Mount Tabor Porch & Garden Tour

This Fall, the Mount Tabor Historical Society again welcomes visitors for a special, outdoor-focused Tour to provide an enjoyable and safe event for our visitors and hosts. The all-outdoor, self-guided tour will take place on Saturday, September 24, 2022, rain or shine from 11am to 4pm.

This walkable tour of the Mount Tabor Historic District allows visitors to experience the unique qualities of this historic community focusing on its exuberant Victorian gingerbread porches and charming cottage gardens. As an added bonus, a select number of house interiors will be open for viewing. This tour highlights some of Mount Tabor’s most delightful and unique “hidden gardens” and showcases a variety of garden types, plants, and settings. Sit a spell and enjoy the view from select period porches and see how they define the character of our community. Porches and gardens can be visited in any order at any time, during the event window, allowing guests to go at their own pace. Tours begin at the check-in table located at the Old Firehouse on Simpson Avenue where those who purchased advance tickets can pick up their tour booklets with a self-guided map, or tickets can be purchased on the day of the tour.

Additional features include a furnished replica Camp Meeting Tent and the Richardson History House, a camp meeting cottage museum. A quilt show will be displayed in the historic Tabernacle. Stop by the gift shop, which is stocked with Mount Tabor souvenirs and vintage items. Box lunches are available by pre-order only.

Advance Tickets are $25 per person, or $35 with a box lunch, via online order or mailed check. Tickets also can be purchased for $30 on the day of the Tour. For advance tickets, information about the community, photos, and directions, visit our dedicated House Tour Event Page: https://mounttabornj.org, or call 973-975-0001.

Founded in 1869, the Mount Tabor Historic District embodies the distinctive characteristics of a permanent Methodist Camp Meeting Ground that evolved into a summer residential community. Particularly notable is the architecture of the early camp meeting Stick-Style and Gothic Revival-influenced cottages with their prominent steep gables, open porches, and elaborate gingerbread embellishments.

This event is the largest fundraiser for the Mount Tabor Historical Society. The non-profit organization puts all event proceeds back into the community through beautification, educational, and preservation projects, including the restoration of the Richardson History House.

Parking will be provided at the Mount Tabor School, located on Park Road, Morris Plains, off Route 53 (GPS: use 864 Park Rd. Morris Plains) where a shuttle bus will be available for transport into the heart of Mount Tabor. Mount Tabor is located in Morris County along Route 53 between Denville and Morris Plains. Visitors who prefer mass transit can take the NJ Transit Morris & Essex line to the Mount Tabor stop.