Macculloch Hall
Benjamin Rittenhouse: Revolutionary Timekeeper
By Senior Museum Researcher and Interpreter Cynthia Winslow As the nation commemorates its 250th anniversary, Macculloch Hall Historical Museum (MHHM) continues its America at 250: One Place, Many Stories series by highlighting another craftsman turned patriot. This installment features an 18th-century tall case clock signed by Benjamin Rittenhouse (1740–1825). Dating to 1770-1780, the clock has…
Read MoreDorothea Miller Post and the Women’s Land Army
By Senior Museum Researcher and Interpreter Cynthia Winslow Continuing a family tradition of civic involvement established by her great-grandmother Louisa Macculloch (1785–1863) and grandmother Mary Louisa Macculloch Miller (1804–1888), Dorothea “Dolly” (Miller) Post (1878–1947) actively contributed to the Women’s Land Army (WLA) during World War I. Established by women’s universities in the United States, the…
Read MoreBenjamin Randolph: Master Craftsman Turned Patriot
By Senior Museum Researcher and Interpreter Cynthia Winslow “One Place, Many Stories” is the theme of Macculloch Hall Historical Museum’s programming during America’s 250th commemoration, and as part of this observance, the Museum is highlighting a remarkable piece from its collection attributed to cabinetmaker Benjamin Randolph. This mahogany two-chair-back settee, crafted circa 1765–1770 before the…
Read MoreBehind the Story of a Portrait of a Patriot
Visitors instantly recognize George Washington’s likeness—but few know the deeper story behind this portrait. From Charles Willson Peale’s realistic artistry to the Wilson family who first commissioned it, this article reveals the people, symbolism, and legacy preserved within the canvas.
Read MoreGarden Club of Morristown Continues More Than 40-Year Tradition of Decorating Macculloch Hall Historical Museum for the Holidays
Morristown Garden Club Continues More Than 40-Year Tradition of Decorating Macculloch Hall Historical Museum for the Holidays
Read MorePotatoes Past and Present
During summer 2018 MHHM grew potatoes in the nineteenth-century kitchen garden. Though this was the first time the museum grew potatoes in the garden, the potato has a long and esteemed history at Macculloch Hall. The first documented potato planting at Macculloch Hall was recorded by George Macculloch in 1829, the year he began keeping…
Read MoreThe Hudson-Fulton Celebration of 1909
107th Anniversary of Hudson-Fulton Earlier this month the 107th anniversary of the Hudson-Fulton Celebration of 1909 passed, without public notice. That spectacular two-week celebration took place in New York Harbor upon the 300th anniversary of Henry Hudson’s discovery of the river that would be named after him. The celebration also commemorated the 110th anniversary of…
Read MoreLafayette’s Visit: Eyewitness to History
September is the birthday month of the Marquis de Lafayette, the French hero of the American Revolution who in 1780 brought news to General Washington in Morristown that the French fleet was sailing to help the colonists. Forty-five years later on Bastille Day, July 14, 1825, Lafayette returned to Morristown escorted by the Morris cavalry.…
Read MoreHenry William Miller, Civil War Naval Hero
On June 10, 1857 two young Midshipmen graduated from the Naval Academy at Annapolis. Henry William Miller (1836-1909), grandson of George Perrot Macculloch and Henry Davis Todd (1838-1907), uncle of W. Parsons Todd (1877-1976), the founder of Macculloch Hall Historical Museum. After graduation, they were both assigned to the USS Mohican on anti-slavery patrol off…
Read MoreJ.P. Morgan Sends Grandma a Birthday Gift
Mary Louisa Macculloch Miller’s Birthday It’s May 20, 1878, and the family has gathered at the “Old House” to celebrate Mary Louisa Macculloch Miller’s seventy-fourth birthday. Mary was the daughter of George and Louisa Macculloch. This photo was taken on the front porch of Macculloch Hall to mark this annual event. Her daughters, Edwina and…
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