The Stickley Museum at Craftsman Farms, which has been closed since the pandemic, received a warm welcome back from the community. Vianella Burns, Patch StaffPARSIPPANY, NJ — A piece of Parsippany history that has been closed since 2020 is now back, as local dignitaries and community members gathered last weekend to celebrate its grand reopening.The Stickley Museum at Craftsman Farms (SMCF) in Parsippany-Troy Hil...
The Stickley Museum at Craftsman Farms, which has been closed since the pandemic, received a warm welcome back from the community.
Vianella Burns, Patch Staff
PARSIPPANY, NJ — A piece of Parsippany history that has been closed since 2020 is now back, as local dignitaries and community members gathered last weekend to celebrate its grand reopening.
The Stickley Museum at Craftsman Farms (SMCF) in Parsippany-Troy Hills is open to the public again, with its ribbon-cutting ceremony coinciding with its 35th anniversary and reopening after being closed due to the pandemic and a damaging storm.
The event, attended by nearly 100 people, featured a ribbon-cutting for the newly restored Log House, Annex Visitor Pavilion and Log House Kitchen, according to county officials.
It also served as an opportunity to honor former Parsippany-Troy Hills Councilman Michael dePierro for his nearly 60 years of dedicated public service, including his leadership in the campaign to purchase Craftsman Farms, saving it from demolition for a housing development.
The museum, which closed in March 2020, underwent extensive restoration after sustaining damage from Tropical Storm Isaias. The reopening showcased additional improvements, all aligned with the museum’s mission to preserve and interpret Gustav Stickley’s vision for Craftsman Farms, officials said.
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“We are excited to see the Stickley Museum reopen after all these years. Morris County has proudly invested nearly $1.2 million over the past two decades to help preserve and restore the remarkable structures at Craftsman Farms,” said Commissioner Deputy Director Stephen Shaw. “Today, this dedication reflects our shared commitment to protecting the historical and cultural fabric of our community.”
Stickley, a leader in the American Arts and Crafts movement, owned the 650-acre property that the 1911 Log House sits on. It contributes to the National Historic Landmark and the NJ Register.
The garage and workshop building at Craftsman Farms was constructed in 1912, just a year after the main log house at this National Historic Landmark site. Following a major fire around 1950, the upper portion of the structure was rebuilt as two residential apartments.
In 1989, the township acquired the remaining 30 acres of Craftsman Farms, which was designated a historic landmark the following year. Today, the nonprofit Stickley Museum shares its story with Stickley enthusiasts around the world.
For more information about the Stickley Museum and upcoming events, visit stickleymuseum.org.
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