Orthodox Meeting House in Crosswicks
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When the Hicksite faction of Friends broke off in 1826, they were the majority in a number of New Jersey towns, and so took over their respective meeting property. In Crosswicks, the original (or Orthodox) group that held the minority built this fine brick meeting house about a block away around 1850. Quaker meeting houses normally have two front entrances, one for men and another for women; this, like a few of the mid-nineteenth century meeting houses, has but a single front entrance, with two doors. That is also the case of the meeting houses in Westfield and the Orthodox meeting house in Trenton. The windows in the mid-nineteenth century buildings are larger than the earlier structures, with 12 over 12 panes instead of the 9 over 9 that was common.
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ADDRESS
530 Ward Avenue (corner of Buttonwood Street, Crosswicks, NJ) Click here for a map of the Village of Crosswicks CTHS Museum closed for renovation after Night at the Museum Knights Baseball event, October 2021. There is much to tell, but these pictures give a glimpse into progress made.
1-3 The Museum and interior as it was in October 2021. 4. Donated cases from the American Museum of Folk Art in New York were transported to Crosswicks by CTHS board members and volunteers. 5. The Museum committee met with artifacts and exhibition consultant, Batja Bell, to discuss removal, storage and re-organization of Museum artifacts. 6. The Museum was cleared of all that could be moved. 7. Artifacts in storage. 8. CTHS cases not designated for reuse were donated to the New Jersey Fire Museum, established in Allentown, NJ. 9. Interior painting is underway! 10. Display pieces, newly acquired from the American Folk Art Museum, are prepared for Museum. Many many grateful thanks to the Sewa volunteers from Sewa International Central Jersey Chapter. They provided invaluable help toward the completion of CTHS's Museum renovation and update. Sewa volunteers patiently traced the foot prints of each newly acquired (slightly used) display stands and cases to help with preliminary placement decisions as we begin to install new displays and installations in the museum. Sewa volunteers then sanded and beautifully painted all the display pieces. Sewa's help was vital to the progress of our Museum update project.
Sewa means “SELFLESS SERVICE” in ancient Indian Sanskrit language. Sewa volunteers are learning "Selfless Efforts for Welfare of All”. The Sewa USA vision is "Increase civic engagement of the communities in the United States to volunteer and promote volunteering.” CTHS is so thankful for the "selfless service" these young people provided. Find out more about Sewa at http://www.sewausa.org Facebook & Twitter: @jerseysewa Instagram: @sewainternationalcentraljersey 
19th-Century Bass Drum
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Take a peek at future Museum updates:
Thank you to all our donors who helped CTHS achieve the goal of replacing the old museum sign ravaged by carpenter bees and rot. The new CTHS Museum sign was installed on January 25th, 2021. Proceeds from generous donations made on Giving Tuesday, Nov. 2020 helped make this sign possible. The new sign is a composite material which should withstand weather and bees!
Antique wheel-style coffee mill.
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