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Essex County Historic Holiday House Tour: December 6 & 7
December 6, 2025 @ 8:00 am - December 8, 2025 @ 5:00 pm
Essex County, NJ – Essex County Executive Joseph N. DiVincenzo, Jr. invites the public to celebrate the holiday season and participate in the Annual Essex County Historic Holiday House Tour. This year’s tour includes nine Essex County historic sites, which will be decorated for the holidays and open to the public for a weekend tour. The tour includes Essex County Kip’s Castle and the Walther House at the Essex County Presby Memorial Iris Gardens. The self-guided house tour will be held Saturday, December 6th and Sunday, December 7th at the following locations:
Essex County Kip’s Castle Park
22 Crestmont Road, Verona
973-433-7469; www.essexcountynj.org
Admission is free. Open Saturday and Sunday from 12-4 p.m.
Walther House at the Essex County Presby Memorial Iris Gardens
474 Upper Mountain Avenue, Upper Montclair
973-783-5974; www.presbyirisgardens.org
Admission is free. Open Saturday and Sunday from 12 noon to 3 p.m.
Blanchard Estate
100 Blanchard Road, South Orange
973-803-9390; yvonne@patterson-foundation.org
Admission is $20 for adults; free for children and students. Reservations are encouraged. For information, email info@pattersonfoundation.org.
Glenmont at Thomas Edison National Historic Park
211 Main Street, West Orange
973-736-0550
Admission is $15 per person and free for children under 16. Tickets must be purchased at the Laboratory Complex Visitor Center the day of the tour and includes access to the Laboratory Complex. Open Saturday and Sunday from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.
Grover Cleveland Birthplace
207 Bloomfield Avenue, Caldwell
973-226-0001; visitgcb@dep.nj.gov
Free admission. Open Saturday and Sunday.
Kingsland Manor
3 Kingsland Street, Nutley
973-661-3410; www.kingslandmanor.org
Admission is free. Donations are gratefully appreciated. Open Saturday and Sunday from 1- 4 p.m.
Montclair Historical Society Property: Crane House and Historic YWCA
108 Orange Road, Montclair
973-744-1796; www.montclairhistorical.org
Admission is $5 per adult; free for children under 12. Open Saturday and Sunday from 12 noon to 3 p.m.
The Newark Museum of Art – The Ballantine House
49 Washington Street, Newark
973-596-6550; www.newarkmuseumart.org
Open Saturday and Sunday from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.
Van Tassel Funeral Home
337 Belleville Avenue, Bloomfield
973-743-1234; www.vantasselfuneralhome.com
Admission is free. Open Saturday from 12 noon to 4 p.m.
“The Holiday House Tour is a great example of organizations throughout the County pooling their resources to create a wonderful event for families to enjoy and to provide insight into how past holidays were celebrated,” DiVincenzo said. “Take a break from the hustle and bustle this December and visit local homes and landmarks that will have decked the halls in holiday extravagance for one spectacular weekend. Tour historic Essex County with your friends and delight in the spirit of the season,” DiVincenzo said.
The public can visit each site at their own pace. The houses will be exquisitely decorated for the holidays and be open for public viewing. Each site will offer something unique, including musical entertainment, refreshments or educational programs. There may be an admission fee at some locations. For more information, please call 973-268-3500 or visit www.essexcountynj.org.
The Essex County Park System was created in 1895 and is the first county park system established in the United States. The Park System consists of more than 6,000 acres and has 23 parks, five reservations, an environmental center, a zoo, Treetop Adventure Course, ice skating rink, roller skating rink, three public golf courses, golf driving range, two miniature golf courses, six off-leash dog facilities, a castle and the Presby Memorial Iris Gardens.
