Header — Mount Tabor Historical Society

About Us

About Us

About the Mount Tabor Historical Society

Who are we?

The Mount Tabor Historical Society is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization whose purpose is to preserve and restore the Victorian heritage of Mount Tabor, NJ, to increase community awareness and participation in planning for the future, in harmony with its past. Formed in 1990 when several community-minded citizens organized to assemble a slide show — which became the video Mount Tabor: Then and Now — the all-volunteer organization is active in the community hosting educational activities, speakers, and programs for the public.

The Richardson History House Museum

The Mount Tabor Historical Society is a proud steward of the Richardson History House, a camp meeting cottage museum open to the public on the second Sunday of every month from 12 to 4 pm and by appointment. Funding for the restoration has been received from the Morris County Historic Preservation Fund, an operating expenses grant provided by the Morris County Heritage Commission, and proceeds from MTHS fundraisers such as our annual historic house tour and many individual donors.

To learn more about the rich history of Mount Tabor, you can visit the History page.

Our Collection

Over the years the Society has developed a growing collection of historic documents, photographs, postcards, and memorabilia.

Our collection is the result of generous gifts from friends and members over more than three decades. Many of these items are on display at the Richardson History House Museum, where they help bring the story of Mount Tabor's past to life.

National Register of Historic Places plaque
An album from our collection

Our mission is to preserve Mount Tabor's Victorian heritage and Methodist camp meeting legacy, while fostering community engagement in shaping a future that honors our past.

Supporting Our Community

The Mount Tabor Historical Society engages the community through educational programs, walking tours, and an annual Historic House Tour — and has played an active role in several lasting restoration projects in the historic district.

Mount Tabor Oral History

In 2025, the Historical Society partnered with Eagle Scout Noa Snook of Venture Crew 17 to create…

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Trinity Park Historic Lighting

Mt. Tabor installed lamp posts in Trinity Park, a central focal point of the community. The lamp posts were dedicated on… 

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Mount Tabor Arch Restoration

At one time, Mount Tabor was graced by an impressive welcoming sign which arched above… 

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All Community Projects

Supporting Our Community – Timeline
1991 Assembled the slide show/video — Mount Tabor: Then & Now
1991 – present Restored the tradition of providing ice cream to Children's Day parades
1992 Beautified the interior of the Mt. Tabor Library by stenciling the walls with period design
1992 Contributed to the restoration of the fountain in Trinity Park
1994 – present Created and launched the first of the now annual Historic House Tour
1994 Donated an antique Victorian urn to the Camp Meeting Association to commemorate Mount Tabor's 125th anniversary, contributing to a Victorian garden behind the Tabernacle
1995 Offered grants to homeowners for restoration projects
1997 Refinished the Tabernacle floors and refurbished the pews with the help of the AT&T Cares Program; provided new draperies in the Bethel (with the Garden Club)
1997 Assisted with the restoration of the Gazebo and surrounding area at the Main Park, and the community bulletin board
1998 – present Lent support to the "At the Tabernacle" Concerts; donated park benches
1999 Donated antique Victorian sconces and installed them in the Tabernacle
2001 With community support, restored the arch at the entrance of Mount Tabor
2003 Photography exhibit: Timeless Americana: A Visit to Mount Tabor, NJ for the Children's Day Parade, with photos by Kadie Dempsey
2004 A Victorian Tea with the program Unlacing the Victorian Woman held at the United Methodist Church; Trinity Park Historic Lighting Project
2006 – 2009 Created and operated Mount Tabor's first museum in the Manager's House
2006 – 2007 Authored Images of America – Mount Tabor with Arcadia Press, featuring over 200 historic photos
2007 Acquired the Richardson History House from Evelyn Clark to use as a house museum
2008 Painted the exterior of the Richardson History House; hosted the Antonio Petruccelli His Life & Art Exhibition
2011 – 2015 Facilitated the process to list the Mount Tabor Historic District on the State and National Registers of Historic Places
2011 – present Ongoing restoration of the Richardson History House
2012, 2015, 2017 Hosted Gifted & Talented students for walking tours focusing on architecture
2013 – present Participate in the Pathways of History Tour, Morris County's premier tour of volunteer-run historic sites
2014 Mid-Atlantic Regional Archives Conference CAPES Report; Morris County Heritage Commission General Operating Expenses Grant
2015 Produced a video featuring residents speaking about Mount Tabor; hosted the quarterly meeting of the League of Historical Societies of NJ with a walking tour and museum tours; Morris County Heritage Commission General Operating Expenses Grant
2016 New Jersey Association of Museums Artifact Assessment Program Survey Report; Morris County Heritage Commission Archive Grant
2017 Built bamboo fencing and a garden shed with Eagle Scout Erik Darlling of Troop 173
2018 – 2022 Assisted Mount Tabor Arts Collaborative with the annual Ghost Walk event
2018 Created a stepped bluestone pathway between the museum and Bethel and restored the river-rock swale with Eagle Scout Galen Wu of Troop 173
2019 Presented Cottage Communities: The American Camp Meeting Movement by author Sarah Hines
2021, 2022, 2025 Hosted Gifted & Talented students for walking tours featuring architecture
2022 Presentation to Lake Hiawatha Elementary students about the history of Mount Tabor
2023 Created Discover Historic Mount Tabor: A Digitally Enhanced Walking Tour with Eagle Scout Eashan Iyer of Troop 173
2024 Hosted ESL students on a field trip using the Digitally Enhanced Walking Tour to reinforce language building and map-reading curriculum
2025 Created the Mount Tabor Oral History Project with Eagle Scout Noa Snook of Venture Crew 17

