Celebrate the 283rd birthday of this underrated NJ county

Just this week, Morris County celebrated its 283rd birthday as its own county.

What was once a small sliver of Hunterdon County is now home to half a million people and full of its own rich culture and history. Morris County was also recently named the state's 10th most populated county and the 6th most wealthy.

When I read about the birthday of Morris County it occurred to me that we have not spent a lot of time focusing on it on our radio show. It’s a place that always seemed far to me — a place that’s kind of difficult for me to get to from where I live.

Even though it’s packed with New Jerseyans, it doesn’t make the news a lot, and it’s not one of the counties that we pay a lot of attention to. So I decided to find out a little bit more about Morris County. Since usually when I go there it’s just to hit the mall and come home, I never really get a chance to explore. I looked into it a little bit.

There’s a lot more to Morris county than you may have ever thought.

Morris County has come a long way since 1739, and is now one of the most exciting and thriving counties in New Jersey. In honor of Morris County’s anniversary, here are some of the best things to do if you find yourself there.

The Frelinghuysen Arboretum

This 127-acre preserve is the perfect place to come for a relaxing self-guided history lesson. The preserve is home to beautiful trees and shrubs, many of which are marked with labels explaining the history of the area.

Morristown National Historical Park

This Museum has a ton of history regarding the history of America, especially its fight for independence many years ago and the revolutionary war. There are several artifacts from the 18th century and is a unique place to come if you want to learn more about American history specific to New Jersey.

Alstede Farms

Alstede Farms is one of the most fun places to spend the day with your family in the Morris County area. At the end of the summer there is always a large sunflower field and with a purchase of a ticket you can explore the fields and take beautiful pictures. The farm also has a ton of fresh produce to check out and many animals to play with year-round.

Morris Museum

Morris Museum is the second largest museum in the state and is home to contemporary art in addition to some from the 19th century. The museum is most popular for its automaton collection, which consists of musical instruments such as music boxes, automatic organs and more.

Hacklebarney State Park

There is no better way to spend the day than a nice hike through Hacklebarney. Beautiful little waterfalls occupy several of the walking trails and are completely safe to take a dip in. There are also many tables around the park making it the perfect place to spend a Sunday afternoon hiking and having a picnic.

Opinions expressed in the post above are those of New Jersey 101.5 talk show host Judi Franco only.

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