Located on the estate of the 3.5-acre old farm, which includes two outbuildings both dating from…read morethe 1930s--the red carriage barn and the white milk house--and a detached garage dating from the 1970s with two fenced-in community gardens from the Van Kirk family, the Van Kirk Homestead Museum opened in September 2014 and is operated by the Sparta Historical Society off Main Street in Sussex County. The museum is a beautiful colonial home that was built in 1780 on the site of their older log cabin, with a gorgeous view of the surrounding mountains. This establishment tells the story of America through local, industrious people and the influences of a growing and evolving nation on them over the past 200 years. Upon entering through the front door this afternoon, the older sections of the house contain several period rooms. A Victorian Parlor to the left features the original furniture and artifacts from the original family. A larger room on the right is for special exhibits. My partner and I came at the tail end of a lecture given by an artist who decoratively painted eggs shown inside a display case. In the middle room, one would find memorabilia of Thomas Edison on loan from Menlo Park, West Orange, the Edison Foundation, and private collectors. He had built a large concentrating plant and a railroad to the canal boats on Lake Hopatcong. Towards the back of the museum, it displayed farming equipment, desks, and other items from a one-room schoolhouse and a miniature farm. It is open every second and fourth Sunday from 1-4 p.m. and is great for local history buffs, which we can recommend.

Lots of time and effort is in this museum. The folks running this historical society are very…read morecommitted to preserving the history of Sparta and the surrounding area. Worth a trip to see the past. Your grandkids might like the farm display.

With careful observation, the Garden State can transform into a realm where fairy tales come to…read morelife. Between the highways, farmlands, and beaches lies a series of historic mansions and modern palaces for guests to explore. Wealthy owners constructed many of NJ's castles during the Gilded Age. The late 19th century was a boom time for industrialists and capitalists, and it became fashionable to showcase one's wealth. Located on Garret Mountain overlooking the City of Paterson, this well-known landmark was once a private residence fashioned after an English castle, where my partner and I returned after undergoing 6 years of significant restoration work. Their website made it easy to book a reservation, ensuring reduced wait times, comfortable capacity management, and a smooth, welcoming visit for everyone. Built in 1892 and originally called Belle Vista, Lambert Castle was the domain of silk moguls Catholina and Isabella Lambert. It was constructed in the Medievel Revival architectural style out of local sandstone and granite. Lambert's fortune rose and fell with the silk industry, and he later auctioned off most of the works to pay his debts. Upon arrival at the visitor center, formerly the carriage house, we were greeted by the staff, where all guided tours begin, lasting 1 1/2 hours. Our guide was Mary Beth. She provided us wonderful information, pointed out small details like the door hinges or artwork, and answered our questions as a group of 19 patrons looked at each room much brighter. Unfortunately, photography is prohibited inside to preserve the interior for future visitors and make patrons appreciate what they were looking at. Lambert Castle serves as a physical time capsule that reflects the shifting fortunes, societal values, and architectural ambitions of the eras in which it was built and would be great for a visit.

4/10/26 (Update) After many years, I was so excited to see…read morethe reopening of the refurbished Lambert Castle. You can purchase your tickets online or at the new visitors center. The admission tickets are $10. Zak was a wonderful tour guide. He gave us the history of the castle owners. In 1892, the castle was built by Catholina Lambert (the owner of the Paterson Silk Mills for his wife). Please see my original review for the history. We were informed "Not to photograph any of the interior in order to preserve the interior for future visitors". Upon entering the castle, you will be required to put booties on over your shoes. This is in order to preserve the floors. The castle does have 3 levels along with an elevator. In the foyer overhead, you'll see a magnificent colorful rectangle shaped Tiffany light fixture. It extends approximately 2' Wide and 6' in length. The furnishings were very elegant, yet very homey. All the rooms are filled with stunning sculptures and artwork. Some of items were on loan from different places. For example: The beautiful Grandfather clocks really caught my eye. They were on loan from the Ringwood Manor. (The Ringwood Manor is presently being refurbished and will be reopening soon). Hope everyone gets a chance to see this beautifully refurbished castle. Lambert Castle has two levels of parking.

Nice little museum in Morristown, very much worth checking out on a Sunday afternoon. We got there…read morea little before opening time and we were invited in even though they hadn't quite opened. We're interested in the local history but are far from really being knowledgeable in the topic, but the tour hosts made the stories descriptive and accessible nonetheless. They sat us down in the first room and told us about the history of the house and we felt a connection even if we weren't experts. The rest of the house has artifacts of the era even if they might not be directly from the original house, also super interesting to see. They also tied the house in with the nearby Washington's Headquarters (which is also highly recommended to visit).

This eight-room house dates to about 1760 and was the home of the first physician in Morristown,…read moreJabez Campfield. The structure was moved about 1895 away from Morris Avenue, and purchased about 1922 by the Daughters of the American Revolution. This small museum is furnished in the spirit of the era when Alexander Hamilton courted the lovely young Elizabeth Schuyler while he was serving as George Washington's aide de camp in the winter of 1780. You'll see many old paintings, rugs and period pieces of furniture, including a tiger-maple cabinet purchased from the Ford estate at its auction in 1874. The museum is open Sundays 2-4, suggested donation $5. The volunteer docents offer extensive history during a (short) tour. Worth a visit but leave the kids home. Also see: http://www.nytimes.com/2015/07/13/nyregion/actresses-in-hamilton-take-a-trip-to-a-family-home-for-a-history-lesson.html

Did you know that George Washington spent more time in New Jersey during the American Revolutionary…read moreWar than anywhere else? Morris County is often called the Crossroads of the Revolution, with more Revolutionary War battles and encampments. Morristown was the market center at the time for area farmers and iron miners. It was surrounded by dense forests that supported one of the era's key resources--lumber. Washington's Headquarters Museum, located in Morristown National Historical Park, is an excellent museum for those interested in American history, where my partner, his family, and I came for a visit today to end this historic weekend celebrating 250 years of America. This multi-floored museum is free to enter, self-guided, and has detailed exhibits on Washington and his troops' experiences while staying in the area. General Washington and his wife, Martha, set up headquarters at the nearby three-story Ford Mansion, a Georgian-style mansion built in 1774 in Morristown. It was owned by Col. Jacob Ford, Jr., and his wife, Theodosia, where free tickets were distributed for the tour at the museum. Our guide Jason was wonderful, knowledgeable, and welcoming to questions. We are officially in the thick of the nation's 250th birthday (the Semiquincentennial) and a great place to visit.

