Historic Speedwell - Morristown County Park Commission

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Historic Speedwell – Morristown County Park Commission

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Discover Historic Speedwell, the “Birthplace of the Telegraph,” and Morristown’s unique role in the Industrial Revolution. The buildings and landscape at this historic site capture the flavor of life in the mid-19^th Century. The site preserves the remarkable industrial legacy of Stephen Vail, proprietor of Speedwell Iron Works. Within the Factory Building, now a National Historic Landmark, Stephen Vail’s son, Alfred, and Samuel F.B. Morse, perfected the electro-magnetic telegraph and sent the first telegraphed message in 1838.

Admission Information:

Admission to Historic Speedwell begins at the Visitor Center located in the L’Hommedieu House (white building, ½ way up the path), which features rotating exhibition galleries, a museum gift shop, class room/meeting space and public restrooms.

General Admission: $5 per person, 5 and under free of charge, excluding special events.
Season: April 1 – October 31
Hours: Thursdays and Saturdays 10am – 4pm
Last admission: 3pm

General admission includes our permanent exhibits on the history of the telegraph and the Speedwell Ironworks, historic demonstrations and crafts with our staff, and a guided tour of the Vail House.

Vail House Tour: On Saturdays and Sundays, step into Morristown’s past with our guided tour of the Vail House. Our new tour showcases fully furnished period rooms that tell the story of the people who called Speedwell home through the 19^th and early 20^th century. Tours begin on the hour and last approximately 30 minutes.

Please Remember:

Take photos! Photography for personal use is allowed, provided it does not disrupt other visitors. Commercial photography and filming, as well as other similar types of photography, require a permit. To obtain a permit, contact tours@morrisparks.net
Read notices as posted on the trail head
Smoking, including the use of e-cigarettes, is strictly prohibited

Before You Arrive:

Explore our website's calendar of events!
Follow us on social media for special event, demonstration, program, and tour updates
Dress for the weather and wear comfortable walking shoes
Bring water, a hat, sunscreen, and bug spray as needed
Remember, insects, including ticks, bees, and mosquitoes, are part of our ecosystem

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About

This 7.5 acre National Historic Landmark site preserves the restored estate of Stephen Vail, the prominent owner of the Speedwell Ironworks. The site is highlighted by the Factory Building, one of only a handful of National Historic Landmark buildings in Morris County, and includes three floors of hands-on, interactive exhibits telling the story of the telegraph, and the industrial uses of the building throughout its history. Alfred Vail and Samuel F.B. Morse gave the first successful demonstration of the telegraph inside the Factory in 1838, starting the telecommunications revolution that continues today. See the power of the recently restored 24 foot overshot waterwheel located in the wheelhouse next to the Factory, and tour the historic Vail Home. A variety of special events, programs, workshops, tours, lectures, summer camps, and activities highlight this unique historic site.