Orthodox Meeting House in Crosswicks

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.

The meeting house now houses the Chesterfield Township Historical Society Museum.  Please contact us to visit outside normal opening hours.

ADDRESS
530 Ward Avenue
(corner of Buttonwood Street, Crosswicks, NJ)

Click here for a map of the Village of Crosswicks

19th-Century Bass Drum

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!

We look forward to a new season of Open Houses and special programs set to begin in May 2021. We hope to see you then!

Antique wheel-style coffee mill.