New Providence in Union County, New Jersey — The American Northeast (Mid-Atlantic)
Garrison-Dickinson-Genung House ⎯⎯⎯ Salt Box Museum
Photographed by Robert Keller, July 19, 2024
1. Garrison-Dickinson-Genung House
Inscription.
Garrison-Dickinson-Genung House, also, Salt Box Museum. .
Garrison-Dickinson-Genung House circa 1842. The east half of this house was built c. 1842 for Augustus Garrison, a local farmer and sexton of the New Providence Presbyterian Church. It was constructed on the west bank of the Salt Brook as a simple two-story structure directly across Springfield Ave. from its current location. In 1845, Augustus sold his home to Caleb Dickinson and migrated to Indiana. Years later, a period house from another location was joined to it and the steep gable roof was extended to create additional rooms. At that time, it assumed its traditional saltbox shape. , ( back )
Salt Box Museum 1967. The Genung family was the last to occupy the old saltbox house. In June 1967, the newly formed New Providence Historical Society saved it from demolition by relocating it across Springfield Ave. to its current location. A community-wide effort raised funds for the move and restoration. Residents donated artifacts to furnish it as a typical mid-19th-century farmhouse. The Salt Box Museum was established and continues to serve its purpose of educating generations about the local American experience by preserving and illuminating the past.
Garrison-Dickinson-Genung House
circa 1842
The east half of this house was built c. 1842 for Augustus Garrison, a local farmer and sexton of the New Providence Presbyterian Church. It was constructed on the west bank of the Salt Brook as a simple two-story structure directly across Springfield Ave. from its current location. In 1845, Augustus sold his home to Caleb Dickinson and migrated to Indiana. Years later, a period house from another location was joined to it and the steep gable roof was extended to create additional rooms. At that time, it assumed its traditional saltbox shape.
( back )
Salt Box Museum
1967
The Genung family was the last to occupy the old saltbox house. In June 1967, the newly formed New Providence Historical Society saved it from demolition by relocating it across Springfield Ave. to its current location. A community-wide effort raised funds for the move and restoration. Residents donated artifacts to furnish it as a typical mid-19th-century farmhouse. The Salt Box Museum was established and continues to serve its purpose of educating generations about the local American experience
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by preserving and illuminating the past.
Erected 2023 by New Providence Historical Society.
Topics. This historical marker is listed in this topic list: Architecture. A significant historical year for this entry is 1842.
Location. 40° 42.296′ N, 74° 24.515′ W. Marker is in New Providence, New Jersey, in Union County. It is on Springfield Avenue (County Road 512) east of Ridgeview Avenue, on the right when traveling east. Touch for map. Marker is at or near this postal address: 1350 Springfield Avenue, New Providence NJ 07974, United States of America. Touch for directions.
Regionally, this marker is in New Jersey’s North Jersey, in Greater Newark, and in the New York City Metropolitan Area. It is also in the American Northeast, in the Mid-Atlantic, and on the Eastern Seaboard. Globally, it is in the North Atlantic Region, North America, the Western Hemisphere, the Western World, and the Anglosphere. Historically, it finds itself in what was once New Netherland and also one of the original Thirteen Colonies.
Other nearby markers. At least 8 other markers are within one mile of this marker, measured as the crow
Credits. This page was last revised on July 21, 2024. It was originally submitted on July 19, 2024, by Robert Keller of New Providence, New Jersey. This page has been viewed 312 times since then and 60 times this year. Photos:1, 2. submitted on July 19, 2024, by Robert Keller of New Providence, New Jersey. • Michael Herrick was the editor who published this page.
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