Morven Museum and Gardens’ annual Grand Homes & Gardens Speaker Series returns on a weekly basis from Tuesday, March 5 through Wednesday, March 27.
The theme for this 2024 Signature event, is “Stately Homes: Exploring U.S. Governors’ Mansions and Gardens.”
Homes to generations of state leaders and their families, governors’ mansions have been staples of the American landscape since the country’s founding. From refurbished sites of historical significance to bespoke masterpieces, the grand homes and gardens of U.S. governors offer a unique glimpse into how architecture, interior design, and landscapes can serve a civic purpose.
Join Morven (New Jersey’s first executive mansion) to explore four current governor’s mansions, traveling from New Jersey to Virginia, Hawai’i, and Maine. Learn from experts about how these spaces were created to embody the state and the people they seek to represent. All talks begin at 6:30 p.m.
Up first, on Tuesday, March 5, explore Drumthwacket: New Jersey’s Governor’s Mansion, presented by Drumthwacket docent, Chuck Johnson. Spanning multiple periods of U.S. history, Drumthwacket, New Jersey’s governor’s mansion, is one of the nation’s most elegant and fascinating residences. Originally built in 1835, it was named the official governor’s residence of New Jersey in 1981.
Next, on Wednesday, March 13, travel back in time at First House: Virginia’s Executive Mansion, presented by historian Mary Miley Theobald, author of “First House: Two Centuries with Virginia’s First Families.” First inhabited in 1813 by Governor James Barbour, Virginia’s executive mansion is the oldest continuously occupied governors’ residence in the United States.
On Wednesday, March 20, visit Washington Place: The People’s Home of Hawai’i, presented virtually from Hawai’i by Travis Hancock, curator of Washington Place. Washington Place, a National Historic Landmark, is the only official governor’s residence in the U.S. that was also home to a monarch.
Last, on Wednesday, March 27, travel to The Blaine House: Home to Maine’s Governors, presented virtually from Maine by Earle Shettleworth, the Maine State Historian. In 1862, the house became the residence of James G. Blaine who would go on to serve as a Speaker of the U.S. House of Representatives, a U.S. Senator, Secretary of State, and, finally, a Republican candidate for president in 1884.
All talks begin at 6:30 p.m. in Morven’s Stockton Education Center. Doors and the virtual waiting room open at 6 p.m. A Zoom link will be sent to all virtual participants upon registration. Light refreshments inspired by each state will be provided for in-person attendees. All programs will be recorded and shared with registrants following each event.
Tickets are available for the entire series, or can be purchased for each individual program. Series and individual tickets for the Drumthwacket program also include an option to tour Drumthwacket on Thursday, March 7, at 10:30 a.m. or 11:30 a.m. Spaces are available on a first-come, first-served basis, limited to 50 visitors per tour.
Individual tickets are $10 to $30. Series tickets are $30 to $90. For information, visit https://www.morven.org/fy24/grandhomes.
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