by Noël Grabow, Collections Assistant May 30, 2023 Top photo: Replica drape (left) and historic drape (right) in Acorn Hall’s front parlor. As stewards of one of the most remarkable […]
by Amy Curry, Executive Director May 23, 2023 When Augustus Crane purchased the house and property that became Acorn Hall and his gentleman’s farm in 1857, he no doubt was […]
by Anne Motto, Curator of Collections May 9, 2023 The meticulously rendered paintings of local artist Edward Kranich (1826-1891) are rare indeed, not only in number, but also in the […]
by Erin Feith, Research Assistant May 2, 2023 In the 1920s, a new figure emerged in the boxing industry who never fought yet packed a punch not soon forgotten, Madame […]
by Anne Motto, Curator of Collections April 25, 2023 Top photo: Poster for earlier flight by Charles Durant in his hot air balloon. NYC was a happening place in the […]
by Erin Feith, Research Assistant April 18, 2023 In pre-Revolutionary Morris County, a trip to Schooley’s Mountain was thought to keep the doctor away. Chalybeate (iron salt) mineral springs had […]
by Erin Feith, Research AssistantApril 10, 2023 This year, two Morris County municipalities, Riverdale and Mine Hill, celebrate their centennial! While their origins differ greatly, both followed a similar path […]
by Anne Motto, Curator of Collections April 4, 2023 From a library of books to monogrammed table linens, MCHS is phenomenally lucky to have an amazing array of Crane family […]
by MCHS Staff March 28, 2023 Born in Boonton, renowned artist Lucille Hobbie (1915-2008) was noted for her depictions of local historic landmarks. Enjoy an assortment of prints from within MCHS’s collection […]
by Erin Feith, Research Assistant March 21, 2023 Getting on board with transportation trends that swept the nation at the turn of the century, the Morris County Traction Company (MCT) […]
by Anne Motto, Curator of Collections March 14, 2023 In MCHS archives are 16 Crane family letters long dubbed “the Canton letters,” as they chronicle the 1833-5 journeys of Augustus […]
by Sara Weissman, MCHS Volunteer and Reference Librarian (Ret., Morris County Library) March 7, 2023 Randolph became Morris County’s sixth municipality in November 1805 when the New Jersey Legislature passed […]
by Anne Motto, Curator of Collections February 28, 2023 Before his move to Morristown, Augustus Crane and his four siblings lived among a tight-knit circle of family, friends, and friends […]
by Anne Motto, Curator of Collections February 21, 2023 In 1896, to much fanfare, a large Brooklyn manufacturer of stoves and furnaces, Richardson & Boynton, moved its plant to Dover, […]
by Anne Motto, Curator of Collections February 14, 2023 In stark contrast to their mothers’ generation, the 487 known students of the Morristown Sewing School went on to work outside […]
by Erin Feith, Research Assistant February 7, 2023 In the mid-19th century, Morristown found its sweet spot with the opening of Wilbur F. Day’s confectionery and bakery on Park Place. […]
by Anne Motto, Curator of Collections January 31, 2023 Carnot Meeker Ward was born into a life of Gilded Age opulence. The heir of two fortunes before he turned 21, […]
by MCHS Staff January 24, 2023 Inamere Farm in Morris Township’s Washington Valley was NYC banker Rudolph H. Kissel’s country home in the early 20th century. Very near his elder […]
by Erin Feith, Research Assistant, and Sally Capone, Publicity Coordinator January 17, 2023 The Morris County Children’s Home opened its doors in 1881. Utilizing funds raised by a local branch […]
by Anne Motto, Curator of Collections January 10, 2023 Research into the Morristown Sewing School, its 56 known teachers, and 487 known students, which I first began in the summer […]
by Dr. Nick Steneck, President of Friends Meeting House & Cemetery Association, Randolph December 13, 2022 If you were looking for a cozy fire, holiday decorations and Christmas carols two […]
by Anne Motto, Curator of Collections December 6, 2022 MCHS is phenomenally lucky to have 59 letters written to Augustus “Gus” Crane, Jr. by his father, Augustus Crane, Sr., and […]
by MCHS Staff November 29, 2022 In 1982, when MCHS published New Neighbors, Old Friends, a book on Morristown’s Italian community, the book’s author donated nearly 1,000 images for the […]
by MCHS Staff November 15, 2022 By the turn of the 20th century, the Industrial Revolution in Morris County had moved beyond the iron mines and rubber works into middle […]
by Anne Motto, Curator of Collections November 8, 2022 For much of the fall of 1869, the Cranes were “busy as bees” preparing for perhaps the grandest social affair they […]
