East Jersey Olde Towne Village facts for kids
Courtyard view of the Indian Queen Tavern, the New Brunswick Barracks, and the Runyon House
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| Location | 1050 River Road Piscataway, New Jersey |
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The East Jersey Old Town Village (sometimes spelled East Jersey Olde Towne Village) is a special open-air museum located in Johnson Park in Piscataway, New Jersey. It's like stepping back in time! The Village has many historic buildings from the Raritan Valley area. These buildings include original ones, rebuilt ones, and copies of 18th and 19th century homes and shops. They show what typical farm and merchant communities in Central Jersey looked like long ago.
The Village also has a permanent exhibit about Raritan Landing. This was an important port in the 1700s, located just down the river. Since 1989, the Middlesex County Office of Arts and History has been in charge of the village.
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Village entrance sign in 2014
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Courtyard view of the Smalleytown Schoolhouse and the Six Mile Run House
Exploring Historic Buildings at the Village
The East Jersey Old Town Village is home to many interesting buildings. Each one tells a story about life in New Jersey centuries ago. Some buildings are original, while others are careful reconstructions or replicas.
Village Buildings and Their Stories
Here's a look at some of the important buildings you can find at the Village:
| Name | Image | Built Around | Original Location | What's Special About It |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Church of the Three Mile Run |  |
1703 | New Brunswick | This is a copy of an old Dutch Reformed church from the 1700s. The original church is no longer there. |
| Jeremiah Dunn House |  |
c. 1750 | Piscataway | This house has been carefully rebuilt to look like it did in the 1700s. |
| Pound House |  |
1743 | Piscataway | Also known as the Fitzrandolph House, it's a very old home. |
| Indian Queen Tavern |  |
ca 1729 | New Brunswick | This was a popular place for travelers to stop and rest. |
| New Brunswick Barracks |  |
1758 | New Brunswick | A copy of a military building from 1758. Soldiers used to live here. |
| Runyon House |  |
ca 1755 | Piscataway | Another historic home from the mid-1700s. |
| Six Mile Run House |  |
c. 1760 | South Brunswick | This house was moved to the Village in 1979 from the Six Mile Run area. |
| Smalleytown Schoolhouse |  |
1803 | Warren Township | Imagine going to school in this building over 200 years ago! |
| Elias Vanderveer House |  |
c. 1745 | Pluckemin | This house has been rebuilt to show its original look. |
| Farley Blacksmith Shop |  |
c. 1850 | New Brunswick | This is where a blacksmith would make and repair metal tools. |
| Williamson Wheelwright Shop |  |
18th century | North Brunswick | A wheelwright made and repaired wooden wheels for wagons and carts. |
| Runyon Wagon House |  |
c. 1840 | Piscataway | This building was used to store wagons and other farm equipment. |
More Historic Places to Discover
If you enjoy learning about old buildings and history, here are some other places and topics you might find interesting:
- List of the oldest buildings in New Jersey
- Cornelius Low House
- Metlar-Bodine House
- Ephraim Fitz-Randolph House
- Road Up Raritan Historic District
- Monmouth County Historical Association
- Meadows Foundation (New Jersey)
- New Bridge Landing
- Six Mile Run
- Jacobus Vanderveer House - brother of Elias Vanderveer
