Now Available "The President's Report 2011" Read It HERE
Our Mission
The mission of the Dover Area Historical Society is to protect, preserve and recognize the historic artifacts, buildings, districts and locales within the town of Dover; to have our museum be a living center for displays, meetings and research; and to reach out to all with educational and entertaining presentations of the rich history of the Dover Area.
Objectives
- THE CUMULATION OF A HISTORY OF THE DOVER AREA and the preparation of appropriate publications in this regard.
- THE ACQUISITION OF LAND AND BUILDING SUITABLE FOR THE ESTABLISHMENT OF A CULTURAL CENTER, which shall minimally include a museum, educational facilities and administrative facilities.
- THE ESTABLISHMENT OF CONSTRUCTIVE PROGRAMS FOR THE PUBLIC, germane to the Society's general objectives.
- THE COLLECTION, PRESERVATION, RESEARCH INTO IDENTIFICATION AND PUBLIC EXHIBIT of historic, graphic, pictorial, audio phonic and other records, artifacts and various memorabilia.
- THE PREPARATION, COLLECTION AND PUBLIC EXHBITION of contemporary cultural and creative works of the Dover Area.
- THE LOCATION, MARKING AND WHERE APPROPRIATE, THE IMPROVEMENT AND/OR RESTORATION and the prevention of the destruction of sites of historic, cultural, and/or eductional interest within the Dover area and the bringing to the public's attention the existence, location and significance of these sites.
- THE ENCOURAGEMENT AND/OR SPONSORSHIP OF EVENTS of historic, cultural, and/or educational interest with the Dover area.
- THE ENCOURAGEMENT AND WHERE FEASIBLE, ASSISTANCE IN THE DEVELOPMENT of local groups with the Dover area dedicated to local objectives in agreement with the regional objectives of the Society.
- THE RECOGNITION OF THE DOVER AREA'S RIGHTFUL PLACE IN HISTORY and the development of Morris County, the State of New Jersey and the United States of America.
Our History
The Dover Area Historical Society had its origin on May 4, 1966 when Mr. Willy Penderson called a special meeting at town hall for any citizens interested in local history. Fifteen people were at the first meeting and from this nucleus the society was born. The society was incorporated as a not-for-profit 501(c)(3) organization named the Dover Historical Association. The name was changed to the Dover Area Historical Society in 1967.
From the very beginning, a museum location would be a problem. Two different store front locations were tried in the downtown, but abandon a short time later. The Johnson Storage Building on East Blackwell Street, the second oldest building in Dover at the time, dating back to before the Civil War, was being considered when Dover General Hospital offered the Bonnieview Estate located next to the hospital.
The Bonnieview mansion was built in 1876 for Alpheus Beemer and his wife Margaret. Mr. Beemer establised a silk mill and Hurd Park and was the founder of the Nation Union Bank of Dover. Upon his death, the widow sold the property to Edwin Ross in 1885, a descendant of Betsy Ross, designer of the American Flag.
In the early part of the 20th century, Bonnieview becamse the popular Pine Terrance Inn, a gracious country retreat visited by such notables as President Grover Cleveland, Mary Pickford, Douglas Fairbanks and well known personalities of the day. With the onset of Prohibition, the estate was sold to Harry Schwarz who later sold it to Dover General Hospital.
The historical society moved into the mansion house on June 18, 1970 with a 10-year lease with the hospital. Just one year into the lease and after over $30,000 in repairs and renovations, the hospital terminated the agreement and ordered the building be vacated in three months. For the next 27-years, the historical society would remain homeless, hosting its montly meetings in various churches and meeting halls around town.
In 2004, the First Presbyterian Church of Dover was trying to decide the fate of the old doctor's house, known as the "church house" at 55 W. Blackwell Street. Knowing the historical society had been actively seeking a museum, the church offered to site to the organization for a 25-year period provided the group pay for all expenses of operating the house and performed repairs and renovations bringing the house up to town standards.
Today, the historical society meets at the museum house the third Tuesday of each month and offers the house for public view every Sunday between 1 and 4 pm. Anyone wishing to become a member or wants further information can call the society at 973-361-3525.
