Craftsman Farms is a National Historic Landmark. Craftsman Farms was conceived by Gustav Stickley, a furniture manufacturer, entrepreneur, publisher, and major proponent of the Arts and Crafts movement in America. Craftsman Farms was originally conceived as a school and farm for boys, and it now serves as a physical embodiment of his Arts & Crafts vison. While this vision was never fully realized, the Log House, originally intended as the clubhouse for the boys, became Stickley’s family home. Eleven buildings were constructed between 1909 and 1912 of which nine remain including: the Log House, three cottages, a garage building, and several farm buildings. Of the original 650-acre property, 30 acres remain with the buildings. Completed in 1910, the White Cottage is now thought to be the house the Stickleys lived in while other buildings on the site were under construction and may have been the primary house intended as the Stickley residence.

Stickley declared bankruptcy in 1915 and the property was sold to the Farny family in 1917. One of the changes the Farny’s made to Craftsman Farms was to substantially enlarge the White Cottage. The Farny’s owned Craftsman Farms for seventy-two years. Because of a threat of private development, the Township of Parsippany-Troy Hills purchased the property in 1989 and soon after entered into a partnership with the Stickley Museum at Craftsman Farms. Currently the site is operated as a museum showcasing Stickley’s original designs and furnishings.

The 2022 Trust grant will help fund the remaining stabilization project.

The 2021 Trust grant will help fund the restoration of the Log House kitchen and rehabilitation of the Annex to the Log House.  

The 2019 Heritage Tourism grant helped fund the design of wayfinding and directional signage, as well as design and fabrication a new welcome kiosk for Craftsman Farms. A previous Trust grant addressed the deteriorated conditions at the White Cottage, which was constructed in 1910 and is unique for its cementitious stucco exterior. The building is used as a residence for visiting scholars and artists. The grant helped fund the demolition of the non-contributing addition as well as mechanical and electrical upgrades. Other previous Trust grants helped fund the preparation of a Historic Structure Report, a capital restoration of the main Log House, and a comprehensive Site Master Plan. 

For more information, visit: www.stickleymuseum.org