The Gibbon House c.1730
In 1730, Nicholas Gibbon, an English maritime merchant, bought a 16 acre lot in Greenwich after inheriting more than 3,000 acres of land nearby from his uncle. On this 16 acre lot, he built a replica of a London townhouse he had admired. The brick, fired on the property, was laid in the Flemish Bond pattern brought from Kent, England: this design is achieved by using a red stretcher and blue header producing a definite and attractive pattern. Rubbed brick is a further architectural feature, outlining each door and window opening as well as being used to emphasize the four corners of the house. The house is a well-preserved representation of Georgian architecture in the eighteenth century.
The house was owned and occupied by various families in Cumberland County, New Jersey from 1730 to 1969. At that point it was bought by the Cumberland County Historical Society, originally to serve as our new headquarters.
The home, appropriately furnished with products of 18th and 19th century artisans, contains a reception hall, a paneled dining room, a formal drawing room and a kitchen dominated by a huge walk-in fireplace in which demonstrations of colonial open-fire cooking are conducted. There is a small store on the back porch where post cards, gifts, and a fine collection of books and pamphlets on the history of the area may be purchased.
On the second floor, in addition to a bedroom, are exhibits of 19th century locally made, rush seated, “Ware” chairs, children’s toys, dolls, and clothing, as well as Civil War artifacts donated by local families.
The Gibbon House is open Wednesdays, Saturdays, and Sundays 1 P.M. to 4 P.M., and by appointment. Guided tours are free and open to the public, and the museum accepts donations. Appointments can be made by calling (856) 455-4055 or emailing the Museum Curator, Tia Antonelli, at antonellitia@gmail.com .
Closed January, February, and March.