Fosterfields facts for kids
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Fosterfields
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U.S. Historic district
Contributing property |
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Joseph W. Revere House
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 Location in Morris County, New Jersey
Location in New Jersey
Location in the United States
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| Location | Junction of Mendham and Kahdena Roads, Morris Township, New Jersey |
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| Area | 213.4 acres (86.4 ha) |
| Built | 1854 |
| Architect | Joseph Warren Revere |
| Architectural style | Gothic Revival style |
| Part of | Washington Valley Historic District (ID92001583) |
| NRHP reference No. | 73001127 (original) 91000478 (increase) |
Quick facts for kids Significant dates |
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| Added to NRHP | September 20, 1973 |
| Boundary increase | October 9, 1991 |
| Designated CP | November 12, 1992 |
Fosterfields, also known as Fosterfields Living Historical Farm, is a 213.4-acre (86.4 ha) farm and open-air museum in Morris Township, New Jersey. It is located where Mendham and Kahdena Roads meet. The oldest building on the farm, the Ogden House, was built in 1774. Fosterfields was added to the National Register of Historic Places on September 20, 1973. It is important for its art, architecture, literature, and military history. Today, the museum shows what farm life was like around the year 1920.
United States Navy officer and author Joseph Warren Revere once owned this property. He was the grandson of Paul Revere, a famous figure from the American Revolution. Joseph Revere designed and built a large house called "The Willows" in 1854. It was built in the Carpenter-Gothic style.
In 1881, Charles Grant Foster bought the farm. He was a broker from New York. He named it "Fosterfields" and turned it into a Jersey cattle farm. His daughter, Caroline Rose Foster, lived and worked on the farm for 98 years. She loved carpentry, fishing, and being involved in her community.
In 1974, Caroline Foster decided to give the land to the Morris County Park Commission. She wanted it to become an educational farm after she passed away. When she died in 1979, the Park Commission received the farm. The farm's size was increased in 1991. It became part of the Washington Valley Historic District in 1992.
Farm History
Early Lenape Life
Around the year 1000, the Munsee Lenape people lived on this land. By 1500, Morris County was part of their larger territory, Lenapehoking. Arrowheads found in the Washington Valley show that they hunted animals like wolf, elk, and wild turkey. They also likely ate mussels from the Whippany River.
In the 1600s, Munsee fishermen traveled yearly to Minisink Island on the Delaware River. They went there to gather shellfish. Caroline Foster believed that Munsee farmers grew corn in the Washington Valley fields during the summer.
In 1757, settlers forced about 200 Lenape people from the Washington Valley to Brotherton, New Jersey. Later, in 1801, some Lenape chose to move to a reservation in Stockbridge, New York. They were invited by the Oneidas. However, settlers again forced Lenape families from Stockbridge to Green Bay, Wisconsin in 1822.
The Ogden Farm
Around the 1750s, Samuel Roberts bought over 150 acres (61 ha) of land in Washington Valley. This land included what would become Fosterfields. Caroline Foster said that Roberts forced three Black people to work for him. No other details are known.
In 1774, Samuel Roberts's stepson, Jonathan Ogden, married Abigail Gardiner. Roberts gave him 150 acres, likely as a wedding gift. Like his stepfather, Ogden also forced three Black people to work for him. A farmhouse was built for Ogden, probably by the people he enslaved.
The farmhouse was on a road that no longer exists, called the Road to Jacob Arnold's. This road was named after Jacob Arnold's Tavern, a historic place from the 1740s.
The original farmhouse burned down in 1915. But its stone foundation from 1774 is still there.
In 1776, Ogden was listed as a landowner in Morristown. He was a county judge. From 1802 to 1804, he represented Morris County in the New Jersey Legislature. He also helped the First Presbyterian Church buy the Morristown Green.
Revolutionary War Connection
During the Revolutionary War winter of 1779–1780, General Washington kept many soldiers and equipment in nearby Burnham Park. He told Henry Knox, a Continental general, to stay near the artillery. Knox used either the Ogden farmhouse or the Samuel Roberts house as his home and office.
Samuel Roberts and Jonathan Ogden both fought in the American Revolutionary War.
Forced Labor on the Farm
Caroline Foster said that families in Washington Valley often had one enslaved person for every twelve family members.
