V
A N B U N S C H O O T E N M
U S E U M
Located at 1097 Route 23 in Wantage, New Jersey
(4 miles north of the town of Sussex)
Contact the Museum Staff
In
1971 the Van Bunschooten house, outbuildings, and six and
a half acres were donated to the Chinkchewunska
Chapter of the DAR by Mr. and Mrs. Clifford Ramsey. Soon
after the acquisition, our Chapter began to restore, refurbish,
and redecorate the DAR Van Bunschooten Museum. We made
it our Chapter headquarters. The ten rooms are furnished in
period antiques, many of which were donated by the original
family, and used in the home. Items in the collection span
a range from 1787 to 1860, and include: clothing, quilts and
woven coverlets, furniture, oil paintings, cookware and china,
wagons, and farm implements.
Our
Chapter members devote countless hours maintaining, restoring,
and preserving the museum and outbuildings including the privy,
the carriage house, and the milk house. The library has over
700 volumes and is used for local historical and genealogical
research.
The
main house was originally constructed in 1787 for the Reverend
Elias Van Bunschooten, who served the Dutch Reformed Church
for 40 years. The Van Bunschooten Museum has remained true
to its origins, despite four or five changes of ownership,
and numerous tenants. Electricity, plumbing, and heat
have been the only modern additions.
The museum is listed on the National Register of Historic
Sites and Places. All the rooms are filled with period antiques
(many belonging to the original family), and all rooms are
open for view. The home is situated on six and a half acres
of land, and includes several outbuildings including a wagon
house (containing antique farm equipment and carriages), a
Greek Revival privy, and an ice house with milk room.
The
DAR Van Bunschooten Museum is open May 15 through October
15, on Thursdays and Saturdays, from 1 to 4 p.m. , and also
by appointment. The 200-year-old home is located at 1097 Route
23 in Wantage, New Jersey.
For more information, call (973) 875-4058 or 875-5335.
Check our Upcoming Events
for interesting
happenings at our museum.
