HAMMONTON: if you look at a map of NJ, you will notice a large section in South Jersey bathed in green. That is Wharton State Forest, a gorgeous section of the Pine Barrens full of history, rumored to be where the Jersey Devil roams, and is a great spot to spend time in nature hiking 50 miles of trails, boating from launches on various rivers, bird and wildlife viewing, camping spots, and learning about NJ's past at the Batsto Village historic site. The land was used by the Lenape in prehistoric times and the village dates back to 1766! Batsto Village was an iron and glassmaking community and many of the buildings still stand today including the mansion, grist mill, saw mill, post office, housing, and over 30 buildings in total. There are walking paths to each building and if the door is open, you are welcome to go inside and take a look. Check out the peaceful views of Batsto Lake and the visitor center that features a museum and gift shop. We really enjoyed the Maple Sugaring Day event hosted by Wharton State Forest and Stockton University where they showed us how to turn sugar maple tree sap into syrup. There are sugar maple trees throughout the Batsto and Stockton properties that are tapped to collect sap in buckets and then boiled to make the delicious sweet maple syrup. We saw the tubing system used in a patch of trees to collect the sap and even had a sample; it tastes deliciously like lightly sweetened water. The syrup's end product was so fresh and delicious too. You can buy a bottle of maple syrup in the gift shop. Leashed dogs are allowed and we saw quite a few enjoying a walk amongst the picturesque and sprawling property. There is a small fee to enter the village from Memorial Day weekend through Labor Day and free admission the rest of the year. read more

Batsto Village - Landmarks & Historical Buildings Near Me - Washington, New Jersey

I went for my first time over the weekend & I really enjoyed it! It was just a short 30 min drive from where I live near the shore, & I would do it again. If you love history & nature, this is the perfect place, because this village started in 1766!! It's located in Hammonton, NJ in the Wharton State Forest with hiking trails, camping spots, open fields, & picnic benches for a nice forest bath. Take a journey to the past by exploring the Visitor's Center that has a museum & gift shop before venturing out around the historic village. You can sign up for guided mansion & walking tours for a fee, but we just walked around on our own for free. The gift shop also sells water & snacks, but there's also a food truck in the parking lot with hot dogs & Italian sandwiches for sale. This time of year is perfect because it was mosquito free with a nice crisp to the air that made walking around so enjoyable! They're also doing an antique, glass & bottle show on 5/19 with wagon rides available for a great family activity! read more

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This would've been way more fun if it wasn't for the hundreds of bees everywhere! I liked the little museum area inside and the few buildings I got into were cool as well. Definitely have to back in cooler weather to check out the rest of it! read more

I've been here a few times but this was the first time I toured the mansion. Very interesting and our tour guide (Pilar) was very knowledgable regarding the mansion and the History of Batsto. I wish photography inside the mansion was allowed. I enjoyed exploring the property over several hours. It's very quiet and peaceful (and fun to photograph). read more

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Batsto Village is in the Pine Barrens, part of Wharton State Forest and is a big part of pre revolutionary war history, it was once an industrial center for iron and glass, the village now contains over 30 historic buildings. It's easy to give yourself a tour of the grounds, which are beautiful by the lake during autumn. Perfect for class trips or just walking around, taking it all in. read more

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Batsto Village is a part of Wharton State Forest (which is within the Pine Barrens)... Not only is this village a part of Jersey history but it's also plays a big part in American history... During the Revolutionary War Batsto's Iron Furnace manufactured cannons and other munitions for the Continental Army... No matter how many times you come here you'll always find something to do... Besides the museum and other buildings at this site there are also trails and quite a bit of wildlife.... read more

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Batsto is a beautiful historic village with an amazing history. The visitor center is filled with useful information, artifacts, and important biographical information that describes the rise/fall of the Batsto industries. The mansion tour is really cool! There are not many historical mansions that have been kept in such pristine shape! The mansion and large property was later purchased by Joseph Wharton (The founder of UPenn Wharton School of Business) and had the forest replenished, as acres of the pinelands were cut down for iron and glass production. There are miles of adventurous trails and a perfect spot to explore all year round! They also do a Christmas theme in the mansion during the winter. read more

Batsto Village - Landmarks & Historical Buildings Near Me - Washington, New Jersey

Absolutely disgusting that you have to use Porta Johns without toilet paper in a state run facility and when you remind people that they need paper you're told they're not in charge of that contractor is disgusting. read more

I took the husband to Batsto so we enjoy an easy midwinter hike. This was the perfect spot to do so. We stopped by the visitors center to check out the display in the museum and bought a few items from the souvenir shop. Our hike was on the White Trail. About 4 miles in length it took just over 2 1/2 hours to complete and wandered through the woods on well marked trails. If we visit again we would plan more time to visit the village and explore more of the grounds. A note to hikers, beware of those silent mountain bikers at trail crossings! read more