Contact Us
Dover Area Historical Society
POB 609
55 West Blackwell Street
Dover NJ 07802-0609
Phone: 973-361-3525
Fax: 973-537-0718
Membership
Membership runs from January thru December
Family - $20.00
Individual - $12.00
Senior Citizen (62 and older) - $8.00
Junior (Student) - $6.00
Sustaining (Business) - $75.00
Life (Husband & Wife or Individual) - $300 (One Time Payment)
The Dover Area Historical Society is a not-for-profit 501(c)(3) organization.
All donations are tax deductible.
For more information on membership, call 973-366-0629.
Life Members
* Mike D. Agostino, Succasunna * Phillip D. Alverez, Blairstown * Ira & Cynthia Ayers, Randolph * Jean Baker, Hopatcong * Bill & Ginny Birch, Bernardsville * Carolyn Bishop, Dover * Benson Thomson Agency, Dover * Joan & Alan Bocchino, Dover * James Brooks, Ocean City * Curtis & Lois Brown, Lancaster, PA * Harriet Buono, Dover * Joan Burge, Dover * Shirley Hendrickson-Burgess, Randolph * Charles & Marion Caccavale, Wharton * Robert Carpenter, Rockaway * Phyllis Casey, Dover * Dom Ciardi, Picataway * George Coulthard, Dover * Norman & Mary Lou Dailey, Dover * Florence D'Agostino, Dover * James & JoAnn Dodd, Dover * Patrick Fahy, Dover * Margaret Fischer & Bob Starling, Erwinna, PA * Jay & Patti Ferriero, Mt Arlington * Evelyn Gilbert, Jensen Beach, FL * David & Karen Glaser, Dover * Bob & Linda Gordon, Mt Arlington * Victor & Ellen Guadagno, Sparta * Ellen G. Gustafson, Kingman, AZ * Frank & Grace Hamilton, Old Lyme, CT * Willard & Betty Hedden, Randolph * Dorothy Hertel, Safety Habor, FL * Jackie & Ken Hillman, Scottsdale, AZ * Mariann Horan, Douglassville, PA * Betty Inglis, Dover * Carl Isso, Dover * Jim & Verna Johnson, Pompton Plains * Patricia Kalena, Dover * Martin & Laura Kane, Lake Hopatcong * William & Nancy Kattermann, Dover * Richard Kelly, Dover * Karen Kovalesky, Hackettstown * David & Sherry Lenox, Dover * Jacqueline Loeffler, Dover * Melvyn & Barbara Loory, Boonton * Bert & Linda McDonald, Dover * Charlotte Morgan Luer, Denville * Betty MacNaughten, Mine Hill * Marilyn Matin, Cottage Grove, MN * Terry Forsstrom Meloskie, Denville * Dr. Hugh Miller, Dover, DE * Otto Miller, Mine Hill * Robert L. Miller & Claire Rohloff, Bloomsbury * Rich & Barbara Newman, Dover * Henry O Baker, Ins., Dover * Helen & Carmen Pennella, Dover * Dave & Lisa Pennella, Dover * Michael & Catharine Picciallo, Dover * Frank Poolas, Dover * William Richardson, Mt Arlington * Cindy and Rich Romaine, Dover * Stan & Marj Schoonmaker, Dover * Robert, Patricia & Samuel Schwarz, Dover * William & Susan Shauer, Dover * Peg & William Shuler, Dover * Bill & Ulla Shuler, Dover * Paul Shuler, Dover * Smith-Taylor-Ruggiero Funderal Home, Dover * JoAnn, Bob & Mike Steinberg, Dover * Robert & Rose Tiefenbacher, Lafayette * Dr. Arthur Tiger, MD, PA, Dover * Dr. Anthony Troha, Mine Hill * Tuttle Funeral Home, Randolph * Bob & Alice Wagner, Wharton * Francis & Louis Wagner, Canton, GA * Kay Walker, Succasunna * Henry & Phyllis Winstead, Rockaway * Debbie & Bob Wood, Succasunna * Bill & Brenda Woodhull, Dover * JoAnn Zarger, Mine Hill * In Memory of Arch Nicholas *
Officers
Betty Inglis, President -
Stan Schoonmaker, Vice President -
Bill Shuler Jr., Treasurer -
Joan Bocchino, Recording Secretary -
William Woodhull, Corresponding Secretary -
George Laurie, Museum Curator -
Bob Wagner, Ways & Means -