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 house built in 1853. It is located at 68 Morris Avenue in Morristown, New Jersey. This special house is known for its unique Italianate style of architecture.
Acorn Hall was added to the National Register of Historic Places on April 3, 1973. This means it is recognized as an important historical building. Today, it is the main office for the Morris County Historical Society. They also run Acorn Hall as a historic house museum, where people can visit and learn about the past.
A woman named Mary Crane Hone inherited the property. She was an actress and worked for peace. For many years, she tried to give the house away so it could be saved for history. She finally succeeded in 1971.
The Story of Acorn Hall
Acorn Hall got its name from a very old oak tree that used to stand on its land. The house was first built in 1853 by the Schermerhorn family. It started as a simple farmhouse with four rooms on each floor.
After Mrs. Schermerhorn passed away in 1854, Dr. Schermerhorn decided to sell the house. In 1857, the Crane family from New York bought it. In 1860, the Cranes made the house much bigger. They also changed its look to the popular Italianate Villa style of that time.
Acorn Hall's Importance
Acorn Hall was passed down through several generations of the Crane family. In 1971, Mary Crane Hone gave the house to the Morris County Historical Society. She was the last person to live in the house as a private owner.
Historians value Acorn Hall because it still has many original items from the mid-Victorian era. Most of these items belonged to the Schermerhorn and Crane-Hone families. There are also important objects from other well-known families in Morris County from the 1800s. Even the carpets, wall coverings, and painted decorations are still the same as they were in the 1800s.
Acorn Hall also has a special gallery where they show different exhibits. These exhibits teach visitors about the history of Morris County and what life was like in the Victorian era.
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. This is because the Crane and Hone women were important in saving the house and in the women's suffrage movement, which worked for women's right to vote. The land around Acorn Hall is also connected to the Patriot's Path, a system of trails managed by the Morris County Park Commission.
Other Historic Places Nearby
- The Willows at Fosterfields: This is another old house built in 1854. It is a Gothic Revival style mansion nearby.
- Ford Mansion: A Georgian-style home built in 1774, also close by.
