The Abraham Heulings Farmhouse, located at 401 Bridgeboro Road, will be one of several houses featured on the township’s Revolutionary Witness House Tour on Sept. 27.
The Revolutionary Witness House Tour will be held on Saturday, Sept. 27, from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. Held rain or shine, the event is hosted by Saving Historic Moorestown, in partnership with the Historical Society of Moorestown. Visitors will have the chance to tour several of Moorestown’s oldest homes that were standing during the Revolutionary War, called Witness Houses. Moorestown has just 19 of these homes still standing, although several are in danger of development.
“We are celebrating the semi-quincentennial of our country, which is the 250th birthday of America,” said Julie Maravich, president of Saving Historic Moorestown, of the event’s significance.
The Historical Society of Moorestown, according to Saving Historic Moorestown, estimates that there were about 100 houses, about five taverns, grain and sawmills and ferry crossings in the vicinity of Moorestown at that time (1775-1783). Last year’s event, held on a Wednesday, had 500 visitors in attendance.
“We’re really, really excited to open (the event) up as a Saturday tour for all the folks who couldn’t participate last time,” Maravich said.
Visitors should wear walking shoes and have a fully charged phone to access the full interactive experience. Visitors will present their Shopify confirmation at the recreated Moore’s Tavern at its original location, now The Bank of Princeton on Main and Union streets, to receive a paper copy of the ticket and tour map.
Tickets purchased at Moorestown True Value Hardware Store include the map, so there’s no need to report to Moore’s Tavern first. Several houses are clustered on Main Street and some are scattered throughout the surrounding area.
The cedar barn of the Abraham Heulings Farmhouse, a Moorestown landmark whose original portion dates back to 1720.
The Revolutionary Witness House Tour is a featured event under Moorestown 250, whose mission is to educate and inspire the public about the 250th anniversary of the American Revolution. Through collaborative efforts, Moorestown 250 seeks to honor the legacy of the Revolution, highlight its impact on our communities and engage residents and visitors alike in meaningful celebrations. Collaborative partners for Moorestown 250 include the Moorestown Recreation Advisory Committee; Moorestown Township; Moorestown Friends School; Moorestown Parks and Recreation; Saving Historic Moorestown; the Historical Society of Moorestown; the Moorestown Business Association; MoorArts; Perkins Center for the Arts; the Community House of Moorestown; and the Strawbridge Lake Beautification Committee, among others.
“It’s just so magical,” Maravich said of the Revolutionary Witness House Tour. “My love of history was inspired in 1976, which was the bicentennial of our country. I can remember it being such a huge, year-long celebration throughout our country. It really is a big deal that our democracy has been here for 250 years now.”
Tickets are $35 each. Children under 12 are free. Tickets can be purchased online via https://store.moorestown250.com or in-person at Moorestown True Value Hardware Store or the Smith-Cadbury Mansion. The ticket is a coupon to receive 10% off lunch or dinner at participating restaurants printed on the ticket brochure. Proceeds from the event will be split between Saving Historic Moorestown and the Historical Society of Moorestown and no refunds will be issued.
Moorestown 250’s Hessian Retreat 1-mile Fun Run will also be held on Saturday, Sept. 27.
In June of 1778, Hessian soldiers – hired by the British – were forced into a hasty retreat through Moorestown. Finally, after 250 years, runners will be able to “chase” those pesky Hessians out of town. Throughout the Revolutionary War, Hessian soldiers had been stealing local food and supplies, also burning crops and stockpiles. It was particularly terrifying for the Smith family at Smith-Cadbury Mansion as 40 chickens were slaughtered and roasted in the parlor fireplace. Runners will get a knapsack filled with “stolen” items to “return” to designated Revolutionary Era Witness Houses that they pass on the way to the finish line at Moorestown Friends School. Among these items is a wooden coin/token to be returned to Moore’s Tavern and a rubber chicken to return to Smith-Cadbury Mansion.
Check-in for the rain or shine event will be at the Perkins Center for the Arts at 7 a.m. and the race will start at 9 a.m. Tickets are available at www.savinghistoricmoorestown.org.
