Colts Neck House Tour Complete With Model Trains This Year

The annual Colts Neck House Tour is coming Oct. 5, and this year a model train display will complete the event.

The tour is self-guided from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m., and the model railroad layout will be running in Town Hall on Cedar Drive by model railroad expert, collector and craftsman Bob Gassaway.

Tickets are $30 for adults, $25 for seniors and $10 for just the train viewing. Children under 15 are free. Tickets may be purchased in advance by calling or visiting Colts Neck Realty, 30 County Highway 537, Colts Neck, 732-462-6888.

On the day of the event, tickets can be purchased at Colts Neck Township Hall, Cedar Drive, and Mulberry Market, Colts Neck Shopping Center, Route 34, Colts Neck. 

Proceeds from the event will support the Historic Preservation Committee’s ongoing activities, including maintenance and repair of the Montrose School and bringing professional historic re-enactors to local schools. 

Tour stops:

Abbey Farm - Headlining the tour is the magnificent, newly completed Abbey Farm, a grand Europeanstyle estate on 30 lush acres, with three ponds and dancing fountains. The interior, exterior and grounds will astound and impress.

Montrose School – Circa 1812The last of the township’s six one-room school houses, Montrose school was purchased for $1 and restored by the Committee and volunteers over the past decade. Special displays transport visitors back in time. 

Ciccone Residence - Once the modest home of the legendary Colts Neck “Honey Man” Harry Barth, thischarming residence has been transformed into an architectural gem by the designer-owner. The tour starts at the driveway, where landscaping beckons admiration and draws you in. 

Four JG’s Orchards & Vineyards - Nestled in Colts Neck’s idyllic historic farmlands, Four JG’s Orchards & Vineyards is named for the owners, who have farming routes in the county dating back over 60 years. Its barns and houses date to the early 1700’s, including the charming winery store and tasting room.Location opens at 11:00 am.

Hockhockson Farm (Cooke House) - Hockhockson Farm, owned by the same family for 200 years, is one of Colts Neck’s most historic homes. On 45 acres, it includes a pond, barns and lush farmland. The current residence has been on the same foundation since its construction circa 1790. President Dwight D. Eisenhower started his own ranch with stock from Hockhockson Farm.

Colts Neck Township Hall - The 1964 Township Hall was designed to resemble the Court House on Duke of Gloucester Street in Williamsburg, Virginia. Inside the main meeting room, decorated in period style, local historic documents and artwork will be on display. The model railroad layout will be located in the main meeting room.