This 1845 village was built by New York businessman David Felt. Today, it contains ten buildings and the archaeological remains of a community once populated, in part, by European immigrants. At its height, Feltville included a school, a church/general store, and a factory on the Blue Brook, while rows of cottages housed workers and their families.

David Felt sold Feltville in 1860. After several subsequent failed enterprises, it was reborn in 1882 as Glenside Park, a summer resort. Adirondack porches transformed the workers’ houses into vacation cottages enjoyed by city dwellers. Suburbanization led to the resort’s closure in 1916. Today, the Deserted Village is nestled in the Watchung Reservation, Union County’s 2,142-acre nature preserve.

Listed on the National and State Registers of Historic Places Operated by Union County Department of Parks and Recreation.

Featuring:
• Interpretive signage throughout (installed in 2017)
• Revolutionary War period cemetery
• Restored church/store building houses interpretive exhibits
• Restored Masker’s Barn carriage house, circa 1882

Year-Round Hours: Grounds open dawn to dusk;
Visitor Center: Saturdays, Sundays and holidays, noon – 5pm
For Directions, History, Events: ucnj.org/dv or call (908) 464-0145

Program Opportunities at the Deserted Village
The Deserted Village is one of 25 historic sites across Union County open to the general public on the 3rd weekend in October as part of the Four Centuries in a Weekend program. On Saturday and Sunday, visitors can take part in guided tours and view exhibits in the restored Church/Store. For more details, call (908) 789-3682.
Haunted Hayrides take place at the Deserted Village the weekend before Halloween and offer a mix of historical narrative, costumed characters and special effects. Tickets go on sale mid-September at the Trailside Nature & Science Center, 452 New Providence Road, Mountainside, NJ, (908) 789-3670.