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Specific items on display in the museum include antique farm tools, a magic lantern, a candle snuffer, wooden butter ladle, foot warmer (for winter wagon rides and meetings in unheated buildings), oil lamp, an American flag made when the United States consisted of 39 States; a bedspread, handsewn in 1824, "candlewicked" in design; ledgers of the town doctor proclaiming bills for services - "Visit and Sundries ... 88¢", and a three foot barrel hollowed from a tree trunk- said to be one of the two existing in the state.

An organ stands in a corner, thought to have been used in the First Dutch Reformed Church before 1880. In the adjacent corner, stands a grandfather clock, hand built in the 1700s as proven by the fact that Australia is designated "New Holland" as it was known in the 1700's on the clock's face. The exhibit includes the winding stairway and the mantle piece from the Hanie House on Hook Mountain Road, which was demolished in 1965 to make way for Route 80. Also on display are a collection of local minerals, two spinning wheels, old chairs and dishes, a mahogany baby cradle dating back to the 1700s, Indian arrowheads and a tomahawk.

Photographs of the Morris Canal, early township residents and almost every historic home in Montville line the walls, with a slide presentation and accompanying tape available to tell their histories. A miniature model of a Morris Canal "Plane" with canal boat and cradle are also on display.

The museum has a file of township homes over 100 years old. Also on tap are documents, records, maps, post cards, books, artifacts and costumes reflecting the town's history.

A cannonball from the Civil War and found in the township can be seen in the display case. Also an antique ribbon case used to display colorful ribbons in Mair Fogelson's General Store (which used to be near the Columbia Inn on Route 202) can be seen.

All these museum items stir thoughts of what it must have been like to live a century ago.

If you can not make the scheduled visiting hours from 1 to 4 PM on Sunday, you can schedule an appointment by calling (973) 334-3665 or (973) 394-0554.

The Museum is a wonderful way to spend a few hours in thoughts of life as it must have been long ago.

The history of Montville Township is available to anyone interested enough to note a phone number or keep a Sunday afternoon free.