Around 1825, Thomas, Neal, and Ibbe were Black individuals forced to work by Jonathan Ogden. Ogden died in 1825 at age 82. In his will, Ogden stated that his wife Abigail and son Charles should manage his property. He also said that his wife Abigail would have the "time and services" of Thomas, Neal, and Ibbe for her life. It is not clear if these individuals were freed after Abigail Ogden died. Records do not say when the farm stopped using forced labor.
The 1915 Fire
On June 10, 1915, the Ogden house burned down. Only its 1774 foundation remained. This happened because a mattress was placed too close to a stove pipe. Caroline Foster remembered:
I woke up in the morning early and heard screams and shouts and I jumped up and you see the thing blazing...It took three days to burn, it was all solid oak ... I had [architect George Mills] draw a plan and I told him as near as I could how the thing looked.
In 1915, the Ogden house was rebuilt. It was based on Caroline Foster's memories of how it looked before the fire.
The Woods Family
The historic Ogden house continued to be a home even after Revere built The Willows in 1854.
From 1918 to 1927, the Woods family lived in the Ogden house. Edward Woods (1875-1931) came to the U.S. from Cornwall, England, in 1909. He started working at Fosterfields in 1910. He became the farm superintendent and moved into the Ogden House. Edward earned $95 a month.
His wife, Agnes Woods (1879-1957), arrived in 1916. She was paid 25 cents per meal to cook for the farmhands, who were often Irish immigrants. The house did not have running water then. The Woods family had to pump water into buckets and carry it to the kitchen.
The Woods family used a 1915 wood stove to cook family recipes. These included biscuits with gravy and pasties. Agnes Woods would carry pasties to the farmhands in the fields because they were easy to transport. Today, farm staff still use the wood stove for cooking demonstrations.
The Willows Mansion
"The Willows" is a large house that Joseph Warren Revere had built. It was finished in 1854.
Buying the Ogden Farm
In 1851, a newspaper called The Jerseyman described the property. This was one year before General Joseph Warren Revere bought it:
Very desirable farm known as the 'Ogden Farm,' lying about one mile west of Morristown upon the Morris turnpike and Eastern turnpike is offered for sale. Pleasantly situated with fine southern exposure and contains 88 acres (36 ha) of land. There is upon it an excellent two-storey dwelling house with kitchen attached; good barn, cow house, wagon house, and other outbuildings; never failing spring run of water passing near the house and through lawn; wood land. Title indisputable.
In 1852, Revere bought the Ogden Farm for $6,000. He was a naval officer. He was also the grandson of Paul Revere, famous for his role in the American Revolutionary War. Joseph Revere traveled to many places, often related to wars. These included Mexico, Cuba, France, and Italy. He chose to live in New Jersey.
Building The Willows
Revere wanted to build a new, special house. It became known as The Willows because of the many willow trees nearby.
Revere chose a spot about 700 feet (210 m) west of the Ogden house. It was on a pretty hill overlooking the farm. He hired Ashbel Bruen, a master carpenter from Chatham, to build the home. The house has steep, crossing gabled roofs. Its front door faces southeast.
The design of The Willows looks like the Olmstead House, built by Gervase Wheeler in 1849. Wheeler published his design in a book called Rural Homes of 1851. Historian Renée Elizabeth Tribert believes Revere or Bruen used this book for their design. The house was built in the Gothic Revival style, specifically Carpenter Gothic. Revere hoped to retire there.
While Bruen built The Willows from 1852 to 1854, the Revere family lived in the Ogden house. Joseph's son, Thomas Duncan Revere, was born there in 1853.
On August 7, 1854, Bruen's contract stated:
[Bruen] shall and will on or before the first day of February erect, build, setup, and finish one dwelling house [for $7,125.15].
The Willows was finished in 1854, and the Reveres moved in. Norway spruces were planted around the house.
Revere was a self-taught artist. He likely painted the detailed tromp l'oeil murals in the dining room. These paintings create an optical illusion. They show still life scenes, the Revere family crest, and a bouquet of baguettes. Revere also painted wooden Gothic arches on many walls.
In 1861, the Civil War began. Revere chose to join the Union military. He became a Union Army General. He commanded the 7th New Jersey Infantry Regiment and 2nd New Jersey Infantry Regiment. In 1872, injuries forced Revere to move back to Morristown.
A letter from President Grant's secretary, dated January 9, 1873, was sent to Revere at "The Rancho." This suggests it was another name for The Willows.
