Fosterfields Living Historical Farm
73 Kahdena Road
Morris Township, NJ 07960
Hours:
M-F: Open April to October
Wednesday through Saturdays, 10am-3pm
Closed Sundays, Mondays, and Tuesdays.
The site is closed all major holidays during the April through October season: Good Friday, Memorial Day, Juneteenth, July 4, Labor Day, and Columbus Day.
Sat-Sun: April through June - Saturdays 10am-3pm.
A social narrative is a visual guide that outlines and describes what visitors will experience when visiting a historic site or museum.
Experience farm-life as it was in the past with family fun and history for kids and adults.
Please check out our quarterly newsletter with information about all of our historic sites.
Museums for All is an initiative of the Institute of Museum and Library Services. Visitors receiving SNAP benefits can gain entrance to more than 1,500 museums throughout the United States for a low cost or no admission fee. Fosterfields Living Historical Farm is proud to announce our participation in this project. Visitors with SNAP EBT cards can receive free general admission for up to four people and $5 admissions for special events.
Experience farm life as it was over 100 years ago at Fosterfields Living Historical Farm. Visit with the cows, sheep, goats, pigs, chickens, horses, ducks and turkeys that live on the farm. Visitors can help with farm tasks, like butter churning, corn cracking and collecting eggs, or enjoy a visit to The Willows, the fully restored 1854 Gothic Revival family home built by General Joseph Warren Revere, a grandson of Paul Revere.
Fosterfields Living Historical Farm is a tour on your own facility that allows patrons to visit at their own pace. Admission begins at the Visitor Center, which features the permanent exhibition: Driving into the 20th Century exhibition, a rotating exhibition gallery and public restrooms.
The farm is a five-minute walk from the Visitor Center. While exploring the farm, patrons can speak to costumed interpreters, meet the friendly farm animals, churn butter, feed chickens and much more!
Cost: $5 per person, 3 and under are free, excluding special events
Season: April 1 – October 31, select programming available in the off-season
Facility Hours:
* April – June: Wednesday – Saturday 10am – 3pm
* July- October: Wednesday – Sunday 10am – 3pm
Closed Sunday – Tuesday
Last admission to the farm is 3pm.
What is included? General admission includes access to our Visitor Center, exhibit area, farm, activities, and The Willow Mansion (select days only).
The Willows, built in 1854 for General Joseph Warren Revere, grandson of Paul Revere, will be closed for the 2025 season for Phase II of a restoration project. Phase two addresses the exterior envelope of the house, focusing on siding and masonry work. Funding has been made possible, in part, by the Preserve New Jersey Historic Preservation Fund
administered by the New Jersey Historic Trust/State of New Jersey.
Before you arrive:
- Explore our website’s calendar of events!
- Check our social media special events, demonstrations, programs and tour updates.
- Dress for the weather and wear comfortable walking shoes. Bring water, a hat, sunscreen, and bug spray as needed. Insects, including ticks, bees, and mosquitoes, are part of our ecosystem.
Please remember:
- Take photos! Photography for personal use is allowed, provided it does not disrupt other visitors. Commercial photography and filming, and similar types of photography require a permit. To obtain a permit contact tours@morrisparks.net
- Smoking, including the use of e-cigarettes, is strictly prohibited.
- Hands-on activities
- Farm Animals!
- Vintage Cars
- Historic House tours
- Seasonal public programs and special events for visitors of all ages.
Farming at Fosterfields Living Historical Farm can trace its roots to the early 1770s, when Jonathan Ogden built a two-story house on his 80-acre farm. General Joseph Warren Revere, a grandson of Paul Revere, purchased the Ogden farm in 1852. He built an impressive three-story, wooden-framed, Gothic Revival home he called “The Willows” in 1854. His occupancy of the site began an era of “gentleman farming” that continued into the 20th century.
Charles Foster began renting The Willows from Revere in 1879. Three years later he purchased the entire estate, and changed its name to Fosterfields. While staying active in his New York City commodities business, Charles Foster directed the daily operations of his farm. Foster introduced many innovative agricultural techniques including the early use of silage, importing Jersey cattle for breeding and dairy production and the use of steam powered harvesting and processing machinery. Charles Foster died in 1927, leaving his house, property, and holdings to his only surviving child, Caroline.
