Montville Township Historical Society
Visit their website here!
Established in 1963, the Montville Township Historical Society is dedicated to faithfully preserving and sharing the history of Montville Township in conjunction with the preservation of documents and artifacts. The Society educates the public through programs about Montville’s history and provides access to the Montville Museum and other historic properties to increase civic engagement and awareness. Additionally, the Society encourages the donation of significant historical artifacts to the Museum for public viewing and educational purposes. In cooperation with the Township, the Society ensures the proper maintenance of the Museum building and other township-owned historic structures and artifacts.
The museum will reopen in the Fall of 2024, after the Historical Society redesigns the layout and displays. We apologize for the inconvenience. If you have any questions about when the doors will open again, please visit our website or Instagram page! We look forward to seeing you soon.
About the Building
The building was constructed following the Civil War, in the year 1867. It was one of the first one-room schools in the area. The land was donated by the eastern district superintendent of the then-thriving Morris Canal, one of the many waterways then in existence to help promote trade and travel in America. William Hixson gave the land to the town for public purposes, with the stipulation that it could be reclaimed if used for a purpose with which his family disagreed.
Reconstruction
The building began serving Montville as a one-room school heated by a potbellied stove. It also served as an auxiliary to the local Methodist Church. It became the gathering place for the local temperance league in the 1890s, and was the scene of many temperance meetings in the town.
Building Uses
Forty-four years after being erected, it changed from a school to the center of political activities as the town hall. It was the town hall until 1939, when it became the town's post office. It served as such until 1961, when a post office was constructed close by (Taylortown Road and Route 202).
Making it a Museum - Historical Society Involvement
After the postmen moved out of the building, the township considered selling the property to a business concern. The original Hixson agreement was recalled, and the building remained unused - until the celebration of New Jersey's 300th Anniversary. At that time, a Tercentenary committee was founded in the Township to help celebrate the anniversary and the Committee decided to make the establishment of a museum its main project. Armed with donations from local residents, committee members renovated the building and reopened it in 1963 as a museum.
The museum had regular visiting hours in 2017 to celebrate the Township's 150th Anniversary! The COVID19 pandemic limited the Museum's availability during 2020, but it reopened to the public in 2021.