Tenants at The Willows
From 1872 to 1881, the Reveres rented The Willows to other people. One tenant was the writer Bret Harte. Harte used his time in Morristown as inspiration for his 1877 novel, Thankful Blossom. This book is a historical romance set in Morristown.
On April 20, 1880, Revere died from a heart attack while on a ferry to New York.
The Fosters Take Over
From 1878 to 1880, Charles Grant Foster (1843–1927) rented The Willows. He was a commodity broker from Brooklyn Heights. He may have rented it to help his wife with tuberculosis. In 1881, after Revere died, Charles Foster bought the entire property.
In 1882, Foster bought two more farms next door. He managed the farm while still working in New York City and Morristown. Foster was a gentleman farmer, meaning he owned and managed a farm but also had another job. His family lived and entertained guests in The Willows.
In 1882, Foster and his brother started importing purebred Jersey cows from the British Isle of Jersey. This was to start his dairy farm. By 1883, they had about 70 cows.
Foster used new farming technologies of his time. In 1883, he built an ensilage pit to store food for cows in winter. This showed he was open to modern ideas. Other technologies included kerosene-powered egg incubators, crop rotation, and steam-engine fodder choppers and water pumps. These were replaced by gasoline engines in 1915.
In 1884, Caroline Foster went to the Isle of Jersey. She later said, "We traveled from one village to another in horse and buggy, buying one cow here and one cow there." By 1884, the Fosters had about 100 cows.
Around 1900, Foster put a wooden wall telephone in The Willows' hall. This likely helped him stay in touch with his New York office.
Charles Foster was active in the American Jersey cattle trade. His herd was registered with The American Jersey Cattle Club. He traded with other breeders. An advertisement from August 1900 in The Country Gentleman read:
FOSTERFIELD'S HERD JERSEYS.
FOR SALE—COWS and HEIFERS, all my own breeding, and a choice lot in every way. Nearly every one sired by bulls...with butter tests of 14 lb. and upward, and served by bulls of the same standard. Will sell singly or a carload. Also for Sale, Bulls out of Tested Cows. Address
CHARLES G. FOSTER
Post-Office Box 173, Morristown, Morris Co., N.J.
A similar ad from September 1919 in Home and Field Illustrated said:
Fosterfield's Herd Registered Jerseys.
FOR SALE—Young Cows. Heifers, due to be fresh this summer and later.
Calves, both sexes, very attractive.
Come and see them or write
CHARLES G. FOSTER
P. O. Box 173, Morristown, Morris Co., N.J.
Foster kept a daily farm journal for 40 years. He hired farmhands and coachmen to work on the property. The Woods family, English immigrants, were some of his employees. Andrew Gibbons, an Irish coachman, was another.
Caroline Foster's Temple of Abiding Peace
In 1916, Caroline Foster started building a one-room Cape Cod-style cottage outside The Willows. She was good at carpentry and wanted to build it herself. In 1919, she finished the cottage and named it "The Temple of Abiding Peace." Biographer Becky Hoskins says it was a "refuge from the daily stresses of her life." These stresses included managing the farm and her father losing his hearing. The name likely came from the Great War. The Temple of Abiding Peace was used as a workshop to entertain guests and make birdhouses with friends. She planted a garden around the house, which is still cared for today.
Historic landscape expert Marta McDowell says Foster's garden is special. It shows gardening styles from the 1800s and 1900s. These include the Romantic era, the Colonial Revival, and English perennial borders.
In 1925, most of the Jersey cattle herd was sold at an auction because Charles Foster's health was failing. In 1927, Charles Foster died. His 50-year-old daughter, Caroline Foster, took over the farm. She continued to sell milk, eggs, butter, vegetables, and honey to local customers. In 1928, Caroline Foster bought a gasoline-powered tractor. This was a big step forward from her father's use of draft horses. Even though she used new machines, Charles Foster did not like cars.
In 1999, the Temple of Abiding Peace opened to the public as part of the open-air museum.
In 1937, Caroline Foster added electricity to The Willows and the Ogden farmhouse. In 1967, when she was 90, Caroline Foster still watched farm workers harvest wheat and plant crops.
The Fosterfields Museum
Fosterfields is the first of New Jersey's three living historical farms.
