VISITOR INFORMATION
Rockingham's Historic House Is Ready
for It's Close-Up!
The paint has dried, the fencing is gone and we are ready to reopen for guided tours of the interior, starting on Saturday, September 2! Reservations are required for entrance to the house (guided tours only!) and can be made through Eventbrite.
For the past six-months-plus, the house and the grounds around it have been closed to visitors in order to accommodate the exterior renovation from top (roofing) to bottom (stone porch) that was done as the first-step of a multi-phase refurbishment of the whole site, including having the parking lot paved; improving the pathways from the parking lot to the various buildings, especially for ADA accommodation; renovating the exterior of the stone building/museum store; and updating signage throughout the site. This is all being done in order to get us ready for the multi-year 250th anniversary of the American Revolution, the birth of our country and the commemoration of our whole, multi-faceted history!
There are still a few minor exterior tweaks that won’t affect the interior to be attended to and the grounds around the house are a bit ragged (as we wait for the grass to regrow over disturbed soil and straw protective mesh to disintegrate before major mowing), but otherwise we are ready to go! Here are some updated photos (to the right) of the renovations progress. More photos of the house before, during and after the renovation can been seen on the Rockingham Historic Site Facebook page!
We are planning a more formal Grand Reopening ceremony in the fall, so stay tuned!
Entrance to the Historic House is by Guided Tour ONLY:
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Pre-registration is required to guarantee admittance.
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Please go to rockingham1783.eventbrite.com to see the dates and times that the tour is offered and to obtain your free tickets for the tour
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Tickets must be booked at least 24 hours ahead of each tour time. [Drop-in visitors MAY be accomodated less than 24 hours ahead IF conditions allow, by calling 609-683-7132]
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Due to house constraints, standard tour size is limited to ten (10) people.
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For groups of eleven (11) or more, or for organized groups of any size, reservations must be made at least one month in advance by calling the office @ 609-683-7132 to arrange a time.
The tour includes the first and second floor to the historic house. At the beginning of the tour please inform the docent of inability to climb the stairs and accommodation will be made to the best of our ability. Photography, (including videotaping), candy, food & drink are not permitted in the historic house. We ask that, in order to protect the historic house & collections and to ensure their preservation for future generations, visitors please refrain from touching or leaning on furnishings and historic structural elements. Limited seating is provided in each room.
Rockingham Historic Site
P.O. Box 496
Kingston, NJ 08528
Office: (609) 683-7132
Site Curator Lisa Flick: rockingham1783@dep.nj.gov
Rockingham Association: rmhistory1783@aol.com
Directions
From Princeton follow Route 27 (Nassau Street/ Princeton-Kingston Road/ Main Street) north into Kingston. Turn left on to Laurel Avenue (Route 603). Rockingham is one mile north, on the left (west) side of the road. The parking lot is past the house and tree line, also on the left.
From Route 206 in the Montgomery area follow Route 518 east through Rocky Hill, across the Millstone River and D&R Canal bridges. Turn right onto Route 603 (Kingston-Rocky Hill Rd.) at the light. Travel south for approximately one mile. The entrance to the parking lot is on the right (west), shortly past the entrance to Trap Rock Industries, marked by a brown sign with white lettering and a small section of wood fencing.
GPS Coordinates (84 Laurel Avenue, Franklin Township, NJ)
House - 40° 23' 02.92" N 74° 37' 08.82" W
Parking Entrance - 40° 23' 11.31" N 74° 37' 17.54" W
Handicap Access
There is handicap parking in the parking lot. However, if walking will be too difficult through the woods and approximately 250 yards to the house, please call the office (609) 683-7132 for information regarding closer access.
Admission
Free, except for group reservations ($3 per person--13 yrs. & up, $1 per child--6 to 12 years, payable at time of tour); donations to The Rockingham Association are always greatly appreciated!
Visitor Center and Museum Store
Although not original to Rockingham, the charming 100-year-old stone building is open for certain events, serving as both a visitor center and a museum shop, operated by volunteers of The Rockingham Association. Newly arrived guests at Rockingham may stop by to pick up maps, brochures and other site literature, and purchase a wide variety of toys, gifts, and sundries.