Six historic sites across Summit, New Providence and Berkeley Heights will open their doors free of charge on Saturday and Saturday, Oct. 17-18, as part of Union County's Four Centuries in a Weekend festival.
More than 30 sites countywide will offer tours, exhibits and hands-on activities from noon to 5 p.m. both days, according to a Union County press release published Thursday, Sept. 24. This year's program marks the 250th anniversary of the Declaration of Independence.
Three Summit sites will participate. Carter House, the city's oldest house, was built by Benjamin Carter in the 1740s and now holds the Summit Historical Society's archives. Reeves-Reed Arboretum is a 13.5-acre historic public garden celebrating 50 years as an education resource.
Twin Maples, a 1908 colonial revival house designed by architect Alfred F. Norris, will host a Sunday, Oct. 18, lecture on the roles women played during the American Revolution.
New Providence's Salt Box Museum at 1350 Springfield Ave. will feature special Saturday archive and graveyard programs. The museum consists of two 1840s houses that were joined in the mid-19th century and moved across Springfield Avenue to their present site in 1967. Its first floor is furnished to represent a typical New Jersey farmhouse of that era.
In Berkeley Heights, the Deserted Village of Feltville inside the Watchung Reservation will offer guided and self-guided tours, hay wagon rides, apple cider pressing and marshmallow roasting. Costumed interpreters will portray figures from the village's past, including Revolutionary War soldier John Willcocks.
David Felt built the village in 1845 around a printing factory. By 1850, 175 people lived there. The site is listed on both the State and National Registers of Historic Places. Littell-Lord Farmstead will also participate.
"I encourage families to choose a few sites, bring their history passports and make a weekend of exploring our County together," Commissioner Chairman Joseph C. Bodek said in the Sept. 24 announcement.
Every participating site will hand out a free Union County History Passport for visitors to stamp at each stop. Collectible trading cards highlighting local people, places and events will also be available, with more than 80 cards in the set. Several locations within the Crossroads of the American Revolution National Heritage Area will offer a special stamp for the Passport to Your National Parks book.
Hours vary by site, and some locations are open Saturday or Sunday only. The full schedule, addresses and activity details are available at ucnj.org/4c or by contacting the Union County Office of Cultural and Heritage Affairs at [email protected] or 908-558-2550.
Upcoming community dates:
- Saturday, Oct. 10 — Free paper shredding event in Berkeley Heights
- Saturday and Saturday, Oct. 17-18 — Four Centuries in a Weekend, noon to 5 p.m., countywide
