Public open house hours have returned to historic Barclay Farmstead. The historic site reopened for the spring season on March 1.
From noon to 4 p.m. every first Sunday through November, members of the public will enjoy tours of the 198-year-old Farmstead, guided by the Friends of Barclay. From 1 to 3 p.m., children can also take part in a themed craft activity.
“Cherry Hill is fortunate to have access to historic properties like Barclay Farmstead and nearby Croft Farm,” said Mayor Chuck Cahn. “These sites showcase many of the qualities that make Cherry Hill such a vibrant town: our rich history and culture, arts, recreation and education. I encourage everyone to take an afternoon and explore these pieces of Cherry Hill’s past.”
This season, the Farmstead features a newly installed ADA-accessible walkway that will make it easier for guests with disabilities to enter the property through its front door. New virtual tours of the entire Barclay property are available to enhance the experience for guests with limited mobility, as well.
Tours are scheduled on the first Sunday of every month and every Wednesday, from March to November. Every First Sunday event features a different family-friendly craft. Past crafts have included quill pen writing, making cloth dolls, whirligigs and Molly caps, children’s games of the 1800s, and an old-fashioned laundry demonstration.
Admission is free for all Cherry Hill residents, children under 12, and members of the Friends of Barclay Farmstead. Non-resident admission is $5 for adults and $3 for seniors and students 13 and over.
In addition to tours of the farmhouse, visitors are encouraged to explore the farmstead’s beautiful 32-acre property, which includes historic outbuildings, an apple orchard, a playground, a shaded picnic area and nationally-recognized interpretive nature trails.
Listed on the New Jersey and National Registers of Historic Places, the Barclay Farmstead captures the agrarian heritage that dominated the South Jersey landscape in the early 19th century. Now owned and operated by Cherry Hill Township with assistance from the Friends of Barclay Farmstead, the house and grounds are open seasonally for tours, programs, events and exhibits.
In addition to its public hours, the farmstead serves as the backdrop for Cherry Hill’s free Music Under the Stars summer concert series, which takes place every Tuesday evening in July, and a special Holiday House hosted by the Friends of Barclay each November.
For more information, contact the Barclay Farmstead at (856) 795–6225 or [email protected]. Be sure to follow @HistoricBarclay on Twitter and the Barclay Farmstead on Facebook, for upcoming events and activities throughout the year.
