Historic Cherry Hill

Merchant Philip Van Rensselaer had Cherry Hill built as his country home in 1787. In 1963, his last descendant died here. Today, the house looks as the family left it furnished to paint a picture of five generations of wealth and status. However, today we use the 65,000 objects, letters, and photos left behind in the attic to paint another picture. They show that the family members were often in debt, anxious about social standing, and fearful of a changing world. These objects not left on display reveal untold stories about others who lived here — among them Dinah Jackson, a trusted cook enslaved by the Van Rensselaers, and her descendants. And they bring to life the ways that class, race, gender, and human nature shaped life at Cherry Hill. Join us as we celebrate the people who lived and worked here (and work here today!), sharing their stories of love, loss, and resilience, and our stories of discovery, curation, and interpretation.

As a historic house museum we give tours, host events (academic and community), conduct research, and provide educational programming for k-12 students. We have 3 central programs that we run over the course of the year with daily tours on going from May to October.