Caroline Foster lived at Fosterfields for nearly 100 years. She operated the farm as a business, much as her father had done before her. Miss Foster was known for her social connections, her skill at tennis and golf, her love of horse-drawn vehicles and an enthusiasm for gardening. Her familiarity with the open space and rural agrarian nature of the area, as well as estates of a bygone era, led her to bequeath her property (in 1979) to the Morris County Park Commission as the State’s first designated Living Historical Farm.
Click on the arrows to change the view for Spanish or English. Click on the image for a downloadable PDF version.
Accessibility Site Information
Fosterfields Living Historical Farm happily welcomes all visitors to its grounds and historic houses. We are continuously working to address the diversity of the public’s accessibility needs and are committed to providing first-rate service to all of our visitors. While we continue to work towards universal access for all, please note that there are still uneven public spaces throughout the farm.
Parking
Parking for Farm admission is located at 73 Kahdena Road, Morristown, NJ 07960. Upon reaching the main entrance, please utilize the parking spaces around the oval located in front of the Visitor’s Center, which is the red building adjacent to the parking lot. There are three accessible parking spaces in the parking lot.
Visitor’s Center
The entrance to the Visitor’s Center is accessible for both mobility devices and strollers. The accessible walkway area is orientated next to the accessible parking. The doors to the visitor center are not automatic, but are ADA regulation compliant.
The Visitor’s Center has two ADA bathrooms available for patrons, as well as seating for chair users in the exhibition hallway.
Farm Entrance
The entrance to the grounds is through the back vestibule in the Visitor’s Center. The accessible path to the farm is located to the left, following the white signs with the accessibility symbol. Visitors can take this path to The Transportation Exhibit, as well as to the farm.
The Transportation Exhibit
The exhibit is located in the lower level of the Visitor’s Center with an ADA accessible entrance from the exterior. The exhibit features several antique cars and carriages from our collection. There are interactives that are ground accessible.
Wheel Chair and Stroller Accessibility
The paths of Fosterfields are made of dirt and gravel. While this makes the farm accessible, it can also make traction difficult in some areas. Please refer to our site map icons to see what areas may be difficult. Please note, Fosterfields has access to an ADA golf cart that can assist visitors to different areas on the farm.
Areas of Interest on the Farm
Front Garden
The victory garden has grass paths. Stroller and mobility aid users may find this area difficult to traverse in wetter conditions.
Main Path Animals
This area is accessible by our dirt and gravel path. The animals off of the main path are moved frequently for grazing conditions.
Chicken Coop
Our chicken coop is a historic structure with no ADA accessibility into the coop. Accommodations can be made for those using mobility aids.
3-Sided Shed
This is the location of the corn cracking demonstration. This area has been newly renovated to allow for mobility aid users to access the stage area to participate in the demonstration.
Upper Barn
The Upper Barn has ramp that can be used to access the main floor. Please note, the main floor is historically restored and may be uneven in certain areas.
Lower Barn and Barnyard
The Lower Barn is accessible with a small lip to the entrance. The cow barn area might be more difficult to navigate.
The Barnyard is an open area where several of our animals can spend time during our open hours. It is gravel and can have hay and straw on it. Otherwise it offers good access points to view several of our animals.
Carriage House
The Carriage House is an ADA accessible area, where visitors can view our carriage collection and other farm equipment.
1915 Farmhouse and Restrooms
The 1915 Farmhouse is ADA accessible with a ramp off of the main entrance. There are five stairs to the front door as well. The farmhouse bathrooms, located at basement level with an exterior door are also ADA accessible.
The Creamery
The creamery is located adjacent to the 1915 Farmhouse. The building is accessible off of the path.
Caroline’s Cottage
Caroline’s Cottage is located off of the gravel path leading towards The Willows mansion. The cottage is accessible through the grass path and has two stairs to enter the building. The cottage is not ADA accessible. It has four stairs to enter the building.
The Willows Mansion The mansion is located at the top of the hill and is available for tours on 11 a.m. and 2 p.m. The first floor is wheelchair and stroller accessible only. There are three stairs and a ramp located off of the back entrance to allow for ease of access. Once in the back entrance, there is either one stair or a ramp to access the kitchen. The second floor is able to be viewed through a 360-degree tour available on visitor’s mobile devices.
