East Jersey Old Town Village

East Jersey Old Town Village features reconstructed and replica 18th-and 19th-century buildings that showcase the architecture of farm and merchant communities once found in New Jersey’s Raritan Valley. The historic structures were moved from their original locations to Johnson Park in Piscataway. 

The village was intentionally established near the ruins of Raritan Landing, a trade center in the 1700s. For a long time, much about Raritan Landing remained a mystery, as most of the town was torn down and turned into farmland by the 1870s and there were no photographs, paintings, or original maps of the community. But archaeologists have unearthed artifacts from the area that provide glimpses into the old town. Some remnants of the settlement are still buried under Johnson Park, and there’s an on-site exhibit devoted to archeological excavations. 

Historical interpreters breathe life into the hamlet, including a blacksmith, a tailor, a farmer, a stone carver, and the Liberty Base Ball Club.  The Liberty team plays baseball games utilizing authentic uniforms, equipment, and rules from the 1800s against other historically accurate opponents hailing from Maine to Maryland.