Morris County Historical Society at Acorn Hall

06/19/2026

Looking for ways to celebrate America250? Join MCHS and our partners for our Revolutionary Lecture Series and Morris County Walking Tour Series which continue this July! All tours and lectures are free; pre-registration is required. Check out our website calendar for more information and get a sneak peek by visiting our YouTube channel here: https://youtu.be/0_FUzq9qOck

06/18/2026

On this week in Morris County history...
The class of 1864 graduated from the Morris Female Institute. Opened just two years prior on Morristown's South Street, the school welcomed students from near and far, later becoming the renowned Miss Dana's School for Young Ladies which guaranteed its graduates entrance into Wellesley, Smith, and Baltimore (now Goshen) College through the early 20th century. A program from the June 17, 1864 closing exercises is now one of a number from the storied institution in MCHS archives.

To learn more about the early days of the institute check out this blog: https://morriscountyhistory.org/it-takes-a-village/

Or for a peek inside the school at the turn of the century, check out this blog: https://morriscountyhistory.org/back-to-school-snaps/

06/17/2026

Join MCHS and MCHC on June 24 at 6:00pm for the sixth lecture in our Revolutionary Lecture Series, Before the Constitution: The Federalist Papers, as Dr. Jude Pfister, constitutional historian and former Chief of Cultural Resources at Morristown National Historical Park, discusses the famed collection of 85 essays authored by several founding fathers and designed to persuade New York voters to ratify the US Constitution. Zoom program, pre-registration required. Visit the link below to register:

Morris County Historical Society and Morris County Heritage Commission are pleased to present a Revolutionary Lecture Series to celebrate the rich and vast history that makes Morris County so special. […]

06/16/2026

Acorn Hall will be closed Wednesday, June 17 and Thursday, June 18 as MCHS staff presents at the NJ History and Historic Preservation Conference.

https://www.njpreservationconference.org/about

06/16/2026

Preserved photographs, now in MCHS archives, from the 1960s provide a glimpse into the Beverwyck homestead which held a unique, and complex, place in Morris County history.

by MCHS Staff June 15, 2026 From its Revolutionary roots to the prominent local families that called it home, Beverwyck Plantation in what is today Parsippany holds a unique place […]

06/16/2026

On Saturday June 20th, learn more about the history of slavery in Morristown with a walking tour that explores the relationship of several local sites to the issue of slavery, including the Presbyterian Church Burial Ground where the graves of both enslaved and freed individuals are found.
*The 10am tour is sold out; space is limited for 1pm.
FREE. Rain/Shine. Pre-registration required. Venue: Statues of Washington, Hamilton, & Lafayette on the Morristown Green (10 N Park Place, Morristown)
Reserve your spot today: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/rocks-in-the-garden-a-public-history-of-slavery-in-morristown-walking-tour-tickets-1984137119536?aff=oddtdtcreator

06/11/2026

On this week in Morris County history...
Dr. A.E. Estebrooke of CA arrived in Morristown to offer his services in extracting "worthless and troublesome" teeth for all who sought him out at the Mansion House hotel on June 9, 1890. The many testimonials from satisfied customers in his advertisement, now in MCHS archives, attest to him pulling eight, thirteen, or even fifteen teeth painlessly. In fact, the doctor offered to do one tooth per customer free of charge. No reports on how many he ultimately pulled during his stay.

06/09/2026

A fashion trend that became a staple in American women’s closets, the shirtwaist provided accessible fashion that met their changing needs as they increasingly joined the workforce.

by Erin Feith, Coordinator of Research & Visitor Engagement June 9, 2026 The mid-19th century saw the development of a fashion trend that became a staple in the American woman’s […]

06/05/2026

Kick off the summer months by diving into the history of Rock Ridge Lake in Denville! Beginning as a vacation spot in the early 20th century, Rock Ridge Lake continues to serve as a community hub today.

Kick off the summer months by diving into the history of Rock Ridge...

06/04/2026

On this week in Morris County history...
The Morris County Chronicle announced that Dudley Olcott II had returned to his Normandy Park home, Cherrycroft, for the season. Like many of the area's Gilded Age millionaires, the Olcotts preferred to spend spring and fall in Morristown with summers in between spent at Bar Harbor or their Southampton cottage. However, after arriving around June 1, 1909, Mr. Olcott would undertake the extensive renovation of the home and construction of an Italian garden, keeping him in town for the summer. Upon completion, Cherrycroft's garden would be lauded in national publications and become the site of dazzling soirees hosted by Mr. and Mrs. Olcott.

To learn more about the Olcotts of Cherrycroft, check out this week's blog: https://morriscountyhistory.org/cherrycroft-part-2-a-sea-of-flowers/