History buffs and curious neighbors alike will get a rare look behind the front doors of some of Bordentown City's oldest buildings this Saturday, when the Bordentown Historical Society hosts its annual Fall House Tour from 1 to 5 p.m. The self-guided walking tour kicks off at the Bordentown Historical Society Meeting House at 302 Farnsworth Ave., where attendees can pick up maps and brochures before setting out to explore the city's architectural past.
According to TAPinto, the tour includes stops at seven private homes and six historic sites, while Princeton Info reports the lineup features six private homes alongside six historic sites. Either way, it's a sizable slice of Bordentown City's past on display in a single afternoon, with two churches on the tour marking milestone anniversaries of 275 years and 185 years of service to the community.
How to Get In the Door
Day-of-event ticket sales begin at noon at the Meeting House, per the same Princeton Info account, giving latecomers a shot at joining in before the 1 p.m. start. Tickets cost $30 for historical society members and for nonmembers who purchase in advance, while nonmembers buying on the day of the tour will pay $35.
Those who'd rather lock in their spot early can find advance tickets online at bordentownhistory.org or in person at Icon Boutique, 204 Farnsworth Ave. Anyone with questions about the tour can reach out to Sarah Tizzano, the listed contact for event details, by email at [email protected] or by phone at 609-578-7781.
Funding a Bigger Preservation Push
Proceeds from the fundraiser go toward the historical society's broader preservation and educational efforts, the organization notes. That mission has recently centered on the Clara Barton Schoolhouse, where the society says it completed an initial restoration phase that included installing a new wood-shingle roof with protective treatment, repairing exterior woodwork, and adding historically accurate plantings.
The Bordentown Historical Society has since been awarded a New Jersey Historic Trust grant to carry that restoration work into its next planned phases, part of what the organization calls its top priority: preserving Bordentown's rich history. It's a goal that threads directly through Saturday's tour, which doubles as both a community open house and a fundraising engine for projects like the schoolhouse work.
The Fall House Tour isn't a brand-new tradition, either — a 2024 report from TAPinto noted the event returning for the first time since the pandemic, underscoring how the tradition has rebuilt momentum in the years since. For the latest on this and future Bordentown Historical Society events, residents can check the organization's website.
