MUSEUM EXHIBITS

A wide variety of historical exhibits are on display at the Giffordtown Schoolhouse Museum including those listed below.

THE TUCKERTON WIRELESS

Various artifacts, and a collection of newspaper clippings and old photos involving the construction, operation, and demolition of the Tuckerton Wireless are on exhibit.

TELEPHONE SWITCHBOARD

Our Telephone Switchboard display brings back memories of party lines and Axtel phone numbers.

INDIAN ARTIFACTS

Indians not only lived out west. The Lenape Indians traveled to the Tuckerton shore area each summer. Come in and see some of the artifacts they left behind.

TUCKERTON RAILROAD

Railroad buffs will enjoy our Tuckerton Railroad display and looking through our albums of old Tuckerton Railroad train and station photos.You may also browse our collection of railroad tickets to many of the surrounding towns.

TUCKER'S ISLAND AND LIGHTHOUSE

Artifacts and photos of the small barrier island community and lighthouse that thrieved on Tucker's Island are on display. There are many photos of and memorabilia from the Rider family who tended the lighthouse for many years.

OUR QUAKER FRIENDS

For over 150 years the the dominant culture of our area was Quaker, symbolized by the Friends Meeting House, overlooking the Tuckerton Mill Pond. Our Friends Display Case causes us to pause and ponder their influence on our town.

CLAMMING AND OYSTERING

Clamming and oystering, now dying industries, thrived in Little Egg Harbor and Great Bay for almost two centuries. The tools of the trade are on display.

BYGONE STORES AND BUSINESSES

The Tuckerton of yesteryear had many stores and businesses that are no longer here. Come in and see a display of items from some of these bygone stores and businesses.

PORT OF ENTRY

Tuckerton was a Port of Delivery and Port of Entry for many years, beginning shortly after the founding of this nation. Items related to this history, some connected with Ebenezer Tucker, are on display.

OLD CLASSROOM

Since the Society's museum is located in the old Giffordtown Schoolhouse, the old classroom display is particularly fitting. Looking at the old desks, will bring back fond memories of a simpler time when ink wells and pen wipers were a regular part of our classroom routine.

TUCKERTON HIGH SCHOOL

Seats from the auditorium of the old Tuckerton High School line the wall below framed photos of various graduating classes. Come in and take a seat, close you eyes, and remember the many assemblies and programs that you enjoyed during your high school years. We may even have a copy of your old Yearbook or Class Photo.


On our old piano we have a series of Tuckerton High School sports photos.

MODELS

Various models are displayed throught the museum, illustrating the unique culture of Tuckerton as a coastal, bay community.

PORTRAITS AND PAINTINGS

A variety of portraits, paintings and framed photos and documents grace the museum walls, allowing visitors to realize that history is about real people and not just dates and events that we studied in school. The portraits of the "Bartlett Ladies" (photo, right) are a good example. Smile ladies!

If you have old photos of your ancesters, please bring them in and share them with us. We have the ability to scan them on our computer to save them for posterity.

OLD DOCUMENTS, LETTERS, AND NEWSPAPER CLIPPINGS

The Society has a varied collection of old documents, letters, and newspaper clippings related to local history. Some are on display or in albums, and others are in the files. Below is the latter portion of a 1725 Indenture wherein Jacob Henry Folkinbury [Falkenburg] sold one hundred acres of an island called Amincunk at Little Egg harbour in the western Division of New Jersey, called Henry Jacobs Island, to Richard Osborn for fifty pounds. The area was later known as Osborn Island. The original signatures and seal are intact.

OLD POSTCARDS

Enjoy looking at old postcards? Come in and look through our post card albums and see Tuckerton and surrounding towns as they were in the early to middle part of the 20th century.