In 1974, farmer and generous person Caroline Rose Foster (1877–1979) gave her farm to the Morris County Park Commission. She wanted to keep the farm preserved. In her will, Foster stated:
I give, devise and bequeath to the COUNTY OF MORRIS, in fee simple, for the use by the Morris County Park Commission, my farm in Morris Township, Morris County, New Jersey, on both sides of the road leading from Morristown to Mendham, intending to include all of my real estate in Morris Township. It is my desire that the use made of the property and its development by the County be kept as simple as possible, and that the natural condition of the property be maintained to the extent possible so that the wildlife and trees and flowers on the property may be protected and preserved for the education and pleasure of the public. It is my further wish that the use be educational and historical rather than recreational, and that there be no food or amusement concessions. I suggest, if it seems desirable, that this property be maintained as a farm.
A Farm Museum Experience
The farm is an open-air museum that shows how farm chores were done in the early 1900s. Museum guides say it focuses on Fosterfields from the 1880s to the 1930s. It shows the Fosters' life in The Willows and the Woods family's life in the Ogden House. Old machines are on display and used in demonstrations. These include early 20th century steam engines, corn shellers, iceboxes, wood stoves, and barrel butter churns.
Visitors can see farm animals, farmers working in the fields, and historical tour guides. Guests can even help with daily farm tasks. These include collecting eggs, cleaning horse harnesses, and grinding corn for chickens.
As of 2022, the farm has special heritage breeds of animals:
- Jersey cattle
- Buff Orpington, Rhode Island Red, Plymouth Barredrock, and White Leghorn chickens
- Oberhasli goats
- Cayuga ducks
- African geese
- Shropshire rams, and mixed Leicester/Romney ewes
The farm has hosted sheepdog trials since the late 1980s. These trials stopped in 2005 but returned in 2014.
Around 2004, the farm had a "Share-a-Chore" program. People could pay to help with farm chores like cleaning stalls. It also had a program called "Spread It Around." Here, paying visitors watched Belgian workhorses spread manure on a field.
In 2010, experts repaired and restored the barnyard complex at Fosterfields.
In 2011, the farm offered "The Wood Stove Cook" classes. These taught people how to cook on an old wood stove.
On August 3, 2019, Fosterfields had a Model T Ford day. They celebrated the popular car. Caroline Foster's Model T Ford, a gift from her friends, was on display. Historians taught guests how to start and drive old cars. Car collectors also showed their Model Ts.
In 2019, the Fosterfields Farm Harvest festival included wagon rides, butter churning, apple cider pressing, live music, "old-time dancing," and farm animals.
On February 13, 2022, Fosterfields hosted "Winter's Day." Guests could experience ice cutting, maple tree tapping, wood sawing, wagon rides, petting cows, and outdoor cooking.
In May 2021 and May 2022, Fosterfields held a sheep-shearing event called "Born to be Shorn." A guest expert, Margaret Quinn, showed how to shear sheep using blade shears.
Transportation Exhibit
In her will, Caroline Foster asked for a special building:
It is contemplated that the Commission will erect a fire resistant building on a part of the farm which I have already deeded to it. This will be a museum for the purpose of housing and displaying a transportation exhibit, including my collection of carriages, wagons, sleighs, harness, antique automobile, farm equipment and other articles.
As she wished, her cars are displayed in the Fosterfields Visitors Center. This exhibit is called "Driving Into the Twentieth Century." Guests can see her 1922 Model T Ford and a 1929 Hupmobile. There are also two hands-on activities about vehicles. However, Foster's horse-drawn carriages are in the Carriage House, next to the barn.
Making History Accessible
In 2022, photography students from the County College of Morris created a virtual reality exhibit of The Willows' second floor. Professor Nicole Schwartz led the project. Students learned to combine 3D modeling with 360-degree cameras and photo stitching. Schwartz explained, "Every 360 shot is a collage of six individual images that students worked diligently to stitch together." The goal was to let people with mobility disabilities experience the second floor. The upper level of The Willows is not wheelchair accessible. This is because of an 18-step narrow staircase and no elevator. This exhibit helps "history buffs facing mobility issues" explore the house.
Images for kids
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Information sign
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The barn at Fosterfields
See also
- Acorn Hall, a nearby Morristown historic house museum
- Washington Valley Historic District
- Indian Mills, New Jersey
- National Register of Historic Places listings in Morris County, New Jersey
- Howell Living History Farm
- Longstreet Farm
- History of slavery in New Jersey