by MCHS Staff November 1, 2022 Soon after their marriage, Walter and Emma Stone Kemeys set sail for Europe, joined for at least part of their journey by Emma’s sister, […]
by Anne Motto, Curator of Collections October 25, 2022 It isn’t much of a stretch to say that if you are ever wondering why Augustus Crane of Acorn Hall did […]
by Erin Feith, Research Assistant October 18, 2022 As national interest in historic preservation grew, resulting in the passage of the National Historic Preservation Act (1966), the oldest existing house […]
by MCHS Staff October 11, 2022 Over the course of the summer, two of MCHS’s dedicated volunteers, John and Mary Lou Skillin, catalogued an collection of many hundreds of historic […]
by Amy Curry, Executive Director October 4, 2022 In 1860, when Augustus Crane transformed his newly purchased country home, he had a clear vision for its style. Inspired by his […]
by Erin Feith, Research Assistant, and Sally Capone, Publicity Coordinator September 27, 2022 Located at the intersection of routes 10 and 202 in Parsippany-Troy Hills, the Old Littleton Schoolhouse has […]
by Anne Motto, Curator of Collections September 20, 2022 Certain episodes in the centuries-long story of Acorn Hall and the Crane family can be rendered in remarkable detail thanks to […]
by MCHS Staff September 13, 2022 In 1982, when MCHS published New Neighbors, Old Friends, a book on Morristown’s Italian community, the book’s author donated nearly 1,000 images for the […]
by Michelle Munn, Mt. Tabor Historical Society September 6, 2022 Morris County’s unique, historic, and unforgettable Mount Tabor community was established as a permanent Methodist camp meeting in 1869 and […]
by Erin Feith, Research Assistant August 30, 2022 Near the end of the 19th century, the name of the game was golf and the ladies of Morris County were playing. […]
by Sara Weissman, MCHS Volunteer and Reference Librarian (Ret., Morris County Library) August 23, 2022 One of the most frequent research requests posited to MCHS is the history of the […]
MCHS Staff August 16, 2022 Documented through photographs in their family albums, construction of “Tranquility,” the Washington Valley estate of newlyweds Walter S. & Emma Kemeys, began in the summer […]
by Anne Motto, Curator of Collections August 9, 2022 This side of “John Smith,” John Johnston is about as common a name as can be imagined. In 1886 alone, the […]
by Anne Motto, Curator of Collections August 3, 2022 After the last Crane child had “flown” around 1885, Augustus and Mary Crane found themselves empty-nesters at Acorn Hall. Soon after, […]
by Erin Feith, Research Assistant July 26, 2022 Though initially just over 100 acres, Cedar Knolls had a big reputation as a summer destination. The area drew visitors from near […]
by Anne Motto, Curator of Collections July 19, 2022 In Summer 1861, construction began on a new school in Morristown, the Morris Female Institute. Eight local builders and masons were […]
by Amy Curry, Executive Director July 12, 2022 MCHS regularly receives ‘out of left field’ phone calls, but in May 2015, we received an unforgettable one from Pacific National Bank […]
by Anne Motto, Curator of Collections July 5, 2022 This spring, MCHS received an extensive donation of local documents including everything from very early 19th-century daybooks to early Morris County […]
by Anne Motto, Curator of Collections June 28, 2022 In addition to archaeological exploration of Jacob Ford, Jr’s (gun)powder mill on the Whippany River just behind Acorn Hall in 2019, […]
by Amy Curry, Executive Director June 21, 2022 Augustus Crane spent nearly half a century as a well-respected gentleman farmer, pillar in the Morristown community, and general man-about-town. However, there […]
by Erin Feith, Research Assistant June 14, 2022 By the time the Levilion fashion house debuted in mid-1860s Paris, the city of light was the undisputed capital of haute couture. […]
by Erin Feith, Research Assistant June 7, 2022 American interior décor went absolutely wild by the 1870s as furniture made from animals, particularly their horns and antlers, gained popularity. Encapsulating […]
by Anne Motto, Curator of Collections May 31, 2022 In researching the 480 known students of the Morristown Sewing School, historical records are often plentiful. Insight into who they were […]
by Noel Grabow, Collections Assistant May 24, 2022 One of the newest items in MCHS’s collection is a wooden busk from 1785. Busks varied widely in terms of size, shape […]
