Four Centuries in a Weekend Returns October 17–18 With Union County History Sites Open

Union County is marking its history this weekend with Four Centuries in a Weekend, set for Saturday, Oct. 17, and Sunday, Oct. 18, 2026. Union County Life is sharing highlights for residents of Berkeley Heights, Cranford, New Providence, Rahway, Scotch Plains, Springfield, and Westfield, along with sites across the county.

The annual event is organized by the Union County Office of Cultural and Heritage Affairs. It brings history to life through guided tours, reenactments, exhibits, demonstrations, and family activities. This year’s programs also mark America’s 250th anniversary with a focus on local connections to the American Revolution and the generations who shaped the nation. The event is funded in part through a grant from the New Jersey Historical Commission, a division of the New Jersey Department of State.

Union County Commissioner Chairman Joseph C. Bodek said the weekend gives residents a chance to step inside a historic home and hear stories they may never have known. “Four Centuries in a Weekend gives residents a chance to step inside a historic home, hear a story they may never have known and see their community in a new way,” Bodek said. He added that families are invited to spend the weekend discovering local history.

Commissioner Vice Chair Rebecca L. Williams, the board’s liaison to the Cultural and Heritage Programs Advisory Board, described the event as a tradition residents look forward to each year. “Four Centuries is a tradition that residents look forward to every year, and our historic sites continue to give them new reasons to return,” Williams said.

At the Deserted Village of Feltville in Berkeley Heights, visitors can take guided or self-guided tours, ride a hay wagon, press apple cider, roast marshmallows, and meet figures from the village’s past. Revolutionary War soldier John Willcocks is among the characters visitors can meet.

Two new or featured stops stand out this year. The UCNJ Historic Tree Grove is new to the event and sits near the Sperry Observatory on the Union College of Union County NJ campus in Cranford. In Westfield, the Atlas Pythagoras Lodge No. 10 will present a 26-foot oil on canvas mural depicting the Battle of Spanktown in Rahway.

The Frazee House in Scotch Plains will host The March to Yorktown on Sunday. At the Cannon Ball House in Springfield, visitors can add their names to a replica of the Declaration of Independence. The Salt Box Museum in New Providence is also participating, with special archive and graveyard programs on Saturday.

All participating sites offer a free Union County History Passport, which visitors can have stamped at each stop. Visitors can also collect Union County History Trading Cards, a series of more than 80 cards featuring notable people, places, and events.

Hours vary by location, and some sites are open on Saturday or Sunday only. Visitors should review the complete event schedule before planning their route. For more information, call 908-436-2912 or email jprescott@ucnj.org.

Find more Union County events, historic site news, and local updates on Union County Life.

Q: What is Four Centuries in a Weekend?
A: It is an annual Union County event that brings history to life through guided tours, reenactments, exhibits, demonstrations, and family activities at historic sites across the county.

Q: When does Four Centuries in a Weekend take place in 2026?
A: The event runs Saturday, Oct. 17, and Sunday, Oct. 18, 2026.

Q: Which historic sites are participating?
A: Participating sites include the Deserted Village of Feltville in Berkeley Heights, the UCNJ Historic Tree Grove in Cranford, the Atlas Pythagoras Lodge No. 10 in Westfield, the Frazee House in Scotch Plains, the Cannon Ball House in Springfield, and the Salt Box Museum in New Providence.

Q: Is there a cost to get the History Passport?
A: The Union County History Passport is free. Visitors can have it stamped at each participating site.

Q: Are all sites open both days?
A: No. Hours vary by location, and some sites are open on Saturday or Sunday only. Visitors should check the complete event schedule before planning their route.

Q: How can I get more information?
A: Call 908-436-2912 or email jprescott@ucnj.org.