Be Our Guest!

Morris County is rich in history and fun with a cluster of significant tourist locations in Morristown. The Morris County Alliance of Tourism today announced “Be Our Guest,” a FREE admission promotion for the public to visit selected Morris County tourist locations on April 29, 2007 from 1:00 pm to 5:00 pm.  With entrance fees waived, the public is invited to Acorn Hall, The Community Theatre, Fosterfields Living Historical Farm, Historic Speedwell, Macculloch Hall, the Morris Museum, and Washington’s Headquarters to the general public.  In addition to the waived fees, Morris County will also provide, for a nominal fee, a convenient, hassle-free shuttle between locations.

“Too often area residents say they haven’t visited the historic sites in their own neighborhood.  The Morris County Alliance of Tourism want to change that,” said

Doug Brown, manager of the Morris County Park Commission’s Historic Sites.  “The mission behind ‘Be Our Guest’ is to elevate the residents’ sense of pride in the area’s history.  We want our visitors to become ambassadors and represent that pride to outside residents.”

Acorn Hall, located at 68 Morris Ave, serves as a historic house museum with exhibitions and public programming on Morris County history.  In 1971, Miss Mary Crane Hone donated the 1853 Victorian Italianate mansion, which currently serves as the home of the Morris County Historical Society and their collections.  The Morris County Historical Society is charged with the preservation and promotion of Morris County history.  For more information on Acorn Hall, please call 973-267-3465.

Located at 100 South St, The Community Theatre has significantly added to the culture of Morristown through music and art.  The cultural landmark welcomes a range of musical genres every year.  In addition to music, The Community Theatre also hosts “Art Upstairs,” a joint project with the Visual Arts Center of New Jersey initiated to present the work of regional visual artists.  The revitalization of The Community Theatre since 1994 embodies the spirit of volunteerism.  For more information on The Community Theatre, please call 973-539-8008.

The incarnation of Caroline’s Foster’s wish to preserve the essence of her home for future generations, Fosterfields Living Historical Farm, located at 73 Kahdena Rd, is a living historical farm with the tools, techniques, and traditions equivalent to the turn-of-the-century.  The farm’s rich history extends back to the mid-1800s when General Joseph Warren Revere, grandson of Paul Revere, built The Willows, the Gothic Revival Home, on the property.  In addition, the newly unveiled transportation exhibit allows visitors to experience early automobiles with interactive panels and transportation trivia for Caroline Foster’s 1922 Model T Ford, 1929 Hupmobile, and wooden carriage.  Kids, and adults alike, can jump in the driver’s seat to observe the differences between modern cars and their early 20^th century predecessors.  For more information on Fosterfields Living Historical Farm, please call 973-326-7600.

Historic Speedwell, located at 333 Speedwell Ave, preserves the birthplace of the telegraph, a revolutionary breakthrough in telecommunications by Alfred Vail and Samuel F.B. Morse, and a portion of the Vail Homestead Farm, the site of the first transmission.  The Vail House, renovated by Stephen Vail in 1844, features portraits of Stephen and his first wife Bethiah, painted by Morse in 1837.  Morris County also recognizes the Vail family as leaders in ironworks and early railroading.  For more information on Historic Speedwell, please call 973-326-7600.

Macculloch Hall Historical Museum, the only brick structure of Morristown’s six house museums, is located at 45 Macculloch Ave.  Originally built by and named after George Macculloch, farmer and “Father of the Morris Canal”, Macculloch Hall also houses the 18^th and early 19^th century high style antiquities of W. Parsons Todd, a Morristown millionaire during the mid-20^th century.  Macculloch Hall satisfies visitors’ diverse interests including antiquities, architecture, historic gardens, and art collections.  For example, The Nast Room, one of the nation’s largest collections of political cartoons, exhibits works by Thomas Nast, America’s leading political satirist.  For more information on Macculloch Hall Historical Museum, please call 973-538-2404.

Located at 6 Normandy Heights Rd, the Morris Museum promotes art, science, and educational programs with the mission to increase the community’s cultural consciousness.  As the collection of Mrs. Aldus Pierson, the organization’s first headworker in the early 20^th century, grew, the group moved to larger sites and embraced the community through activities and programs.  Today, the Morris Museum is centrally located in the Georgian-style mansion on the former Peter H.B. Frelinghuysen family estate.  For more information, please call 973-971-3700.

Washington’s Headquarters at the Ford Mansion is not remembered as a battlefield.  Instead, the Continental general used the Ford Mansion, located at 30 Washington Place, as a defensive position near British-controlled New York City, 30 miles to the east.  The troops’ stay in Morristown was, however, a memorable one because the winter of 1779-80 was one of the worst on record and the troops could have easily lost hope.  The Continental Army rebounded to ensure victory.  In 1933, Washington’s Headquarters joined the National Parks Service to preserve the site for future generations of Americans.  For more information on Washington’s Headquarters, please call 973-539-2016.

For more information on “Be Our Guest” or any of the locations, please call the Morris County Visitors Center at 973-631-5151.