Morristown Landmark In Line For New Historic Grant

MORRISTOWN, NJ — A new round of funding from the New Jersey Historic Trust is set to benefit nearly two dozen historical sites and nonprofits in North Jersey, including one in our own backyard.

The town's Acorn Hall is in line to receive $102,300 from the Preserve New Jersey Historic Preservation Fund.

The trust, which is part of the state Department of Consumer Affairs, has recommended that nearly $15.8 million from the Garden State Historic Preservation Trust Fund be released to fund 65 projects across New Jersey.

According to a statement issued by the Morris County Board of Commissioners, the money requires legislative appropriation and approval by Gov. Phil Murphy.

“I am grateful that we were able to fund so many worthy projects this year, especially when you consider the challenges our historic sites have endured over the past few years,” said New Jersey Historic Trust Executive Director Dorothy Guzzo. “These projects will create jobs to bolster the economy and sustain our heritage for years to come.”

Acorn Hall, the Victorian Italianate country home, was built in 1853 and later donated to the Morris County Historical Society in 1971, where it has since served as its headquarters and as a museum.

According to the historical society, Acorn Hall was built for John and Louise Schermerhorn of New York City; however, tragedy struck the Schermerhorn family not long after their arrival in Morristown, and John returned to New York as a widower.

In 1857, Augustus Crane paid $11,000 for Acorn Hall and some of its furnishings and transformed the Georgian Foursquare into the much larger, Italianate-styled country home that it is today.

Crane, his wife Mary Elizabeth, and their four children moved into the home by 1860, and Crane began his life as a "gentleman farmer," planting seasonal vegetables and a mixed fruit orchard on some of the nine-acre property.

The family remained in the house for several decades.

In 1971, the formal transfer of ownership was completed, and Acorn Hall began its transformation from a house to a historic house museum.

It took several years to complete the formal documentation of the contents, which included furniture, fine and decorative arts, archival materials, and clothing, as well as the initial restorations.

Acorn Hall was first opened to the public in 1973.

The historic building was also recently awarded a separate $15,000 grant from the Morris County Board of County Commissioners as part of the county's Small Business Grant Program, which was created to help both nonprofits and local entrepreneurs affected by the COVID-19 pandemic.

According to officials, the historical society lost funding during the pandemic because lockdowns forced the suspension of its annual activities, such as group tours, fundraisers and general admission to Acorn Hall.

"We were forced to close Acorn Hall and offer free online and outdoor programming to keep people engaged with the Morris County Historical Society during the pandemic," said Executive Director Amy Curry. "Unlike many local history-focused organizations, which are supported by their municipalities, we're an independent member-supported organization."

The exterior of Acorn Hall was restored in 2018 to accurately represent its 1860-1880 appearance, and efforts are currently underway to restore the rest of the property, including the carriage house and grounds, to their true 19th-century country aesthetic.