The Union County Board of County Commissioners invites residents and visitors to step inside the places where local history happened during Four Centuries in a Weekend, Saturday, October 17 and Sunday, October 18, from 12:00 noon to 5:00 p.m. Unless otherwise noted, more than 30 historic sites across Union County will open their doors free of charge for tours, exhibits, demonstrations and hands-on activities.
“Union County did not simply witness American history. Our communities, residents and landmarks helped shape it,” said Union County Commissioner Chairman Joseph C. Bodek. “As our nation celebrates 250 years, Four Centuries in a Weekend gives us a special opportunity to walk through the places where that history unfolded and to share those stories with a new generation. I encourage families to choose a few sites, bring their history passports and make a weekend of exploring our County together.”
This year’s program celebrates the 250th anniversary of the Declaration of Independence and the founding of the United States, while exploring the people, places and stories that shaped Union County before, during and after the American Revolution.
Visitors can explore Revolutionary War sites, colonial-era homes, historic cemeteries, museums, a 1928 vaudeville theater, one of the nation’s earliest Black-owned country clubs, an observatory and other landmarks. Costumed interpreters, guided tours, archival displays, traditional crafts, live music and activities for children will bring different periods of Union County’s history to life.
“What makes Four Centuries in a Weekend so memorable is that every stop offers something different,” said Union County Commissioner Vice Chair Rebecca L. Williams, liaison to the Union County Cultural and Heritage Programs Advisory Board. “You may hear a story you never knew, see an artifact that changes how you understand your hometown or watch your child become excited about history through a hands-on activity. I thank our local historians, site stewards and volunteers for opening these treasured places and making the past feel personal, welcoming and alive.”
2026 Program Highlights
- At the Deserted Village of Feltville in Berkeley Heights, visitors can take guided or self-guided tours, ride a hay wagon, press apple cider, roast marshmallows and meet figures from the Village’s past, including Revolutionary War soldier John Willcocks.
- The Drake House Museum in Plainfield will display the rarely shown Tree of Life quilt, reportedly made by the daughter of Declaration of Independence signer John Hart.
- The Frazee House in Scotch Plains will host The March to Yorktown on Sunday, featuring Generals Washington and Rochambeau and music by the New Jersey Fife & Drums Corps.
- At Springfield’s Cannon Ball House, visitors can sign a replica Declaration of Independence that will be preserved as a Semiquincentennial keepsake.
- The Union County Performing Arts Center in Rahway will offer a Sunday presentation on American history, a student reading of the Declaration of Independence and guided tours of its historic theater.
- Twin Maples in Summit will present a Sunday lecture on the important roles women played during the American Revolution.
All participating sites will offer a free Union County History Passport that visitors can stamp at each stop. Several locations within the Crossroads of the American Revolution National Heritage Area will also offer a special stamp for the Passport to Your National Parks book. Collectible Union County History Trading Cards highlighting notable people, places and events will be available at participating sites, with more than 80 cards to collect.
Hours vary at several locations, and some sites are open on Saturday or Sunday only. Visitors should review the complete schedule before planning their route.
Participating Sites
- Berkeley Heights: Deserted Village of Feltville / Glenside Park; Littell-Lord Farmstead
- Clark: Dr. William Robinson Plantation Museum
- Cranford: Crane-Phillips House; UCNJ Historic Tree Grove; William Miller Sperry Observatory
- Elizabeth: Belcher-Ogden Mansion and Bonnell Homestead; Siloam-Hope First Presbyterian Church and Snyder Academy; Boxwood Hall State Historic Site; Elizabeth Public Library
- Fanwood: Historic Fanwood Train Station Museum
- Hillside: Woodruff House, Eaton Store Museum and Phil Rizzuto All Sports Exhibit; Evergreen Cemetery
- Kenilworth: Oswald J. Nitschke House
- Mountainside: Deacon Andrew Hetfield House
- New Providence: Salt Box Museum; special Saturday archive and graveyard programs
- Plainfield: Drake House Museum; Plainfield Friends Quaker Meeting House
- Rahway: African American History and Heritage Learning Center; Merchants and Drovers Tavern Museum; Union County Performing Arts Center
- Roselle: Abraham Clark House
- Scotch Plains: Frazee House; Osborn Cannonball House Museum; Shady Rest Country Club
- Springfield: Cannon Ball House
- Summit: Carter House; Reeves-Reed Arboretum; Twin Maples
- Union: Caldwell Parsonage; Donald M. Payne Vauxhall Meeting Center; Connecticut Farms Church; Liberty Hall Museum
- Westfield: Burial Grounds of the Presbyterian Church; Miller-Cory House Museum; Reeve History and Cultural Resource Center; Battle of Spanktown mural presentation at the Atlas Pythagoras Lodge #10
For the complete schedule, addresses, site-specific hours and activity details, visit www.ucnj.org/4c or contact the Union County Office of Cultural and Heritage Affairs at culturalinfo@ucnj.org or 908-558-2550.
Four Centuries in a Weekend is organized by the Union County Office of Cultural and Heritage Affairs, within the Department of Parks and Recreation, in collaboration with the staff and volunteers of participating historic sites, and is sponsored by the Union County Board of County Commissioners.