Journey Through the Past in Warren

Warren residents will get a chance to see two of the township's historic sites this weekend as part of the Somerset County Weekend Journey Through the Past.

The and the Mount Bethel Meeting House are among 22 historic sites that will be open—and free to visit—from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Oct. 8 and from noon to 4 p.m. on Oct. 9.

For the past six years, the county has invited historic sites to participate in this event designed to provide the public free access to historic homes, farmsteads and other properties. The event draws nearly 5,000 visitors including some from 13 states and three European countries, in part because of publicity at area hotels.

"We have a lot of historic sites that a lot of people drive by and don't even know they're there," said Pat McGarry, the Somerset County Cultural and Heritage Commission Manager.

Each historic property can choose how to showcase itself for visitors from re-enactments to period music, said McGarry.

"I think that's what makes it kind of interesting year after year that most sites don't do the same thing," she said.

The Mount Bethel Meeting House was built circa 1761 on the Old Quibbletown Gap Road (now Old Church Road) before it was disassembled and moved to its present site at 235 Mountainview Road in 1785. It is one of the few 18th-century timber-frame meeting houses in the state that retains much of its original character, according to the county's event brochure. Its exterior and interior look much as they did in the 18th Century because many of the original features were preserved in subsequent building modifications. The post and beam frame structure has gunstock posts at the front and rear walls and there are handcrafted pews and wall panels.

The meeting house served a religious purpose until the congregation moved to its new church in 1960. Today, the building is open only by appointment and during this special weekend, when volunteer docents will be available to give tours.

The Codington Farmstead, on Mt. Horeb Road, includes a house that was constructed in 1742 by Isaac Codington. The house is the oldest structure in New Jersey to be owned and operated continuously by the same family.

The Codingtons owned the house from 1742 to 2003, when Lora Codington, who was known locally as the “Peach Lady” and the last in her family line, passed away. The house, which was expanded in 1780, 1820 and 1870, has furnishings and decorative arts spanning the 18th century to 2003. The family was very active locally, founding the Mount Horeb ME Church in 1820 and rebuilt it after it burned down in 1866.

This weekend, the Codington Farmstead will offer tours of the old graveyard, descriptions of farm activities and photos of the Codington family, house, farm and church from 1870. There also will be a genealogy presentation on the Codington family, which had members serve in all of America's wars. The site also is open to the public from 1 p.m. to 4 p.m. on the first Sunday of the month.

Sadly, the township's Kirch Ford Terrell House, whose original section was built before the Revolutionary War, is no longer among the sites available during the Journey Through the Past weekend. This site, and the Blackwells Mills Canal House in Somerset, have been closed due to flooding damage from Hurricane Irene. The Old Millstone Forge, which also suffered severe flooding from Irene, will still be open this weekend.

For a list of all the sites and planned activities, visit the county's website.