Warren County Cultural and Heritage Commission
The Shippen Manor Museum
8 Belvidere Avenue
Oxford, NJ 07863
Warren County Heritage Overview
Warren County came into existence in 1825, when the area was separated from Sussex County. The county was named for Dr. Joseph Warren, remembered for his devotion to the Revolutionary cause and his death at the Battle of Bunker Hill.
The original Warren County historic page also notes that the county began with the townships of Greenwich, Hardwick, Independence, Knowlton, Mansfield, Oxford, and Pahaquarry, from which the present 22 municipalities were carved. Belvidere became the county seat after General Garrett D. Wall donated grounds for a county courthouse and public square.
Early County History
The county’s story connects Revolutionary-era settlement, early New Jersey government, the Belvidere county seat, and the transformation of the original townships into today’s Warren County municipalities.
Industrial Heritage
Phillipsburg, Oxford, canals, iron works, foundries, furnaces, mills, and railroad-linked buildings are important parts of the county’s historic landscape.
Historic Architecture
The directory includes mansions, churches, stores, townhouses, courthouses, mills, and museum sites that preserve Warren County’s older civic and commercial character.
Skylands Heritage
From Belvidere and Oxford to Blairstown and Phillipsburg, the county’s landmarks help tell the story of northwest New Jersey’s farms, villages, industry, and transportation routes.
Warren County Heritage Resources
Warren County Historical Society
313 Mansfield Street
Belvidere, NJ 07823
908-475-4246
Featured Warren County Historic Places
Use this quick reference to scan the full historic directory preserved from the original Warren County page.
- Dale Estate
- First Presbyterian Church of Oxford
- Lander-Stewart Mansion
- Presbyterian Manse
- S.A. Comstock Building
- Shippen Manor
- Stites-Lander Townhouse
- Stites-Thomas Store
- The Old Mill
- Oxford Historic District House #3 — Grist Mill / Colonial Methodist Church
- Oxford Historic District House #4 — Oxford Furnace 1
- Oxford Historic District House #5 — Foundry
- Warren County Court House
Warren County Historic Places Directory
The listings below preserve the original Warren County historic-site content and image references in a cleaner NJTGO county-page format.
Dale Estate
South Main Street, Phillipsburg, NJ 08865
Photo by Alan Edelson, courtesy of HMdb.org.
William Dale, railroad overseer, purchased this land from the Bel-Del Railroad in 1861. The original home to the rear overlooked the railroad turntable, so Dale could view his workers. This home has 18 rooms. Later, it was the home and dental office of Dr. Harry Souders and son for 70 years.
First Presbyterian Church of Oxford
Brass Castle Road, Hazen, NJ 07863
Photo by Alan Edelson, courtesy of HMdb.org.
Built in 1806, it is the oldest Presbyterian Church in Warren County.
Lander-Stewart Mansion
South Main Street, Phillipsburg, NJ 08865
Photo by Alan Edelson, courtesy of HMdb.org.
The town’s only brownstone was built in a grand manner to resemble those of East Side Manhattan. Exotic woods, marble, tile, and glass brought back from Stewart’s European travels line its interior. The front doors are hand-carved cypress from Lebanon. The first floor office later housed Phillipsburg Telephone Company in the 1930s.
Presbyterian Manse
South Main Street, Phillipsburg, NJ 08865
Photo by Alan Edelson, courtesy of HMdb.org.
Constructed as a home for clergy for the Phillipsburg Presbyterian Church in 1858, this magnificent stone structure was then located at Main and Market Streets. The Manse was sold to attorney John F. Dumont in 1883 and has been used primarily as law offices since. It was the last office of Hon. Frank S. Thompson, Esq., New Jersey Assemblyman and State Committeeman.
S.A. Comstock Building
South Main Street, Phillipsburg, NJ 08865
Photo by Alan Edelson, courtesy of HMdb.org.
Built in 1860, the Comstock family owned many properties, including this building, which was first used as a boarding house, and the famous Lee House located at Union Square. This building was later used and purchased by the Malaska Council, a once powerful social club of mostly foundry workers. The “Fist & Hammer” insignia remains above. In its 1880s heyday, there were 27 societies in town.
Shippen Manor
Belvidere Avenue, Oxford, NJ 07863
Photo by Alan Edelson, courtesy of HMdb.org.
Built by Joseph and William Shippen, owners of Oxford Furnace, Shippen Manor served as an iron company residence for 200 years. It is a state and national historic site.
Stites-Lander Townhouse
South Main Street, Phillipsburg, NJ 08865
Photo by Alan Edelson, courtesy of HMdb.org.
Originally occupied by William Stites, Phillipsburg tailor, this Federal-style townhouse was later the home of prominent resident John Lander, co-founder of the Warren Iron Foundry and the town postmaster. Hailed “the oldest living postmaster” in 1882, the house was remodeled in Italianate grandeur in 1875 and later served as the last law office of State Sen. Wayne Dumont.
Stites-Thomas Store
South Main Street, Phillipsburg, NJ 08865
Photo by Alan Edelson, courtesy of HMdb.org.
First built as a grain sale and transfer station from the Morris to Lehigh Canal, horse-drawn trailers were driven into the store for grain loading. The grain was then put on canal boats and transported up the Lehigh. In the 1870s, it was used as a carriage shop. The sidewalk remains curbless today, reminiscent of easy access for horse, trailer, and carriage.
The Old Mill
Main Street, Blairstown, NJ 07825
Photo by Alan Edelson, courtesy of HMdb.org.
Acquired by Blair Academy in 1903, Blair Lake and The Falls were completed in 1906. The Old Mill and other sites at Blair Academy have been placed on the State and National Register of Historic Places by the United States Department of the Interior.
Oxford Historic District House #3 — Grist Mill / Colonial Methodist Church
Washington Avenue, Oxford, NJ 07863
Photo by Alan Edelson, courtesy of HMdb.org.
The grist mill was built in 1813 and became the Colonial Methodist Church in 1913.
Oxford Historic District House #4 — Oxford Furnace 1
Washington Avenue, Oxford, NJ 07863
Photo by Alan Edelson, courtesy of HMdb.org.
Oxford Furnace #1 construction started in 1741, first blast was in 1743, and it was blown out in 1884.
Oxford Historic District House #5 — Foundry
Washington Avenue, Oxford, NJ 07863
Photo by Alan Edelson, courtesy of HMdb.org.
The foundry produced train car wheels in the mid-1800s.
Warren County Court House
2nd Street, Belvidere, NJ 07823
Photo by Alan Edelson, courtesy of HMdb.org.
Built in 1826, the Warren County Court House was the location of early sensational trials and public hangings. Its present colonial appearance was retained in the 1959–1960 restoration.
Related Warren County Guides
Continue exploring Warren County with NJTGO county pages and nearby town guides.
Warren County Main PageReturn to the main county guide for towns, parks, education, government, recreation, and visitor resources.
Arts & EntertainmentExplore theatres, cultural organizations, and arts venues around Warren County.
TransportationFind transportation and travel resources for Warren County.
BelvidereVisit the Warren County seat and nearby historic resources.
PhillipsburgExplore the Delaware River corridor and several preserved historic places.
HackettstownExplore another major Warren County community and nearby attractions.
Promote Your Warren County Historic Site or Heritage Organization
Reach residents and visitors looking for historic houses, museums, heritage tours, cultural organizations, preservation groups, and Warren County travel ideas.
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