People living a hundred years ago were more attuned to the changes of the seasons than we are. Spring was seen as a time of renewal; new farm animals were bring born and new crops were being planted. Spring also meant the end of the “lean times” of winter.  Join us as we explore these aspects of Spring during this creative movement and craft program. We will celebrate the new season with a tour of some of our buildings, a dance around the Maypole, and a Spring craft!  For program fees and availability, please call 973.631.5343 or email ebakshis@morrisparks.net.

Cook on the fire just as people did 150 years ago!  During this open hearth cooking program, students will follow period 'receipts' and prepare dishes using historical methods and tools.  Following a discussion-based tour of the Vail House, students will enjoy a 'tea party' and enjoy the 'fruits' of their labor.  For program fees and availability, please call 973.631.5343 or email ebakshis@morrisparks.net.

Visit Historic Speedwell and learn how steam revolutionized power in the 19th century.  Also learn how Stephen Vail, owner of the Speedwell Ironworks, was involved in this cutting edge technology.  During this program, students will gain an understanding of how steam can be harnessed to do work and how many different parts of a system must work together for success.  This program is also available for an in-school visit.  For program fees and availability, please call 973.631.5343 or email ebakshis@morrisparks.net.

Historic Speedwell offers archaeologists-in-training the chance to learn the basic skills of this science and unearth some treasures to take home. Students will participate in a hands-on dig while learning archaeological techniques as well as the importance of archaeology in historic preservation. For program fees and availability, please call 973.631.5343 or email ebakshis@morrisparks.net.

Cook on the fire just as people did 150 years ago!  During this open-hearth cooking program, students will follow a period “receipt,” and prepare a dish using historical methods and tools.

For program fees and availability, please call 973.631.5343 or email ebakshis@morrisparks.net.

Explore Historic Speedwell through a guided tour of the various structures and exhibits located on site. This program encompasses original buildings from the Vail Homestead, including the Factory, where Alfred Vail and Samuel F.B. Morse held the first public demonstration of the telegraph in 1838. Also featured is the Vail Mansion, home of Stephen Vail and his family from 1844-1864. The exhibit ‘The Speedwell Ironworks: A History of Workers and Work,’ documents the history of the Vails, once prosperous business in Morristown. This program features interactive activities and discussion to bring the site to life. For program fees and availability, please call 973.631.5343 or email ebakshis@morrisparks.net.

Step into the shoes of Alfred Vail- Experiment with electricity, magnets, and wire to discover how a message can be sent over a distance. Build a basic telegraph, and send a message using ‘the code.’ After the workshop, tour the Factory where the telegraph was first demonstrated to the public in 1838. For program fees and availability, please call 973.631.5343 or email ebakshis@morrisparks.net.

Work for the Speedwell Ironworks for a day! In this hands-on workshop, students  learn the historic process of sand casting, make a mould, and create a casting (with a safe molten iron substitute) to take home. While the castings are drying, students  complete a site-wide scavenger hunt. During the early American Industrial Revolution, the Speedwell Ironworks manufactured iron objects, employed skilled workers with specialized roles, and used tools and machines in a historic process. Although the Speedwell Ironworks no longer exists, its history is preserved and interpreted at Historic Speedwell. For program fees and availability, please call 973.631.5343 or email ebakshis@morrisparks.net.