The Apple Tree House in Jersey City is to become a historical museum

JERSEY CITY, NJ – Jersey City’s Journal Square could gain yet another museum – this one containing pieces of the city’s history and in a building with a story of its own.

The Apple Tree House, located at 298 Academy Street, will be the new museum housing pieces of Jersey City history. The house has a historic past of its own, with a famous role in the Revolutionary War – the Apple Tree House is the reported site of a historic wartime encounter between General George Washington and the Marquess of Lafayette in France.

The city previously remodeled and restored the house, moving the city offices to the space. According to city spokeswoman Kimberly Wallace-Scalcione, the city is moving its offices out of the building in July to make way for the museum process.

“The Apple Tree House will become a historic Jersey City museum with active changing exhibits based on Jersey City’s rich history,” Wallace-Scalcione said. “We are beginning the process of creating an individual autonomous board for oversight and a firm budget to organize the space on an ongoing basis.”

Officials held a meeting last week with museum stakeholders, including the New Jersey Hall of the Jersey City Free Public Library, Councilman Boggiano, the Bergen Square Historical Society, the Journal Square Community Association, among others.

The city hopes to have a framework in place for the council by Labor Day.

The announcement of the Apple Tree House Museum follows the city’s announcement of the arrival of the Center Pompidou. Jersey City will host the first North American museum branch of the Center Pompidou in Paris.

Jersey City worked hard to promote itself as an arts hub across the Hudson, promoting a street art festival that included national artists, pushing the $72 million renovation of the Lowes Theater to Journal Square, supporting an arts incubator space on Morgan Street and supporting the new Arts Trust Fund.