Acorn Hall facts for kids
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Acorn Hall
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 Location in Morris County, New Jersey
Location in New Jersey
Location in the United States
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| Location | 68 Morris Avenue, Morristown, New Jersey |
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| Area | 5 acres (2.0 ha) |
| Built | 1853 |
| Architectural style | Italianate |
| NRHP reference No. | 73001124 |
Quick facts for kids Significant dates |
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| Added to NRHP | April 3, 1973 |
Acorn Hall is a beautiful old mansion located in Morristown, New Jersey. It was built in 1853 and shows off the fancy Victorian style called Italianate. This historic home was added to the National Register of Historic Places on April 3, 1973.
Today, Acorn Hall is the main office for the Morris County Historical Society. They also run it as a historic house museum. This means you can visit and see what life was like long ago!
A woman named Mary Crane Hone worked for many years to make sure Acorn Hall would be saved. She finally succeeded in 1971.
History of Acorn Hall
Acorn Hall got its name from a very old oak tree that used to stand on its property. The Schermerhorn family built the house in 1853. It started as a simple farmhouse with four rooms on each floor.
After Mrs. Schermerhorn passed away in 1854, the house was put up for sale. In 1857, the Augustus Crane family from New York bought it. The Cranes made big changes to the house in 1860. They made it much larger and updated it to the popular Italianate Villa style.
Acorn Hall's Importance
Acorn Hall was passed down through the Crane family for many years. In 1971, Mary Crane Hone gave the house to the Historical Society. She was an antiwar activist, an actress, and the last person to live in the house privately.
Historians love Acorn Hall because it still has its original furniture from the mid-Victorian era. Many pieces belonged to the Schermerhorn and Crane-Hone families. Other important items from other Morris County families of the 1800s are also there. Even the carpets, wallpaper, and painted designs are from the 19th century!
Acorn Hall also has a special gallery. This gallery shows different exhibits about Morris County history and Victorian culture. These exhibits change often, so there's always something new to see.
Besides being on the National Register of Historic Places, Acorn Hall is also on the New Jersey State Register. It is part of the New Jersey Women's Heritage Trail too. This trail honors the important work of the Crane and Hone women. They were involved in saving history and supporting the women's suffrage movement, which fought for women's right to vote. The grounds of Acorn Hall also connect to the Patriot's Path. This is a system of trails managed by the Morris County Park Commission.
See also
- The Willows at Fosterfields, an 1854 Gothic Revival mansion nearby, built by Joseph Warren Revere and donated by Caroline Foster
- Ford Mansion, a 1774 Georgian-style home nearby
- National Register of Historic Places listings in Morris County, New Jersey
- List of museums in New Jersey
