This American Civil War veteran’s cottage stands next to the Rahway River, near the 18th-century river crossing of “Crane’s Ford.” The house is an outstanding example of Andrew Jackson Downing architecture, and is dressed in its original 1870s Victorian colors.

This museum offers a rare glimpse of the modest life of a veteran’s family during the Victorian era of opulence. Permanent and changing exhibits display items from the Cranford Historical Society’s collections of clothing, tools, and other objects of local history.

The house has been named to “Save America’s Treasures” by the White House and the National Trust for Historic Preservation. It is among only 27 such sites in New Jersey, and is the only “American Treasure” in Union County.

The library and archives of the Cranford Historical Society are located in its headquarters at Hanson House, nearby at 38 Springfield Avenue.

Listed on the National and State Registers of Historic Places
Operated by the Cranford Historical Society

For Hours: cranfordhistoricalsociety.com or call (908) 276-0082