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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East Jersey Old Town Village is a super cool open-air museum located in Johnson Park in Piscataway, New Jersey. Imagine stepping back in time! This village is a collection of old buildings from the Raritan Valley area.
These buildings show what homes and shops looked like in the 1700s and 1800s. Some are original, some are rebuilt, and some are copies of old designs. They represent the everyday buildings of farms and towns in Central Jersey. The village also has a special exhibit about Raritan Landing. This was an important river port in the 1700s, located just down the river. The Middlesex County Office of Arts and History has been taking care of the village since 1989.
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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
Contents
Exploring the Historic Buildings
East Jersey Old Town Village lets you see many different types of old buildings. Each one tells a story about life long ago. Some buildings were moved here, some were rebuilt, and others are careful copies of original structures.
Homes and Meeting Places
- Church of the Three Mile Run: This is a copy of a church from 1703 that used to be in New Brunswick. It shows what a Dutch Reformed church looked like back then.
- Jeremiah Dunn House: This house was rebuilt to look like it did around 1750. It came from Piscataway.
- Pound House: Built in 1743, this house is also known as the Fitzrandolph House. It was originally from Piscataway.
- Indian Queen Tavern: This building, from around 1729, was a tavern in New Brunswick. Taverns were like restaurants and hotels back then.
- New Brunswick Barracks: This is a copy of a military building from 1758. Soldiers used to live here in New Brunswick. The original building was destroyed by fire in 1796.
- Runyon House: This house, from about 1755, came from Piscataway.
- Six Mile Run House: Moved from the Six Mile Run area in 1979, this house dates back to around 1760.
- Elias Vanderveer House: This house, rebuilt to its original style, is from about 1745. It came from Pluckemin.
Shops and Workplaces
- Smalleytown Schoolhouse: Built in 1803, this schoolhouse came from Warren Township. Imagine learning your ABCs here!
- Farley Blacksmith Shop: From around 1850, this shop was where a blacksmith worked in New Brunswick. Blacksmiths made and repaired metal tools.
- Williamson Wheelwright Shop: This shop, from the 1700s, was where wheelwrights made and fixed wooden wheels for wagons. It came from North Brunswick.
- Runyon Wagon House: Built around 1840, this building from Piscataway was used to store wagons.
More to Explore
If you enjoy learning about history, here are some other interesting places and topics:
- 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 - Elias Vanderveer's brother
