Historic Walnford

      Thursday, May 19, 2022: I started this day by visiting Historical Walnford, 62 Walnford Road, Upper Freehold, New Jersey (609-259-6275). This historic Monmouth County village at its height in the early 1800s had around 50 people living there and working on the farm in the fields, orchards, mills, and elsewhere. By the latter part of the 19th century, most agriculture and milling moved west partly due to the railroads. During most of the 20th century, this village became a retreat for its owners. In 1985, the owners donated this property to the Monmouth County Park System. On the day I was there, a guide greeted me as I walked through a corn crib. The nearby former wagon house showed texts and pictures that gave visitors a good introduction to the history of this place. Afterward, I saw the different buildings, some of which I could enter. One of those buildings, the 1879 carriage house, displayed a carriage, a sidesaddle, and harnesses to either ride a horse or for the horse to pull a vehicle. The highlight of my visit, however, became the tour of the 1743 Waln House! Here I looked at rooms on both floors from an 18th century kitchen with an open-hearth fireplace, to a fancy parlor—but not too ostentatious because the Waln family were Quakers. One room showed different styled chairs from the 18th-, 19th-, and 20th-century. I also noticed some of the Waln family portraits. My second-favorite building was the 1872 grist mill. In here I observed pictures and texts, as well as milling machines and other equipment that explained the everyday operation of the mills and their value to the community. For the rest of this 36-acre village, I glanced at other buildings from the 1700s, 1800s, and 1900s near Crosswicks Creek. It made for a good day in the country.