Mount Tabor Oral History Project

In 2025, the Historical Society partnered with Eagle Scout Noa Snook of Venture Crew 17 to create the Mount Tabor Oral History Project — a collection of recorded interviews capturing the memories and experiences of longtime residents and community members.

The project preserves living history in the voices of the people who lived it, adding a personal dimension to the documented record of Mount Tabor’s past.

Coming Soon

Trinity Park Historic Lighting Project

In September 2004, Mt. Tabor unveiled ten new lamp posts in Trinity Park, a beloved centerpiece of the community, marking the completion of a project that had begun three years earlier.

The effort traces its roots to March 2001, when residents identified a need for better lighting along the park’s pathways. The Mt. Tabor Historical Society and the Beautification Committee of the Camp Meeting Association joined forces to find fixtures that would honor the character of this 19th-century park, nestled among Victorian cottages, historic public buildings, and the iconic Tabernacle. Drawing on photographs from the late 1800s, the committee selected a design closely modeled after the oil-burning lamp posts that once graced the park, a choice intended to restore a sense of the area’s storied past.

Funding for the fixtures came entirely from generous donations by individuals and organizations, each of whom is recognized by a plaque affixed to their respective post. The Historical Society and Camp Meeting Association jointly covered the remaining installation costs.

To everyone who contributed time, resources, or support: thank you for helping preserve the spirit of this special place.

Arch Restoration Project

In 2001 we celebrated the reconstruction of a decorative iron arch at the entrance to Mt. Tabor closest to Dickerson Rd. at Rt. 53. The original arch was in place around the turn of the 20th century, and the reproduction was a project of the Mount Tabor Historical Society and the Beautification Committee of the Camp Meeting Association. It was completed in June of 2001, and helps one to visualize how Mt. Tabor appeared to people arriving by train, as many did.

This project was made possible by contributions from individuals, from the Camp Meeting Association, and from money the Mt. Tabor Historical Society raises from events such as the annual House Tour.

  • Get to know your neighbors and get involved in your community

Want to Get Involved? We always have more fantastic ideas and plans than we have member-volunteer hours! We need your energy and ideas. Get to know your neighbors and get involved in your community. 

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