by Amy Curry, Executive Director May 17, 2022 The passage of the National Historic Preservation Act on October 15, 1966 brought unprecedented public awareness and recognition to the urgency of […]
by Anne Motto, Curator of Collections & Amy Curry, Executive Director May 10, 2022 Today, when MCHS looks back at Augustus Crane, we see him as he was for almost […]
by Anne Motto, Curator of Collections May 2, 2022 Ever wondered what goes into the installation of an exhibit? As MCHS prepared for our current exhibit, From the Waist Up: Bodices, […]
by Sally Capone, Publicity Coordinator April 26, 2022 While many historic homes boast that “Washington slept here,” the Luke Miller House in Madison can boast that “Washington’s horse was shod […]
by Anne Motto, Curator of Collections April 19, 2022 When 45 teacher’s books from the Morristown Sewing School were donated to MCHS in 2018, they opened a window into a […]
by Erin Feith, Research Assistant April 12, 2022 A light bulb went off in 1885 for Philip Julius Handel of Meriden, Connecticut that would glow brightly for half a century. […]
by MCHS Staff April 5, 2022 Throughout the mid to late 19th century, cartographer Frederick W. “F.W” Beers published atlases of towns and cities across the US. In 1868, he […]
by Erin Feith, Research Assistant March 29, 2022 Almost 100 years after General Washington crossed the threshold of Beverwyck (see A Tale of Two Beverwycks), a new family entered the […]
by Sally Capone March 22, 2022 Just a hop, skip, and a jump from one of the busiest stretches of highway in the state, waterfowl and brightly colored sailboats glide […]
Sara Weissman, MCHS Volunteer March 15, 2022 Acorn Hall brims with historic furniture, much of it mid-19th century, and some of which has lived at the Hall since it was […]
by Sally Capone, Publicity Coordinator March 8, 2022 Born into one of the most powerful families in the country, Geraldine Rockefeller married Marcellus Hartley Dodge, Sr. in 1907 and moved […]
by Erin Feith, Research Assistant February 28, 2022 When it was built in 1903, Alnwick Hall, the commanding home of General Edward P. Meany of the American Bell Telephone Company, […]
by Erin Feith, Research Assistant February 22, 2022 While renamed in 1872 after the 16th President, Lincoln Park began as a small, rural community within Pequannock Township. In fact, the […]
by Erin Feith February 15, 2022 While Acorn Hall served as the home of the Crane-Hone family for over a century, another family played an integral part in the Hall’s […]
by Anne Motto, Curator of Collections February 8, 2022 In 1890, Robert McEwan and his seven sons took over the 100-year-old papermaking industry in Whippany. In the following years, they […]
by MCHS Staff February 1, 2022 Some of the most dynamic historic images within MCHS’s archives are in fact postcards depicting various historic sites, local landmarks, and streetscapes. Frequently hand-colored, […]
by Erin Feith, Research Assistant January 25, 2022 Among the estates dotting the Morris County landscape in the late 19th and early 20th century, “King of New York” Otto Kahn’s […]
by Anne Motto, Curator of Collections January 18, 2022 Windows, both literal and metaphorical, into the history of Morris County’s Greystone Psychiatric Hospital are on display at Acorn Hall. A […]
by Amy Curry, Executive Director January 11, 2022 Suffice it to say, today we don’t give much thought to how our homes are heated and many thermostats can be programmed […]
by Anne Motto, Curator of Collections January 4, 2022 Top photo: Silas Byram Condict (son of Silas Condict and Charlotte Ford), wife Mary Johnson, and children Charlotte Ford, Dr. Alice […]
by Anne Motto, Curator of Collections December 21, 2021 Top image: L. Prang & Co. card, 1884 When imagining a holiday card, one might envision holly, reindeer, poinsettias, Santa – […]
by Amy Curry, Executive Director December 14, 2021 Each year, MCHS lavishly decorates for the holidays with Acorn Hall’s rooms, mantels, doorways, and banisters impressively festooned. The season also marks […]
by Erin Feith, Research Assistant December 7, 2021 Once located along the route known as Washington’s Trail for the Founding Father who traveled it and even considered a gathering place […]
by Sara Weissman, MCHS Volunteer November 29, 2021 For many, the approaching holidays bring the continuing tradition of family silver gracing the dinner table. Even at Acorn Hall, the holidays […]
