Morven (Princeton, New Jersey) facts for kids
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Morven
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U.S. Historic district
Contributing property |
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Morven in 2006
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 Location in Mercer County, New Jersey
Location in New Jersey
Location in the United States
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| Location | 55 Stockton Street, Princeton, New Jersey, United States |
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| Built | 1730 |
| Architectural style | Georgian |
| Part of | Princeton Historic District (ID75001143) |
| NRHP reference No. | 71000503 |
Quick facts for kids Significant dates |
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| Added to NRHP | January 25, 1971 |
| Designated NHL | July 17, 1971 |
Morven, officially called the Morven Museum & Garden, is a historic house in Princeton, New Jersey. This amazing 18th-century home has a rich past. It was once the official residence for New Jersey's governors for almost 40 years. Morven is also a National Historic Landmark because of its connection to Richard Stockton. He was one of the brave people who signed the United States Declaration of Independence.
A Look Back at Morven's History
The story of Morven began in 1701. That year, William Penn gave Richard Stockton a huge piece of land, about 5,500 acres. This land included the spot where Morven stands today.
Years later, in the 1750s, Richard Stockton's grandson, also named Richard Stockton, built the house. He owned about 150 acres of the original land. His wife, Annis Boudinot Stockton, gave the house its name, "Morven." She named it after a legendary kingdom from old Irish stories.
Another famous person who lived in the house was Commodore Robert Stockton (1795–1866). He was a naval officer. Later, Robert Wood Johnson II, who led the company Johnson & Johnson, rented the home after a family member named Bayard Stockton passed away in 1932.
The Stockton family owned Morven for a very long time, until 1944. Then, Walter E. Edge, who was the Governor of New Jersey, bought it. He made a special agreement: Morven would be given to the state of New Jersey within two years after he died. Governor Edge actually gave the house to the state in 1954, several years before he passed away.
Morven became the official home for New Jersey's governors from 1944 until 1981. After that, it was given to the New Jersey Historical Society. In 1982, another beautiful house called Drumthwacket became the new Governor's Mansion. Morven then went through a lot of research and careful restoration work. Finally, in 2004, it opened its doors as a museum for everyone to enjoy.
What Morven Looks Like
Morven is a two-and-a-half-story building made of brick. It has a sloped roof with chimneys on each end. On both sides of the main part of the house, there are two-story sections that extend outwards.
At the front of the house, there's a grand porch in the Greek Revival style. This porch covers the middle three sections of the house's five-section front.
Inside, the house has a unique layout. Usually, the main staircase is right in the middle. But at Morven, the staircase is in a back hallway. This hallway also leads to the side sections of the house.
To the right of the main entrance hall is a fancy room called the Gold Room, which was a parlor. On the left side, you'll find the main dining room. The left side section of the house used to have the servants' quarters and the kitchen. The right side section held the library and a family room. The way the inside of the house is decorated shows the popular styles from the late 1700s and early 1800s.
See also
- National Register of Historic Places listings in Mercer County, New Jersey
- Westland Mansion, a house designed similarly to Morven
