Essex County Historical Holiday House Tour Dec. 10-11

Kip's Castle in Verona and the Walther House at the Presby Memorial Iris Gardens will be decked out for the holidays and are two of the historic homes on display as part of the third annual Essex County Historic Holiday House Tour. 

The tour, which will take place on Saturday and Sunday, Dec. 10 and 11, will also feature first-time participants, the Force Homestead and Museum in Livingston and Kingsland Manor in Nutley. 

“The Holiday House Tour is a great example of organizations throughout the county pooling their resources to create a wonderful event for families to enjoy and to shed insight into how the holidays were celebrated in the past,” said Essex County Executive Joseph N. DiVincenzo Jr. 

“Take a break from the hustle and bustle this December and visit 12 local homes that will have decked the halls in holiday extravagance for one spectacular weekend. Tour historic Essex County with your friends and delight in the spirit of the season,” he added.

Visitors can enjoy each site at their own pace. Each site will offer something unique, including musical entertainment, refreshments or educational programs. There may be an admission fee at some locations. 

The following homes are part of the 2011 tour: 

Essex County Kip’s Castle Park
22 Crestmont Road, Verona
(973) 239-2485
Admission is free.
Open noon to 4 p.m. on Saturday and Sunday. 

Walther House at the Essex County Presby Memorial Iris Gardens
474 Upper Mountain Ave., Upper Montclair
(973) 783-5974
Admission is free.
Open noon to 4 p.m. on Saturday and Sunday.

Ballantine House at Newark Museum
49 Washington St., Newark
(973) 596-6550; newarkmuseum.org
Suggested admission is $10 for adults, $6 for children, seniors and students, and free for Newark Museum members. Open noon to 5 p.m. on Saturday and Sunday. 

Canfield-Morgan House and Museum
903 Pompton Ave., Cedar Grove
(973) 239-5414; cedargrovehistoricalsociety.org
Admission is free. Open 1 to 4 p.m. on Saturday and Sunday.

Force Homestead and Museum
366 S. Livingston Ave., Livingston
(973) 533-0211; www.livingstonnj.org/historicalsociety.htm
Admission is free. Open 2 to 4 p.m. on Saturday.

Glenmont at Thomas Edison National Historical Park
211 Main St., West Orange
(973) 736-0550, Ext. 11
Admission is $7 per person and free for children under 16. Tickets can be purchased at the Park’s Visitor Center and include access to the laboratory. Open 11:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. on both Saturday and Sunday by tour only.

Grover Cleveland Birthplace
207 Bloomfield Ave., Caldwell
(973) 226-0001
Admission is free but donations will be accepted. Open Saturday from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. and Sunday from 1 to 4 p.m.

Kingsland Manor
3 Kingsland St., Nutley
www.nutleynj.org
Admission by donation.
Open 2 to 5 p.m. on both Saturday and Sunday.

Montclair Historical Properties
(973) 744-1796
Admission is $8 per site for the general public and free for children and members of the Montclair Historical Society. Open 12 Noon to 4 p.m. on both Saturday and Sunday.

Israel and Nathaniel Crane Houses
108 and 110 Orange Road, Montclair 

The Charles Shultz House-Evergreens, Montclair
30 N. Mountain Ave., Montclair 

Zenas Crane Homestead
289 Westville Ave., West Caldwell
(973) 226-8976
Admission is free.
Open 1:30 to 4 p.m. on both Saturday and Sunday.