by Anne Motto, Curator of Collections November 10, 2021 Upon taking ownership following the death of his maternal aunt, Julia Crane Corning, in 1935, Augustus Crane Hone and his wife […]
by Anne Motto, Curator of Collections November 9, 2021 As the nation plunged headfirst into WWI in April 1917, millions of American men signed up to fight, including over 340 […]
by Pat Goodfriend, Membership & Volunteer Coordinator November 2, 2021 Morris County Historical Society is fortunate to have in its collection various objects that represent Native American history. Donated to […]
Sara Weissman, MCHS Volunteer and Reference Librarian (Ret., Morris County Library) October 26, 2021 So many resources – books, databases, indexes, maps, etc. – have gone online in the last […]
by Amy Curry, Executive Director October 19, 2021 In the 19th century, nearly every country home, like Acorn Hall, had a place to stable/house their horses. While these structures varied […]
by Erin Feith, Research Assistant October 12, 2021 The phrase “moving house” historically was often very literal. Since the 1700s, the process of transporting an existing structure from one location […]
By Anne Motto, Curator of Collections October 4, 2021 An amazing journey that began for MCHS in the Summer of 2020 is nearing the home stretch! St. Cecilia, the 1886 […]
by Anne Motto, Curator of Collections September 28, 2021 Top photo: The Cranes at Acorn Hall, 1870. Although the Crane’s younger children, Augustus Jr. and Benjamin, inherited Acorn Hall alongside […]
by Anne Motto, Curator of Collections September 21, 2021 Top photo: The Cranes at Acorn Hall, 1870 Augustus and Mary Crane of Acorn Hall had four children who all grew […]
by Anne Motto, Curator of Collections September 14, 2021 When Acorn Hall was built for Dr. John P. Schermerhorn in 1853, it began its eventful 168-year life (and counting!) as […]
by Erin Feith, Research Assistant September 7, 2021 While all roads might lead to Rome, navigating them can still prove tricky. Today, Google Maps may eliminate some of the navigational […]
by Anne Motto, Curator of Collections August 31, 2021 Top photo: The Cranes at Acorn Hall, 1870 Today, and for the past 50 years, Acorn Hall has been the headquarters […]
by Erin Feith, Research Assistant August 24, 2021 The gates at Florham, the palatial Madison Avenue estate of Hamilton McKown and Florence Vanderbilt Twombly, began greeting guests nearly as soon […]
by Kat Kurylko, Research Assistant August 17, 2021 Nestled between Randolph and Dover, lies Victory Gardens, Morris County’s smallest municipality. Originally established during WWII, it provided housing and fan easy […]
by Anne Motto, Curator of Collections August 10, 2021 By 1863, Mr. and Mrs. Crane of Acorn Hall had settled into life in Morristown relocating from New York City a […]
by Pat Goodfriend, Membership and Volunteer Coordinator August 3, 2021 Visitors to Acorn Hall are often surprised to learn that most of the furnishings they will see are original to […]
by Anne Motto, Curator of Collections July 27, 2021 Ever come cross something you’ve never seen before, but after learning about it, suddenly it’s everywhere? Well, that was the Hoffmans […]
by Amy Curry, Executive Director July 20, 2021 Across the US in late 1945, and with the formal end of WWII just weeks before, civic and national pride were at […]
by Kat Kurylko, Research Assistant July 13, 2021 In 1910, the construction of a trolley line that connected Newark to Bertrand Island’s popular dance hall made numerous attractions even more […]
by Amy Curry, Executive Director July 6, 2021 Mary Crane Hone (1904-1990) of Acorn Hall had an impressive career by the time she came to Morristown in the late 1940s. […]
by Anne Motto, Curator of Collections June 29, 2021 Hindsight, they say, is 20/20. Today, when we look back at historical events, we do so with knowledge not afforded the […]
by Kat Kurylko, Research Assistant June 22, 2021 Mountain Lakes is known for its Arts and Crafts style homes, but the story of its shaky and colorful development has faded […]
Pat Goodfriend, Volunteer & Membership Coordinator June 15, 2021 Land use on Acorn Hall’s six acres continues to evolve. In the 19th century, gentlemen farmer Augustus Crane planted fruit trees, […]
by Kat Kurylko, Research Assistant June 8, 2021 Floriography, the use of flowers as a means of communication, became a popular method of covert flirtation and discreet communication in the […]
by Anne Motto, Curator of Collections June 1, 2021 Some of history’s 19th-century mysteries likely can’t be solved, but if there was any place with best odds of success, it’s […]
