Montclair Historical Society
108 Orange Road
Montclair, NJ 07042
973-744-1796

About the Montclair Historical Society

Organizational History: The Montclair Historical Society (MHS), a nonprofit 501(c) 3 organization, promotes preservation, study and appreciation of local history. MHS was originally founded in 1965 to save the Israel Crane House, a Federal Revival style landmark home built by a local entrepreneur in 1796. It was relocated from Glen Ridge Avenue to its current location on 110 Orange Road. Located next to the Israel Crane house’s new location is the Nathaniel Crane House. Built about 1818, it was donated to MHS in 1973 and together, the two Crane Houses served the public as a historic house museum, museum shop and space for demonstrations, lectures and classes interpreting Montclair’s past.

In 1984, the Clark House located at 108 Orange Road (adjacent to the two Crane houses) was purchased by MHS. The house, built in 1896, expanded the institution’s ability to service the public by creating the Terhune Research Library and administrative offices. Since its inception, the Library has been a valuable resource for scholars, historians, local teachers and homeowners wishing to know more about their home (often to aide in restoration efforts and thus preserving historic districts). In 1997 the historic home on North Mountain Avenue of successful Montclair banker Charles Shultz, was donated to MHS by his granddaughter Molly Shultz. Known as Evergreens, the house has been virtually unaltered for 100 years and holds an important collection that reflects Charles Shultz's keen personal interest in science, the arts and world travel. This estate represents an important addition to the Society’s collection of properties and historical education program.

Mission: The mission of MHS is to cultivate a strong sense of community by engaging residents and visitors through programs, exhibits, and the conservation and interpretation of the Society’s historic sites and collections; and by promoting the preservation and adaptive reuse of Montclair’s buildings, structures and areas of historic significance (adopted February 2007).

Goals: The main goals MHS strives to achieve are preservation and education. The institution is dedicated preserving its four historic buildings, grounds and collections. By preserving our historical assets, we are afforded the opportunity to interpret the Montclair area history, utilizing our four houses that span three centuries as tangible examples.

Current Programs

School Program: MHS has a progressive educational program for schools, complete with Teacher Resource Kits that provide educators with short stories, lesson plans, and copies of primary resources designed to complement the New Jersey Curriculum Standards.

General Public: In addition to offering four house tours on a regular schedule, MHS offers a variety of special events geared for children, families, die-hard history enthusiasts and scholars.

Exhibitions: MHS offers changing exhibitions in an effort to expand our interpretation of the Montclair area history and maintaining the community’s interest in expanding community appreciation.

Research library: The Albert Payson Terhune Research Library is an excellent resource for researching the history of Montclair, Essex County, or northern New Jersey during the 18th, 19th, and 20th centuries. The collection includes more than 1,000 books, 800 pamphlets, 400 slides and glass plates, 300 photographs, 30 maps, plus periodicals, archival materials, Crane family papers, scrap books, memorabilia and artifacts. The Terhune Library is open year-round for on-site research by appointment.