Beautiful park and nice walking and hiking trails, take my pit and wife there and we walk for miles

I love it here for so many reasons: hiking, picnicking, the historic village, the activities available, the small shop and all of nature/wood/lake views. It's in a great area since local wineries are within minutes. I've been living nearby and just learned about Batsto a month ago! To me, this isn't just a hidden gem but more like a hidden goldmine to people who love to spend time with nature and being active. Did I mention that it's pretty much free?! read more

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My absolute favorite place to go in south jersey! This place is a mixture of nature and history! The historic village offers a multitude of historical context as well as a museum to learn all about the village. It also offers scientific content by explaining the iron and glass industry. A lovely place to learn! Batsto also offers nature trails that are quiet and beautiful. They vary In length so there is a nature trail for all levels. All of the trails are easy and there is no elevation change. If you're looking for a peaceful walk along a lake this is the place to go. It's also a wonderful place to take your dogs! I recommend this place to everyone I know! You can't go wrong if you love history, science, and nature! read more

What a quiet, tranquil, picturesque place to just roam around and explore history. A former bog iron and window glass making factory (1766-1876), the current 43 structures on the property reflect more of the 19th century commercial and agricultural enterprises of Joseph Wharton including the gristmill, sawmill, underground solo and Italianate style mansion. If you do visit you should take the Mansion tour. It's only $3 for adults and well worth the time. Some of the other structures to browse through include: carriage house, horse stables, piggery, blacksmith and wheelwright shop and post office (1852). From Memorial day to Labor day there is a parking fee but you also have docents at the various structures to answer questions. I was there in April so there was no fee. The Visitor's Center is partially wheelchair accessible, and has many fantastic interpretive displays ranging from the early bog iron days through the Wharton era. You could spend an hour just in the visitor's center. They have restrooms and a museum shop in the same building. It's open 9-4, and the grounds are open dawn till dusk. They give you a printed map which is helpful in getting around and understanding each structure. They have an audio cell card also. The lake is beautiful and you can fish with a license. Hiking and biking trails are often tree lined so you can get out of the summer sun. It's a wonderful day for history lovers and families that enjoy the outdoors and special event weekends include: war reenactments. read more

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We visited this quasi historic location and toured the visitor center that illustrated the history and notable families who lived here. We unfortunately mis timed the mansion tour so we explored the grounds. I only spotted ONE sign near the sight of the charcoal kiln, and it was is such long-term disrepair that HALF of the sign was missing. And as I visited the sawmill, I was dismayed that there wasn't a single marker to illustrate how the mill operated. A beautiful place, but if you're a curios history fan, u can skip it read more

Not as sophisticated as Williamsburg, but a great relaxing day trip in the New Jersey Pine Barrens. Unspoiled by shops and the usual knick knack shops like Peddlers Village. This is just a walk and enjoy day out. Bring your own lunch and sit at one of the picnic tables or stop in a restaurant on your way to or way home. We have been taking the Grandkids since they were 4 and now they are 8. Gives them plenty of running room. Also a very nice place to get pictures of the family in a rustic atmosphere. The hiking trails are short and some can easily be walked in an hour. They also have some annual events. Check the web site. This is must see for anyone interested in South Jersey history. Or anyone who just wants to stroll some trails for a day out. Not recommended for anyone who has mobilization problems since the streets are unpaved and there are not a lot of benches to sit on. Great for people who like the outdoors. http://www.batstovillage.org/ read more

One of my favorite places. Love the old mill, the spillway, the cedar lake, and the mansion house.

Every kid in New Jersey should be taken to see this place. Historic village on the edge of Wharton State Forest. Canoeing; hiking; exploring--in the fantastic and surreal Jersey Pine Barrens. No way to 'rate service'; 'rate food'; etc --because its a historic village. You just go and wing it. read more

We just had time to visit the village itself without walking a lot of trails or doing any boating in the area. The interpretive material in the visitors center is outstanding, and our guided tour of the mansion fascinating. The printed map is helpful, and the blacksmiths actually working and making things told us all about that trade. The history of the place itself is unusual and very well illustrated in a variety of ways. The staff is friendly and helpful, too. A real New Jersey winner--something for us to be proud of! read more

Batsto Village is a great place to visit. It is so much fun to step back in time and learn about the history of the village. The hiking trails are great. I love that you have the ability to roam around at your leisure. read more

It's like stepping back on time. A living piece of history frozen in time. Lots of beautiful photo opportunities as well.

Fond childhood memories of the scent of cedar and pine, cedar ponds, white sands and beautiful blue skies. Definitely worth visiting