UNION, NJ – July 25, 2024 – Liberty Hall, a non-profit historic house museum surrounded by eleven acres of historic gardens and an arboretum, opened to the public in 2000. From 1774 until 1995, it was a private residence that was home to a trailblazing governor, congressmen, senators, philanthropists, and entrepreneurs. Built for William Livingston, one of our nation’s founding fathers, Liberty Hall is today widely regarded as one of New Jersey’s premier history and nature education centers. Through the efforts of its last resident and avid preservationist, Mary Alice (Barney) Kean, Liberty Hall was declared a National Historic Landmark in 1972.
The grounds surrounding the museum are a living archive of over 250 years of garden design and home to some of New Jersey’s oldest and most historic trees. Three centuries of horticultural history have been lovingly preserved on Liberty Hall’s exquisitely manicured grounds. From a horse chestnut tree planted in 1772 to a rose garden that originated in the 1920s, the gardens reflect long-standing traditions as well as changing trends in gardening history.
While the gardens have undergone significant changes over the centuries, William Livingston’s fascination with horticulture has been handed down through generations of his descendants and is still reflected in the landscape that surrounds the museum. As his descendants, the Kean family, added to the exquisite planting schemes Livingston laid out, a truly unique garden took shape.
Since opening to the public, Liberty Hall has sought to maintain the garden’s historic character while introducing new species and adopting modern horticultural practices. In 2021, Liberty Hall was accredited as a Level II arboretum by Arbnet, an international consortium of arboreta. Located adjacent to a university campus and some of New Jersey’s most densely populated communities, Liberty Hall is truly an urban oasis that provides a setting for reflection, enjoyment, and appreciation of nature.
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