Dennis Township Old School House Museum & History Center
The Dennis Township Museum is devoted to the collection of artifacts, historic documents, memorabilia and photographs which tells the story of our local communities of Belleplain, Clermont, Dennisville, Eldora, Northwest Dennis, Ocean View, South Dennis and South Seaville.
The Museum is handicapped accessible & ADA compliant. This website features roughly 700 images of people, places, houses and buildings spanning decades from the early days to the present.
Museum Hours
1st & 3rd Saturday of every month from 10am to 2pm. Openings also available by appointment. We are closed on National Holidays and on winter days if ice and snow present any danger.
Old School House Museum Inventory List
(PDF download)
Museum News
2023 Newsletter – Winter
Check out the Winter edition of the Museum Newsletter for fun and interesting news!
Friends of Dennis Museum Survey
Survey information will be used to improve/expand the services offered at Old School House Museum.
2023 Newsletter – Fall
Check out the Fall edition of the Museum Newsletter for fun and interesting news!
Dennis Township Old School House Museum Archive for Quarantine 2020 Stories
The COVID-19 pandemic has had an impact upon us all. During these especially trying days, the Old School House Museum is looking at ways to record our experiences for future generations.
Making Cedar Shingles
Robert and George Brewer gave a wonderful demonstration of making cedar shingles as part of Dennisville Day. Visit the post to see the video.
Our Communities
Belleplain
North West Dennis
Clermont
Ocean View
Dennisville
South Dennis
Eldora
South Seaville
Visit Us
681 Petersburg Rd, Woodbine, NJ 08270
We are housed in the old Dennisville School House located on the corner of Petersburg Road and Hall Avenues in the heart of the Dennisville Village. The Museum is on the left and offers plenty of parking for cars or buses.
History of the Old School House
1874 - 1948
The little old school house is the home of the Dennis Township Museum and History Center. It was built in 1874 on the corner of Petersburg Road and Hall Avenues. The land for this school was purchased from Charles and Sophia (Stites) Ludlam in 1872 for $250. On April 15, 1948 a fire occurred which destroyed the second floor. Later, repairs were made and a new roof was constructed over the first floor. A property swap took place between the Board of Education and the Township Committee in 1951 and a new Consolidated School was constructed on Academy Road. The Old Dennisville School building became the Dennis Township Municipal Hall until 1994 when the new Municipal Complex was completed.
When the Old School House was vacated, the Township Committee gave permission for the building to be used as a Museum and History Center. Its on-going mission is to build a comprehensive collection of artifacts and memorabilia that serve to depict the history and life of the eight villages that comprise the township
There were many giant steps in the history of this building which opened its doors to the education of young people in 1874. First as a school house, then in 1952 as the Township's Municipal Hall, and finally upon the completion of the new Municipal Complex it became the Township's Museum and History Center. It is our mission to gather as much of our local history in both word, pictures and artifacts as possible and house them in one place so that the rich history of our Township can be shared with those who recognize and value all that has gone into the making of our Township.
Should anyone like to contribute to the preservation of our history of the eight villages of Dennis Township please contact the Museum at (609) 861-1899. If you have valuable pictures, with your permission we would like to scan them to digitally preserve them and display them in the Museum and it's web site along with your verbal and/or written description.
