Where-To-Go Wednesday - Historic Walnford

What: Historic Walnford

Where: 62 Walnford Rd

             Allentown, NJ

Who: All ages

Walnford is a historic estate located in the Upper Freehold area of Monmouth County, New Jersey. The property was initially purchased by Richard Walnford in the late1800s.  The estate remained in the Walnford family for several generations and was at times owned and operated by female members of the family which was unusual for the time. This earned the site a place on the Women's Heritage Trail in addition to its place on both the National and State Historic Registers. 

In 1973, the property was sold to the Mullen family. During this time it remained a private home. Eventually, it was donated to the Monmouth County Park System in 1985 and opened to the public as a park and museum. The entry to the property is through the the corn crib which is a lot bigger than it sounds. Other buildings on the site include the Waln home which contains numerous historic artifacts and furnishings; the carriage house which is now a museum which traces the history of the Waln Family, the estate and the surrounding area; and the gristmill. Demonstrations and descriptions of the running of the mill are provided by knowledgeable park staff between 1:00 PM and 4:00 PM on weekends from April through November.

The site is open daily from 8:00 AM to 4:30 PM.  There is no admission fee required. The house is handicapped accessible although the gristmill is not. All social distancing and face covering requirements are in effect during the current crisis although it is was not very busy when we were there and does not seem like a location that would generally be overwhelmed with tourists. Accordingly, it is  a nice, peaceful, pretty place to visit and just get out for a little bit especially during the present time. 

The Monmouth County Park system often holds classes, events and demonstrations at Walnford. It is also available for rental for meetings, ceremonies or weddings. All in all, whether you are interested in the history of the location or you just want a nice quiet place to relax and have a picnic on one of several wooden picnic tables located on the property, Historic Walnford Park is a great choice.

For more information, visit https://www.monmouthcountyparks.com/page.aspx?Id=2541.

Tune in tomorrow for Theater Thursday.