Historic Houses Decked Out for the Holidays

Historic homes throughout Essex will open their doors in unison for one spectacular weekend on December 6 and 7. Each will be dressed for the holiday season while offering entertainment, refreshments, or educational information. Each will be dressed for the holiday. Fees and times vary

The following historic sites will be participating in the tour:

Montclair Historical Society
973.744.1796

• Crane House and Historic YWCA: 110 Orange Road, Montclair
• Charles Schultz House (Evergreens): 30 North Mountain Avenue, Montclair

See the houses bedecked in their holiday finery. Special tours incorporate holiday traditions as well as the stories of the houses and the people who lived there. Begin at the Nathaniel Crane house where the less “foppery” reigned, then see the Israel Crane House and Nathaniel Crane House and Historic YWCA decorated by the Garden Club of Montclair with items from 1796 to 1965. Stop in the exterior kitchen where food historian Carolina Capehart demonstrates 1800s hearth cooking on a real fire. Then visit the Charles Shultz House featuring Molly Shultz’s own collection of Christmas decorations, antique toys and children’s books. Admission is free. Donations accepted. Admission is free for Montclair Historical Society members. Open 1pm to 4pm on Saturday and Sunday.
 

The Salvatorian Fathers
23 Crestmont Road, Verona
973.746.8770

Experience the dazzling architecture of this Catholic Church, in the care of the Society of the Divine Savior. Admission by donation. Open 1pm to 3pm on Sunday.
 

Oakeside Bloomfield Cultural Center
240 Belleville Avenue, Bloomfield
973.429.0960

The Oakes Mansion, built in 1895 and designed by New York architect Charles Granville Jones, is a well-preserved example of turn of the 20th century architecture. The interior of the house has remained remarkably well preserved and intact through the years, a reflection of its being continuously occupied by a single family since its construction. The Oakeside Estate is now one of the last remaining residences in Bloomfield representative of this lifestyle. Admission is free. Open 12 noon to 4pm on Saturday.
 

Walther House at Essex County Presby Memorial Iris Gardens
474 Upper Mountain Avenue, Upper Montclair
973.783.5974

Enjoy nature’s holiday ambiance in this historic 1865 house. Shop in the fabulous Bloom Room Gift Shop for unusual holiday gift items. Refreshments will be available. Admission is free. Open 10am to 5pm on Saturday and Sunday.
 

Zenas Crane Homestead
289 Westville Avenue, West Caldwell
973.364.0155

Get an inside glimpse of this restored mid-nineteenth century home of the first and third mayors of West Caldwell. Furnished with period artifacts, this home will feature a special holiday exhibit of “Santa through the Ages” as well as various other historic holiday decorations. Admission is free. Open 12 noon to 4pm on Saturday and Sunday.
 

Ballantine House at the Newark Museum
49 Washington Street, Newark
973.596.6550

The Ballantine House offers visitors a taste of how Christmas was celebrated in late Victorian Newark. Resplendent with Victorian decorations and evergreens, it features a Christmas tree decorated with Victorian ornaments, the family’s stockings hung by the fireplace and a Christmas dinner set in the mahogany-paneled dining room. Suggested admission is $12 adults; $7 for children, seniors and students; free for Newark residents and museum members. Open 12 noon to 5pm on Saturday and Sunday.The museum is also open Wednesday to Sunday from 12 noon to 5pm.
 

Canfield-Morgan House & Museum
903 Pompton Avenue, Cedar Grove
973.239.5414

The holiday spirit is strong on the last farm in Cedar Grove!Tour the 1850 farm house and view historical artifacts from Cedar Grove which was once part of Caldwell Township. On Saturday, there will be a book signing by “Memories of Meadowbrook” author Philip Read. Admission is
free. Donations are accepted. Open 2pm to 4pm on Saturday and Sunday.
 

Cathedral Basilica of the Sacred Heart
89 Ridge Street, Newark
973.484.4600

Experience Neo-Gothic splendor and charm in this National and State landmark, the Mother Church of the Archdiocese of Newark, adjacent to Essex County Branch Brook Park. Designated a Minor Basilica by St. Pope John Paul II in 1995, the Cathedral Basilica is home to magnificent stained glass windows, mosaics and other artwork, and decorated for the Christmas holiday. Admission is free. Donations accepted. Open 7:30 am
to 7:30p m year round.
 

Essex County Kip’s Castle Park
22 Crestmont Road, Verona
973.239.2485

Come home for the holidays and see Kip’s Castle decorated circa 1928. The dining room is set for a holiday feast and a parlor is festooned with greenery and ribbons. Refreshments will be provided. Admission is free. Open 12 noon to 4pm on Saturday and Sunday. The castle is also open Tuesdays through Sundays from 12 noon to 4pm.
 

Force Homestead & Museum
366 South Livingston Avenue, Livingston
973.533.0211

Tour this Colonial-style home built in 1745 by T. Ward and inhabited by the Force family in the early 1800s. Elegant gowns and items on loan from the Edison Foundation will be on display. Tours and refreshments. Holiday music provided by young musicians. Limited parking on-site. Additional parking at church next door. Admission is free.Donations accepted. Open 2pm to 4pm on Sunday.
 

Glenmont at Thomas Edison National Historical Park
211 Main Street, West Orange
973.736.0550, ext. 11

Tour Edison’s home decorated for a 1920s Christmas, admire the majestic ten-foot tree, ribboned greenery, and wreaths in every window of this opulent Victorian mansion. Admission is $7 per person and free for children under 16. Tickets must be purchased at the Laboratory Complex Visitor Center and includes access to the Laboratory Complex. Glenmont is open by tour only from 11am to 3pm, The Laboratory Complex is open 10am to 4pm on Saturday and Sunday.
 

Greenwood Gardens
274 Old Short Hills Road, Short Hills
973.258.4026

Created in a gilded age, Greenwood Gardens is a 28-acre historic public example of Georgian Revival architecture, will be decorated in the holiday tradition with enchanting touches by local garden clubs. Visitors can enjoy a brief history lesson while admiring the stately rooms and period furniture. A holiday boutique in the study will feature unique gifts. Warm cider is available. Admission is $5 per person and free for children under 12. Open 10am to 4pm on Saturday and Sunday.
 

U.S. President Grover Cleveland’s Birthplace
207 Bloomfield Avenue, Caldwell
973.226.0001

This 1832 vintage Presbyterian Manse will be decorated for the holidays until January 4, 2015. Self-guided tours through the first floor of the birthplace of U.S. President Grover Cleveland highlights the home life and traditions of the Rev. Richard Cleveland’s young family. Includes two museum galleries. Hands-on activities for children. Gift shop features educational items and Victorian reproductions. Admission is free. Donations accepted. Open Saturday from 10am to 4pm and Sunday from 1pm to 4pm. (Open year round Wednesday to Sunday).
 

Kingsland Manor
3 Kingsland Street, Nutley
973.661.3410

The 1700s brownstone Dutch Colonial is steeped in history and decorated in Victorian Christmas style. Come explore the historic homestead of the Kingsland family and beyond, set within park like grounds overlooking a pond and waterfalls. Admission by donation. Open 1pm to 4pm on Saturday and Sunday.