Field Trip to Historic Oakley Farm & Schoolhouses

Join us for a  guided tour of historic Oakley Farm, West Freehold & Georgia Road Schoolhouses.

Total Time: Approx 2 hours

Details:  

-Parking onsite

-Wear comfortable shoes

-Please be courteous and attentive during docent presentation.

Limited to 20 people

RSVP by Tuesday, May 10

OAKLEY FARM

THE OAKLEY FARM BEGAN IT'S HISTORIC STORY IN 1686 AND BECAME HOME TO 3 GENERATIONS OF WALKERS.  GEORGE WALKER AND HIS TWO ELDEST SONS FOUGHT IN THE REVOLUTIONARY WAR AND ALL THREE FOUGHT IN THE BATTLE OF MONMOUTH.  THROUGH THE YEARS THE FARM WAS OWNED BY VARIOUS MEN WHO SAW IT BECOME A DISTILLERY AND A WORKING FARM THAT WAS, ULTIMATELY, OWNED BY A WOMAN WHO BECAME MANAGER OF THE FARM ALONG WITH HER MOTHER.  THIS PROPERTY IS NOW LISTED ON THE NATIONAL REGISTER OF HISTORIC PLACES SINCE 1994.  ENJOY A RELAXING WALK THROGH HISTORY AS WE TOUR THE FARMHOUSE AND BARN AND SEE HOW THE 336 YEARS FROM THE BEGINNING UNTIL TODAY BRINGS THE PAST ALIVE AGAIN.

WEST FREEHOLD SCHOOLHOUSE

LOCATED IN WHAT WAS ONCE KNOWN AS MOUNTS CORNER, THE SCHOOL WAS BUILT IN 1847 ON LAND PURCHASED FOR $25.00.  ONCE PART OF THE RULIF R. SCHANCK FARMSTEAD, NOW THE OAKLEY FARM MUSEUM, IT OPERATED UNTIL 1937 WHEN SCHOOLS IN FREEHOLD TOWNSHIP WERE CONSOLIDATED AND MOVED INTO THE WEST FREEHOLD SCHOOL.

GEORGIA ROAD SCHOOLHOUSE

THIS SCHOOLHOUSE AND THE WEST FREEHOLD SCHOOLHOUSE ARE THE ONLY TWO ORIGINAL SCHOOLHOUSES REMAINING IN THE TOWNSHIP.  SITUATED ON A PARCEL OF LAND THAT WAS GRANTED TO THE TOWNSHIP FROM THE PROPRIETORS OF EAST JERSEY IN 1735.  A STIPULATION ON THE ORIGINAL DEED WAS THAT THE PROPERTY MUST ALWAYS BE USED FOR EDUCATION.  THIS SCHOOL WAS IN CONTINUOUS OPERATION FROM 1735 UNTIL 1956.