by Noël Grabow, Collections Assistant May 25, 2021 When plans for A Storied Past: History That Made Morris County were first discussed, prominent Morristonian Lucy Fitz Randolph’s elegant, opulent 1889 […]
by Amy Curry, Executive Director May 18, 2021 Augustus and Mary Crane had a definite aesthetic for Acorn Hall. They invested in decorative arts, like John Crossley & Sons carpets, […]
by Anne Motto, Curator of Collections May 11, 2021 Rheumatism. Hemorrhoids. Pulmonary trouble. Loss of teeth. Joint stiffness. General debility. While the conditions attributed to the 134 men whose Civil […]
by Amy Curry, Executive Director May 4, 2021 The Morris Canal is one of Morris County’s largest sources of industrial and engineering pride. In operation for nearly 100 years, the […]
by Kat Kurylko, Research Assistant April 27, 2021 In 1830, the residents of Columbia, now Florham Park, sought to improve their thriving farming and broom-making community by establishing a public […]
by Pat Goodfriend, Volunteer & Membership Coordinator April 20, 2021 Acorn Hall’s native hardwood forest once seemed to fill the sky. The trees grew side by side, tall and straight […]
by Kat Kurylko, Research Assistant April 13, 2021 Not since the advent of portraiture some 5000 years ago had a new means for capturing likeness been invented, until 1837 and […]
by Amy Curry, Executive Director April 6, 2021 Today, most intrepid travelers on State Route 287 would have a hard time imagining life, let alone the daily commute, without the […]
by Amy Curry, Executive Director March 30, 2021 In 2018, MCHS and the Morris County Park Commission partnered on a grant for the development of New Jersey & National Register […]
by Kat Kurylko, Research Assistant March 23, 2021 Nicknamed “the Rose City” in the late 19th century, roses still hold a prominent place in Madison’s identity. Upon accessing the borough’s […]
Born in Boonton, renowned artist Lucille Hobbie (1915-2008) was noted for her depictions of local historic landmarks. Enjoy an assortment of prints from within MCHS’s collection that deftly capture some of Morris […]
by Anne Motto, Curator of Collections March 9, 2021 The Turnpike Era dawned in the US in the early years of the 19th century. At the time, the average speed […]
by Pat Goodfriend, Membership & Volunteer Coordinator March 2, 2021 Tucked between volumes on landscapes and gardens, is a plain brown book in MCHS’s Research Library. Opening the cover of […]
by Anne Motto, Curator of Collections February 23, 2021 Armed only with two names, an old photograph, and a brief 1886 news article, research into the artistic history of MCHS’s […]
by Anne Motto, Curator of Collections February 16, 2021 This past spring, in a giant case of taking lemons to make lemonade, MCHS undertook a reorganization of our archives and […]
by Anne Motto, Curator of Collections February 9, 2021 Documentation of Morris County in maps and surveys evolved over time. Some of the oldest visual records were early surveys that […]
By Kat Kurylko, Research Assistant February 2, 2021 Trends popularized by Queen Victoria often made their way across the Atlantic Ocean and were adopted as part of American cultural norms […]
By Amy Curry, Executive Director January 26, 2021 This year, Morris County Historical Society (MCHS) will celebrate the 75th anniversary of our incorporation. A milestone naturally brings about reflection, pride, […]
By MCHS Staff January 19, 2021 Much like the rest of the U.S., Morris County felt the effects of Prohibition following the ratification of the 18th amendment and passage of […]
By Anne Motto, Curator of Collections January 12, 2021 2021 is a landmark year for MCHS, representing both the 75th anniversary of our incorporation and the 50th anniversary of Mary […]
by Kat Kurylko, MCHS Research Assistant January 5, 2021 Cute dogs make for a great advertising logo, right? Victor Talking Machine Company (VTMC) must have thought so, too, when they […]
by Kat Kurylko, MCHS Research Assistant December 2020 In the late 19th century, Randolph, as a resort destination, flourished as doctors from New York City and Philadelphia recommended the area […]
by Kat Kurylko, MCHS Research Assistant December 2020 Attempting to escape noxious city air and dusty plough fields, many people reinvigorated themselves annually by visiting sea or lakeside resorts. As […]
by Kat Kurylko, MCHS Research Assistant December 2020 Long recognized for distributing spirits and information in equal measure, taverns played an important role in the history of Morris County. Tavern-keepers […]