Vernon Township Historical Society
Founded in 1970, the Vernon Township Historical Society has been instrumental in the preservation and protection of many historic sites, archives, and other resources. The Society currently consists of a 10-member Board of Trustees, a president, vice-president, secretary, treasurer, curator, and membership. The Society meets once a month on the third Friday at 7 p.m. at the Senior Citizen Center on Church Street in the municipal building. The public is invited to attend and is encouraged to join the society.
The Society is also instrumental in preserving and protecting historical sites. Vernon Township has two sites that are listed on the New Jersey and National Registers of Historic Places, both of which the Society was instrumental in nominating and preserving.
The Society maintained an office in the Vernon Township Municipal Building on Church Street in Vernon from the late 1980s until January 2012 when it moved into its new museum headquarters and permanent home the Vernon Township Board of Education gave to the society at 293 Route 94 in Vernon, New Jersey. The BOE deeded the building to the Township of Vernon for the express purpose of dedicating the building for the Vernon Township Historical Society. This is a long time and well-respected tradition of Boards of Education and governing bodies throughout our neighboring communities where their history and historical societies are valued for generations to come.
The society’s many programs, events, snd meetings are held at our museum throughout the year. Our monthly trustee meetings and monthly scenic byway management plan committee meetings are also held at our museum. The public is welcome to attend any of our meetings.
Also, on the first Sunday of every month, the public may view the Society’s genealogy archives from 1-4 p.m., when a genealogy expert will assist to research family histories. We are also open many times each month and always at any time by appointment. We also accommodate school groups, scouts, and senior citizens at our museum. The Society also maintains the one-room schoolhouse on Price’s Switch Road in Vernon and sponsors educational programs there and in Vernon Township Schools. Our Barrett House Museum is now closed, as the building is not suitable for housing sensitive archives.
Our Education Committee, consisting of Fran Boltz, Jessi Paladini, Nancy Adam, and Dick Wetzel, goes into township schools for special presentations and also upon special request of the schools. Each spring, the Society does a hands-on archaeology program for township sudents and in August a hands-on program at the one-room Price’s Switch Schoolhouse.
All of our members are volunteers who are dedicated to the preservation of our historic and cultural resources and in educating the public on Vernon Township’s rich history.
Officers
President – Jessi Paladini
Vice President – Shirley Baldwin
Treasurer – Nancy Adam
Secretary – Linda Winters
Board of Trustees
Nancy Adam
Shirley Baldwin
Richard Carson
Therese McClachrie
Jessi Paladini
Linda Winters
Positions
Vernon Township Historical Society Ambassador | Shirley Baldwin
Genealogist | Lisaann Permunian
Honorary Lifetime Trustee | Ronald J. Dupont Jr.
Our Meetings
Vernon Township Historical Society
P.O. Box 387Vernon, NJ 07462973-764-6545
Meetings are held every third Friday of the month at the Senior Citizen Center Vernon Municipal Building
21 Church Street
Vernon, NJ 07462
7 p.m.
Western Highlands Scenic Byway Committee Meetings are held four times a year on a Thursday night at 7 p.m.
