis Island, these immigrants purchased tickets and boarded trains at the Terminal to their new homes.

Clarke House, Princeton Battlefield State Park
500 Mercer Road, Princeton NJ 08540
(609) 921-0074
Built by Thomas Clarke in 1772, the house is located on Princeton Battlefield and was the scene of heavy fighting during the Battle of Princeton. General Hugh Mercer was mortally wounded nearby and was carried to the Clarke House, where he died nine days after the battle.

Craig House, Monmouth Battlefield State Park
347 Freehold-Englishtown Road, Manalapan NJ 07726
(732) 462-9616
During the Battle of Monmouth, this 18th-century farmhouse was the home of John and Ann Craig and their three children and was used as a hospital by the British forces in June of 1778.

Delaware & Raritan Canal State Park - Blackwells Mills Canal House,
Mule Tenders Barracks, Port Mercer Canal House, Prallsville Mills
625 Canal Road, Somerset NJ 08873
(732) 873-3050
Most of the old canal system remains intact today and is a reminder of the days when the delivery of freight depended upon a team of mules or steam tugboats. Nearly 36 miles of the main canal and 22 miles of the feeder canal still exist, with many historic structures along the canal.

Double Trouble Village, Double Trouble State Park
Administered by Island Beach State Park
Seaside Park NJ 08752
(732) 793-0506
Fourteen original historic structures dating from the late 19th century through the early 20th century include a general store, a schoolhouse and cottages. The sawmill was restored in 1995, and the cranberry sorting and packing house was completed in 1996.

Edison Memorial Tower and Museum
Christie Street, Menlo Park 08817
(732) 549-3299
The art deco memorial tower was constructed in 1937 as a tribute to Thomas Alva Edison. The tower marks the location of Edison’s early experiments critical to the development of the electric light and other major inventions. The site includes a museum that focuses on Edison and his work. The Township of Edison, the nonprofit Edison Memorial Tower Corporation and the DEP jointly administer the tower and the museum in Edison State Park.

Fort Mott, Fort Mott State Park
454 Fort Mott Road
Pennsville, NJ 08070
(856) 935-3218
Fort Mott was part of a coastal defense system designed for the Delaware River in the late 1800's. The fortifications seen today at Fort Mott were erected in 1896 in anticipation of the Spanish-American War.

Grover Cleveland Birthplace
207 Bloomfield Avenue, Caldwell NJ 07006
(973)226-0001
In 1837, Grover Cleveland was born in this house while his father, the Reverend Richard Falley Cleveland, was the minister to the First Presbyterian Church of Caldwell. Most of the first floor rooms portray the house as it was in 1837.

Hancock House
3 Front Street, Hancock's Bridge NJ 08038
(856) 935-4373
Judge William Hancock built this brick house in 1734. A notable feature is the decorative patterned brickwork on the end wall of the house.

NJN invites visitors to experience New Jersey's colonial history first-hand. View their short film spot about the Hancock House.

The Hermitage
335 North Franklin Turnpike, Ho-Ho-Kus NJ 07423
(201)445-8311
The original section of the Hermitage House was built in the mid-18th century and visited by George Washington and his staff during the Revolutionary War. In 1845, the house was transformed by architect William Ranlett into one of the finest examples of Gothic Revival architecture in North America. The Hermitage is leased by the Friends of the Hermitage, Inc. View a virtual tour of The Hermitage.

High Point Monument, High Point State Park
1480 State Route 23, Sussex NJ 07461
(973) 875-4800
Built in 1930 with donations from the Kuser family of Trenton, the monument was built on the highest point in New Jersey and was erected in honor of the American servicemen who served in World War I.

Indian King Tavern
233 Kings Highway, Haddonfield NJ 08033
(856) 429-6792
On March 10, 1777, the New Jersey Assembly met at the Indian King Tavern and approved the adoption of the Great Seal of New Jersey. Six months later, the Assembly met again at the tavern and enacted a law substituting the word "state" for "colony" in all commissions, writs and indictments.

Johnson Ferry House, Washington Crossing State Park
355 Washington Crossing-Pennington Road, Titusville NJ 08560
(609) 737-2515
This early 18th-century gambrel roof farmhouse and tavern near the Delaware River was owned by Garret Johnson, who operated a 490-acre colonial plantation and a ferry service across the river in the 1700s.

Long Pond Ironworks Historic District,
Mailing Address c/o Ringwood State Park
1304 Sloatsburg Rd., Ringwood, NJ 07456-1799
(973) 962-7031
Long Pond Ironworks was founded in 1766 and operated continually until 1882, making iron for a wide range of purposes. Today, the ruins of three furnaces and other unique structures remain in a beautiful setting within Long Pond Ironworks State Park near the New York border in West Milford, NJ.

Monmouth Battlefield, Monmouth Battlefield State Park
347 Freehold-Englishtown Road, Manalapan NJ 07726
(732) 462-9616
One of the largest battles of the American Revolution took place in the fields and forests that now make up Monmouth Battlefield State Park. A reenactment of the June 1778 battle is held every year with authentically dressed troops camped out in the park and situated in the fields for fighting.

