The following is from the office of Essex County Executive Joseph N. DiVincenzo, Jr.
Essex County Executive Joseph N. DiVincenzo, Jr. invites the public to celebrate the holiday season and participate in the Seventh Annual Essex County Historic Holiday House Tour. This year, the tour includes 16 Essex County historic sites, which will be decorated for the holidays and open to the public for a weekend tour. The tour includes Essex County Kip’s Castle and the Walther House at the Essex County Presby Memorial Iris Gardens. The self-guided house tour will be held Saturday, December 5th and Sunday, December 6th at the following locations:
Essex County Kip’s Castle Park
22 Crestmont Road, Verona
973-239-2485; www.essexcountynj.org
Admission is free. Open 12 noon to 4 p.m. on Saturday and Sunday.
Walther House at the Essex County Presby Memorial Iris Gardens
474 Upper Mountain Avenue, Upper Montclair
973-783-5974; www.presbyirisgardens.org
Admission is free. Open 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Saturday and Sunday.
Ballantine House at Newark Museum
49 Washington Street, Newark
973-596-6550; www.newarkmuseum.org
Suggested admission is $12 for adults, $7 for children, seniors and students, and free for Newark residents and museum members. Open 12 Noon to 5 p.m. on Saturday and Sunday.
Canfield-Morgan House and Museum
903 Pompton Avenue, Cedar Grove
973-239-5414; www.cedargrovehistoricalsociety.org
Admission is free. Donations are accepted. Open 1 to 4 p.m. on Saturday and Sunday.
Cathedral Basilica of the Sacred Heart
89 Ridge Street, Newark
973-484-4600; www.cathedralbasilica.org
Admission is free. Donations are accepted. Open year round from 7:30 a.m. to 7:30 p.m.
Force Homestead and Museum
366 South Livingston Avenue, Livingston
973-533-0211; www.livingstonnj.org/historicalsociety.htm
Admission is free. Donations are accepted. Open 2 to 4 p.m. on Sunday.
Glenmont at Thomas Edison National Historical Park
211 Main Street, West Orange
973-736-0550, Ext. 11; www.nps.gov/edis
Admission is $7 per person and free for children under 16. Tickets can be purchased at the Park’s Visitor Center and include access to the Laboratory Complex. Glenmont is open 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. on Saturday and Sunday by tour only. The Laboratory Complex is open from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. on Saturday and Sunday.
U.S. President Grover Cleveland’s Birthplace
207 Bloomfield Avenue, Caldwell
973-226-0001; www.presidentcleveland.org
Admission is free. Donations are accepted. Open Saturday from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. and Sunday from 1 to 4 p.m.
Kingsland Manor
3 Kingsland Street, Nutley
973-661-3410; www.kingslandmanor.org
Admission by donation. Open 1 to 4 p.m. on Saturday and Sunday.
Montclair Historical Society Properties
973-744-1796; www.montclairhistorical.org
Suggested donation of $5. Open 1 to 4 p.m. on Saturday and Sunday.
Crane House and Historic YWCA
110 Orange Road, Montclair
The Charles Shultz House-Evergreens
30 North Mountain Avenue, Montclair
Oakeside Bloomfield Cultural Center
240 Belleville Avenue, Bloomfield
973-429-0960; www.oakeside.org
Admission is free. Open 12 noon to 3 p.m. on Saturday.
Zenas Crane Homestead
289 Westville Avenue, West Caldwell
973-364-0155
Admission is free. Open 12 Noon to 4 p.m. on Saturday and Sunday.
“The Holiday House Tour is a great example of organizations throughout the County pooling their resources to create a wonderful event for families to enjoy and to provide insight into how past holidays were celebrated,” DiVincenzo said. “Take a break from the hustle and bustle this December and visit 16 local homes and landmarks that will have decked the halls in holiday extravagance for one spectacular weekend. Tour historic Essex County with your friends and delight in the spirit of the season,” DiVincenzo said.
The public can visit each site at their own pace. The houses will be exquisitely decorated for the holidays and be open for public viewing. Each site will offer something unique, including musical entertainment, refreshments or educational programs. There may be an admission fee at some locations. For more information, please call 973-239-2465 or visit www.essexcountynj.org.
The Essex County Park System was created in 1895 and is the first county park system established in the United States. The Park System consists of more than 6,000 acres and has 22 parks, five reservations, an environmental center, a zoo, Treetop Adventure Course, ice skating rink, roller skating rink, three public golf courses, golf driving range, two miniature golf courses, three off-leash dog facilities, a castle and the Presby Memorial Iris Gardens.
