Stoutsburg Sourland African American Museum
Mount Zion AME Church | |
 Mt. Zion AME Church, home of the Stoutsburg Sourland African American Museum | |
| Location | 189 Hollow Road, Skillman, New Jersey, United States |
|---|---|
| Built | 1899 |
| Built by | Elmer Hight |
| NRHP reference No. | 100006611 |
| NJRHP No. | 2556 |
The Stoutsburg Sourland African American Museum (SSAAM) is a history museum in Skillman, Somerset County, New Jersey, United States. The museum is located at the Mt. Zion AME Church, an African Methodist Episcopal church constructed in 1899.[1][2]
History
Origins
SSAAM was founded by historians Elaine Buck and Beverly Mills, whose 2018 book If These Stones Could Talk chronicles the history of the African American presence in the Sourland Mountain region of central New Jersey.[3][4] The museum emerged from a partnership between the Stoutsburg Cemetery Association and the Sourland Conservancy.[3]
Development
As of December 2021, the museum site is still under development as Mt. Zion AME Church undergoes historic restoration work.[5][6] When open, SSAAM plans to present historical exhibits and other public programming to educate visitors about African American history in New Jersey.[6]
Mt. Zion AME Church
History
The Mt. Zion AME Church was originally established in 1866 by African American residents, the descendants of both free and enslaved people, of the Sourland Mountain area.[1] The church was originally located in Zion, New Jersey, but was moved to its current location in Skillman in 1899.[1] The church was home to an active congregation until 2005, when it stopped holding worship services.[7]
From the 19th century until the 1930s, the Mt. Zion AME Church organized "camp meetings" each summer to benefit the local community. These events included sermons, singing, and food.[7]
Archaeological Investigation
In December 2020, SSAAM partnered with the Archaeological Society of New Jersey to conduct an archaeological dig at the site of the Mt. Zion AME Church.[8] The investigation uncovered approximately 250 artifacts dating to the late-19th century and 20th century, including window glass, nails and bricks, and ceramics.[9]
Restoration
SSAAM has been awarded multiple grants to conduct restoration and historic preservation work at the church, including Somerset County Historic Preservation Grants in 2016 and 2021; a 2018 grant from the New Jersey Historic Trust and 1772 Foundation; and a 2019 grant from the Somerset County Open Space, Recreation, Farmland and Historic Preservation Trust Fund.[10]
See also
References
- ^ a b c "Our Site". SSAAM - 10/2021. Retrieved 2021-12-21.
- ^ "African American Museum Newly Opened on Hollow Road in Skillman Is Among the First of Its Kind". The Montgomery News. p. 16. Retrieved December 21, 2021.
- ^ a b "About". SSAAM - 10/2021. Retrieved 2021-12-21.
- ^ Schuessler, Jennifer (2020-12-22). "Uncovering Lost Black History, Stone by Stone". The New York Times. ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved 2021-12-21.
- ^ "Visit". SSAAM - 10/2021. Retrieved 2021-12-21.
- ^ a b "Our Museum". SSAAM - 10/2021. Retrieved 2021-12-21.
- ^ a b Buck, Elaine; Mills, Beverly (2018). If These Stones Could Talk: African American Presence in the Hopewell Valley, Sourland Mountain, and Surrounding Regions in New Jersey. Lambertville, NJ: Wild River Books. pp. 118–122. ISBN 978-1-941948-08-8.
- ^ Knapp, Krystal (2020-12-08). "Volunteers needed for archaeological dig at Stoutsburg Sourland African American Museum property in Skillman ⋆ Princeton, NJ local news %". Princeton, NJ local news. Retrieved 2021-12-21.
- ^ "Archeological Dig". SSAAM - 10/2021. Retrieved 2021-12-21.
- ^ "Grants & Awards". SSAAM - 10/2021. Retrieved 2021-12-21.