Old Dutch Parsonage
71 Somerset Street, Somerville NJ 08876
(908) 725-1015
The parsonage was built in 1751 and first occupied by Reverend John Frelinghuysen, who came from Amsterdam to serve three congregations of the Dutch Reform church in the upper Raritan Valley. The second occupant of the Parsonage, the Reverend Jacob Hardenbergh, founded Queens College in 1766 while residing in the house.

Princeton Battlefield, Princeton Battlefield State Park
500 Mercer Road, Princeton NJ 08540
(609) 921-0074
On January 3, 1777, the peaceful winter fields and woods of Princeton Battlefield were transformed into the site of what is considered to be the fiercest fight of its size during the American Revolution. During this desperate battle, American troops under General George Washington surprised and defeated a force of British Regulars.

Ringwood Manor, Ringwood State Park
Box 1304, Ringwood NJ 07456
(973) 962-7031
For nearly 200 years, this graceful country manor house was the home of a succession of important ironmasters, including the Ryersons, Coopers and Hewitts. The house contains an excellent collection of paintings and period furniture, all of which are associated with the families who lived in the manor.

Rockingham
PO Box 496, Kingston NJ 08528
(609) 683-7132
In 1783, while the Continental Congress was meeting at Nassau Hall in nearby Princeton, Congress rented the house from the widow of Judge John Berrien for use by General George Washington from August 23 to November 10, 1783. Martha Washington joined him at Rockingham. Rockingham was reopened to the public in July of 2004 after an extensive restoration.

NJN invites visitors to experience New Jersey's colonial history first-hand. View their short film spot about Rockingham.

Skylands Manor & State Botanical Garden, Ringwood State Park
Box 1304, Ringwood NJ 07456
(973) 962-7031
Skylands Manor, with its English Jacobean architecture common in the English countryside 400 years ago, was designed by John Russell Pope for Clarence McKenzie Lewis, a stockbroker and civil engineer. Built in the 1920's, it is constructed of native stone and half-timbers and has 44 rooms. The garden is a culmination of two eras of landscape architecture under the direction of Francis Lynde Stetson, owner of Skylands from 1891 to 1922.

Somers Mansion
1000 Shore Road, Somers Point NJ 08244
(609) 927-2212
Somers Mansion was built about 1725 by Richard Somers and is the oldest existing house in Atlantic County. Somers operated the first ferry across Great Egg Harbor Bay.

Steuben House at Historic New Bridge Landing
1209 Main Street, River Edge NJ 07661
(201) 487-1739
In 1783, the Steuben House was presented to Baron Von Steuben in gratitude for his assistance to the colonies during the Revolutionary War.

NJN invites visitors to experience New Jersey's colonial history first-hand. View their short film spot about the Steuben House.

Trenton Battle Monument
Administered by Washington Crossing State Park
348 North Warren Street, Trenton NJ 08638
(609) 737-0623
The monument marks the site of the American artillery emplacement that commanded the streets of Trenton during the battle that led to the defeat of the three Hessian Regiments by the American Army at the Battle of Trenton, December 26, 1776. The monument was designed by John H. Duncan, architect of Grant's tomb.

Twin Lights
Lighthouse Road, Highlands NJ 07732
(732) 872-1886
The current brownstone structure was built in 1862 and served as the primary seacoast light marking the entrance to New York Harbor. The towers are not identical twins; the south tower is square and the north is octagonal. This 1862 structure replaced an earlier twin tower lighthouse. Visit the Twin Lights virtual tour.

Wallace House
71 Somerset Street, Somerville NJ 08876
(908) 725-1015
The Wallace House was completed in 1776 as Hope Farm for John Wallace, a successful Philadelphia merchant. General Washington leased the house for use as his headquarters during the Middlebrook Winter Encampment, December 11, 1778, to June 3, 1779. The house is one of the best and most original examples of Georgian architecture in New Jersey.

NJN invites visitors to experience New Jersey's colonial history first-hand. View there short film spot about the Wallace House.

Walt Whitman House
330 Mickle Boulevard, Camden NJ 08103
(856) 964-5383
The renowned poet lived in this house from 1884 until his death in 1892, and received many visitors during that time including the painter Thomas Eakins, naturalist John Burroughs and writers Oscar Wilde and Bram Stoker. The house is furnished with a number of pieces owned and used by Whitman.

Washington Crossing, Washington Crossing State Park Visitor Center/Museum
355 Washington Crossing-Pennington Road, Titusville NJ 08560
(609) 737-9303
After crossing the icy waters of the Delaware River on December 25, 1776, General George Washington and the Continental Army landed at Johnson's Ferry, at the site now knows as Washington Crossing State Park.

Waterloo Village, Allamuchy Mountain State Park
Waterloo Road, Stanhope NJ 07874
(973) 398-7010 (c/o Hopatcong State Park)
This early 19th-century restored village contains a working mill complex with gristmills and sawmills, a general store, blacksmith shop and several historic houses. The village is located on the banks of the Morris Canal. Waterloo Village is currently closed for improvements.

Whitesbog Village
Administered by Brendan T. Byrne State Forest (formerly Lebanon)
P.O. Box 215, New Lisbon NJ 08064
(609) 726-1191
Whitesbog was an active 19th- and 20th-century cranberry and blueberry producing community, founded in the 1870's by Joseph J. White. The commercial high-bush blueberry was developed here by Elizabeth White. The site is undergoing restoration and is leased to the Whitesbog Preservation Trust.