Weymouth Township Historical Museum
NEW WAYMOUTH MUSEUM
WEYMOUTH TOWNSHIP NEW JERSEYANYONE WHO KNOWS THE HISTORY OF OUR ANCIENT TOWNSHIP ALSO KNOWS THAT MOST OF OUR HISTORY LIES OUTSIDE ITS CURRENT 1950s BOUNDARIES. ORIGINALLY ENCOMPASSING ALL OF ATLANTIC COUNTY, WEYMOUTH TOWNSHIP WAS CREATED AS A CONSTABLE. WICK BY THE QUAKERS OF GLOUCESTER COUNTY IN 1694. A YEAR LATER IT BECAME A TOWNSHIP AND IS REFERRED TO IN 17th CENTURY RECORDS AS "THE NEW WAYMOUTH TOWNSHIP".
OVER THE CENTURIES OTHER TOWNSHIPS WERE INCORPORATED IN THIS LARGE AREA WHICH BECAME ATLANTIC COUNTY IN 1837. AS LATE AS 1923-25 WEYMOUTH TOWNSHIP INCLUDED ESTELL MANOR AND CORBIN CITY. TODAY THE TINY TOWNSHIP WITH ITS ODD BOUNDARIES IS ALL THAT IS LEFT OF THE LAND NAMED FOR AN ENGLISH SEAPORT 300 YEARS AGO.
THIS MUSEUM WAS FOUNDED TO TELL THE STORY OF WEYMOUTH TOWNSHIP AND ITS PEOPLE AS WELL AS HOUSE AND PROTECT ARTIFACTS OF OUR PAST INTO THE FUTURE. THE BUILDING WAS OPENED AS A METHODIST CHURCH IN 1915, BUT SERVED ALL NONDENOMINATIONAL PROTESTANTS AS "EVERYBODYS MISSION" UNTIL IT FELL INTO DISUSE IN THE 1970s. IT WAS MOVED HERE IN 1993 AND NAMED FOR GRANDMOM SEELMAN, A GREAT LADY. IN 2002 THE TOWNSHIP COMMITTEE ESTABLISHED THIS MUSEUM.
AS YOU TOUR THE EXHIBITS, LET THEM TELL THE STORY OF REAL PEOPLE JUST LIKE US AND REMEMBER THAT THE VIEWS. FROM THE WINDOWS ARE EXHIBITS TOO. ENJOY YOUR VISIT TO THE PAST WHERE WE SHALL ALL MEET SOMEDAY.
THERE TIMES ARE GONE. THE PEOPLE ARE GONE. ONLY THE STUFF
REMAINS TO TELL US THE WHO, WHY, WHERE AND WHEN OF THE GREAT RIVER OF HUMANITY
THAT STRETCHES OUT BEHIND US INTO THE MISTY PAST. AMONG THE RUSTED JUNK AND
NAMELESS PHOTOGRAPHS COMES AN 
OCCASIONAL
JEWEL OF INFORMATION AND EVEN BEAUTY. A DELFT CLOCK, A LEAD BULLET, A DOLLS LEG
LEAD US INTO DIM YESTERDAYS AND ALLOW THE DEAD TO TOUCH US ACROSS THE YEARS. WE
MAY PITY THEM FOR THEIR DRUDGERY, THEIR POVERTY, THEIR IGNORANCE. DO NOT WASTE
YOUR PITY. IN MANY WAYS THEY WERE OUR SUPERIORS/ FOR WE STAND ON THE SHOULDERS
OF GIANTS.
DOUGLAS YEARSLEY, TOWNSHIP HISTORIAN
Weymouth Township historian Douglas Yearsley describes the museum and contents on opening night.
Click on photograph for larger version.
Many township residents attended the Kitchen display.
opening night reception.
Pallor display with victrola. Washstand display. Different faiths of Weymouth Township display.
General store display. 1800's display.
Weymouth Township chicken farming Weymouth Township early history display.
history display.
The history of the rail road in Weymouth Township display.
THE NEW WAYMOUTH HISTORICAL MUSEUM IS UNDER THE DIRECT CONTROL OF THE TOWNSHIP COMMITTEE OF THE TOWNSHIP OF WEYMOUTH IN ATLANTIC COUNTY NEW JERSEY THROUGH THE OFFICE OF THE TOWNSHIP HISTORIAN MUSEUM SUPPORT STAFF IS PROVIDED ONLY THROUGH THE WEYMOUTH TOWNSHIP CIVIC ASSOCIATION, INC. INFORMATION IS AVAILABLE AT THE WEYMOUTH TOWNSHIP MUNICIPAL BUILDING DOROTHY, NEW JERSEY 08317, 609-476-2633 SPECIAL PROGRAMS FOR SCHOOLS AND GROUPS ARE AVAILABLE.
DONATIONS FOR EXHIBIT ARE SOUGHT AND APPRECIATED EITHER ON LOAN OR AS GIFTS.