On our last day of Outdoor Exhibits we took a quick trip up Route 38 to visit the Historic Smithville Park. Historic Smithville Park in Eastampton, with its centerpiece — a c. 1840 Greek Revival Mansion — set in one of the few remaining “intact” Victorian Industrial-era villages in the region. Filled with history and some fascinating, homegrown architecture, Historic Smithville Park has experiences to offer visitors from all walks of life and offers access to a beautiful stretch of the Rancocas Creek, Smithville Lake, and hiking trails. Unfortunately the weather was quite dreary, but that did add to the creepiness of the mansion and the ghost stories that were told by the docents. We learned that paranormal groups come to this mansion and have documented ghost activity. The creepy dolls, the human hair portrait on the wall, the moose head mounting, and the bizarre family stories added to the ghoulish feel of this place. Hezekiah and Agnes were the owners of the mansion, and there was quite the scandalous story about their union. Agnes was known as a homewrecker, but she was adored by her community. She was the doctor and leader of the cultural events of the village. She was the life of Smithville. She is now honored on the New Jersey’s Women’s Heritage Trail, along with Alice Paul, and there is a placard of her life and achievements right outside of the mansion.
Smithville Mansion is a mix of old and new. The mansion has an annex building that now acts as an art gallery (in what was once a card room, party room and bowling alley) that features local artists and even student art! MFS art department, let’s get in contact with Smithville mansion and see if we can feature some of our students’ art! Overall, even with the cold damp weather, we learned a lot about the history of Smithville and look forward to coming back on a warm and sunny day to hike the trails and floating walkways on the lake. It most definitely is a unique gem in Burlington county! If you’re interested in spending time at Smithville and exploring the grounds and hiking trails click here!