4/3/26: The Ford Mansion tour begins at Washington's Headquarters Museum…read more My recommendation is to view the museum first, before going on the tour of the mansion. The museum has an excellent video of Washington's stay during the winter of 1779 to 1780 with 96 inches of snow. In addition, you'll see soldier's uniforms, muskets, other weapons, furniture and a lot of very interesting facts of that time. Interesting fact: During the first encampment in 1777, Washington knew he couldn't beat the British without conquering smallpox first. He ordered his soldiers be inoculated against smallpox. This actually saved thousands of lives. The museum does have interesting interactive displays of how one would solve dilemmas during war time. So much to see at Washington's Headquarters Museum. Restrooms are located on the lower level. The museum does have an elevator. A wonderful gift shop is located on the first level of the museum.

Coming to Mountsier Garden, again, was a pleasure. I'll always appreciate the owners opening up…read moretheir property, so many can experience the beauty, elegance, charm, and peacefulness of their creation. During this visit, we were able to enjoy the foliage of early Spring, combined with the many statues, tasteful decorations, lavish landscapes, and mesmerizing water features. I will, most definitely, return for a few of the other three days that the garden will be open and hope that everyone will make time for the wonders of Mountsier Garden.

Great Restoration Hard Working Volunteers Keep Improving The Grounds County Got This One Right…read more Built in the early seventeen hundreds this piece of history had gone uncared for many years until the Garretson Forge & Farm Restoration folks tirelessly restored the property. They hold events throughout the year that range from recreating a Dutch farm garden to Dutch Christmas complete with a visit from Sinterklaas. Fish weirs, mostly built by Native Americans of the Lenape Nation can still be seen in the Passaic River near the farm. They provided the early settlers with a reliable and valuable source of protein consisting of shad, alewives, striped bass and eels. A weir can be clearly seen approximately 200 feet North of the Fair Lawn Avenue Bridge, the only reason they still exists is due to the fact that this part of the river was not navigable for commercial purposes and restoration efforts. Allen Lutins & Anthony P. DeCondo reaserched and wrote a great article for the Archaeological Society of New Jersey you can read it here http://www.lutins.org/weir/ HISTORY "One of the oldest sites in Bergen County, this pre-revolutionary sandstone house is officially listed on the New Jersey State and the United States National Register of Historic Places. This living Dutch farm museum, located at 4-02 River Road, Fair Lawn, New Jersey, sponsors activities involving restoration, preservation, historic digs, compilation of local history and folklore, educational programming, colonial agriculture, horticulture and crafts. Garretson Farm is owned by Bergen County and is administered by volunteers of the Garretson Forge and Farm Restoration, Inc. The history of the Garretson family in America began with the emigration of Gerrit Gerritse, his wife Annetje Hermansse and their son Gerrit from Wageningen, Gelderland, in 1660. The junior Gerrit, purchased the Slooterdam Patent from David Daniellse in 1719. This tract of land extended from the Passaic to the Saddle Rivers. The house was built shortly afterwards by Gerrit's son, Peter. Six generations of the Garretson family resided on the farm. The Garretson homestead is on what was once an extensive farm, but through the years the land was sold off. The present site consists of 1.84 acres along River Road. Archeologists believe that the property was once the site of an Indian encampment due to the numerous artifacts found along the Passaic River. The kitchen wing, the older section of the house, is built of rubble and undressed stone. On a late 19th century photograph of the house, remnants of a brick beehive oven can be seen on the outer wall and thus has been restored. The main section of the house, added in 1760, was built using dressed stone. The sandstone blocks are held together with a mortar made of river mud, mixed with straw and hog's hair. It was under this section that the fragments of clay pipes (c. 1720) and other artifacts were uncovered. Extensive changes were made in the house in 1902. The present gambrel roof replaced a steep gable roof; a second front door was replaced with a window. An inner stairway to the basement replaced cellar hatches and a stairway to the second floor was built. The large pillared porch was also added. A mid-nineteenth century carriage house still stands on the property along with several other out - buildings." Preserve History!

Really enjoyed visiting the Garretson Forge and Farm for their butterfly festival. Volunteers do a…read morevery nice job with the garden and the event was a lot of fun for kids. Interesting place to visit.

Very interesting tour of old zinc mine. Something you would not expect in NJ. My 9 year old…read moregranddaughter enjoyed.

We loved the tour and the area is very baby/kid friendly. It is cold in the mines bringing a jacket…read moreis a must. The problem is theres limited food so we couldnt grab certain items off the menu we wanted. Our tour guide was really funny and great. Everything is priced exceptionally well for families to enjoy.

Annual event that takes place usually on the third weekend in September to benefit the Greek church…read morein Roseland. Home cooked foods, vendors withe Greek-focused items and entertainment. Both outdoor and indoor seating in a new outdoor-indoor venue. Great gyro, spanakopitakia and tiropitakia. Made to order Greek coffee and lots more Greek food items. Well planned event