The Wickoff House was once the residence of John Van Buren Wickoff and his family. It is now a museum that houses artifacts related to the history of Plainsboro. Learn about his family as well as Plainsboro itself during your visit!

Where is it located?

It is located in Plainsboro, NJ. It is behind where the municipal building is located. The address is 641 Plainsboro Road Plainsboro, NJ 08536.

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When is it open?

It is open from 2 pm to 4 pm on Sundays. It is also open by appointment. The number is 609-799-0909 ext. 1709. It is also open for events such as the ones listed below.

Who lived in this house?

The house was constructed in 1878. Initially it was inhabited by John Wickoff and Catherine Wickoff (originally Britton). The large property had been bequeathed to Catherine two years after the passing of her father. She had hired John to farm the 157 acres of land and they were later married. The couple had a son, John Van Buren Wickoff, who also lived here. There was also a resident farmer and his family that moved into the house after the death of John Wickoff.

John Van Buren Wickoff married Lavinia Applegate and they both moved into the house in 1908. She was a daughter from an important family in Hightstown. They built a new house on the property for the resident farmer. They had seven children that grew up in the house. There was a west wing that was added in 1929 after Catherine Wickoff passed away. There were changes made such as the addition of Mueller Mosaic tiles in the sunroom.

After they both passed away the house was rented to tenants. It was later obtained by the Township of Plainsboro and used as municipal offices until 1993 when they moved to the municipal building that had been built. The Plainsboro Historical Society had a museum in the house from 1995 to 2011. The society disbanded and the house was restored. The Plainsboro Museum reopened in 2019.

How was John Van Buren Wickoff related to the incorporation of Plainsboro?

He was a lawyer in Trenton and the president of the Broad Street National Bank of Trenton. He petitioned the NJ State Legislature to form a new town along with some other important residents in 1919. Prior to this parts of Plainsboro were in Cranbury and other parts were in South Brunswick. Cranbury had been refusing to expand the size of the school that Plainsboro children had been attending or to approve the building of a new school. This was a major impetus for the petition.

There was an act to incorporate Plainsboro Township into Middlesex. It was introduced as Senate Bill Number 54 by Senator Brown on February 3rd, 1919. The bill was approved on April 1st, 1919. Plainsboro became incorporated on May 6th, 1919. In December of 1919 the construction of a new four room public school began.

What were other important roles of John Van Buren Wickoff?

In 1899 he and Henry Jeffers started the Farmers and Traders Telephone Company. This helped get telephone rights to Cranbury, Highstown and some other nearby areas.

He was also President of the Plainsboro School Board from 1919 until 1950. Wickoff later became the Mayor of Plainsboro in 1922 until he passed away in 1952. He was well known for his support of education and for keeping taxes low. J.V.B. Wickoff was also the Vice President and Director of the United New Jersey Railroad and Canal Company. He also managed the farm with some help from a farmer he employed.

Wickoff was politically active in Cranbury and in Plainsboro. He assisted in the campaign to nominate Woodrow Wilson as the Democratic candidate for president in 1919 by use of The True American newspaper. He had many other important roles in his lifetime such as being a member of multiple clubs such as the Trenton Rotary Club. Wickoff was proud to show them his “super duper spuds” that were grown on his property.

Who were the first inhabitants of Plainsboro?

The Unami were the initial inhabitants of Plainsboro. They were a subtribe of the Lenni Lenape. The first European settlers came from the Netherlands in the mid 1600’s.

What is inside the house?

The museum is located inside the Wickoff house that features Italianate architecture. Inside this museum there are Native American artifacts from the area. There are also agricultural tools that people used and items from early settlers. There are some pictures of members of the Wickoff family. There are also things about the incorporation of Plainsboro and things related to the town itself. The Walker-Gordon Laboratory was once in Plainsboro from 1897 until 1971. There are items from its operation in the museum as well. I love the large timeline that is in the hallway.

Cow booties — Cow Boots

Keep that mud away from your hooves!

Above is a picture of cow boots. These were worn by Elsie the cow (the mascot of the Borden Brand). Borden Dairy had its former headquarters in Plainsboro. Prior to the World Fair in 1939 they built a Rotolactor (a glass-enclosed turntable where cows were milked). When visitors to the exhibit kept looking for Elsie (a cartoon cow featured in Borden’s ads) they decided to name one of the cows Elsie. Her home was at the Walker-Gordon home in Plainsboro.

Wickoff House Museum Plainsboro — Trolley Bell

There was a “Fast Car” trolley that ran between Trenton and New Brunswick starting on November 3rd, 1902. At first trips were eighty cents round trip and took an hour and forty five minutes. They later cost sixty cents in 1906.

There was a trolley network created between the states so people could also reach Philadelphia and New York. There were three Plainsboro stops at Cranbury, Dey and Plainsboro Road. The service ran until 1937. There is more information about the trolley here: Trolley. To find more cool things be sure to visit the museum!

Our Experience

We have come to this house twice for two different free public events. They always do a great job with their public events. This is due to the involvement of the volunteers from the Youth Advisory Council. They help run each event and are great at helping people with crafts and activity directions.

The house is an interesting small museum of artifacts that relate to the history of Plainsboro. I recommend doing their scavenger hunt while you visit.

Snow Fest

We recently attended the Snow Fest event at Wickoff House. The kids loved this indoor and outdoor event. It was made even more magical by the snow that fell the night before.

We first parked near the municipal building and walked over. Outside of the house there were graham crackers, milk and dark Hershey’s chocolate pieces and sticks for making s’mores. There were multiple fire pits and a portable outdoor heater. Olaf made an appearance as well.

On the porch of the house there was a station for getting snow cones on the one side with either red or blue flavors. People could get hot cocoa on the other side.

When going into the house people received a passport. If they completed every activity they would receive a prize. Activities included things like making a snowglobe and saying Hi to Olaf. There was also a scavenger hunt with a word that people had to figure out from the clues. This was one of the activities on the passport that needed to be completed as well. This was a good way to look at some of the things in the museum.

Our family loved the event. There were park rangers assisting as well as lots of members of the Youth Advisory Council. They helped make everything run smoothly.

Upcoming Free Events

For more details on any upcoming event check out the Events Calendar.

Volunteer Archivists

Dates: January 7 to March 11, 2025

Time: 12:30 pm to 1:30 pm

Help archive historical documents. Register here: Volunteer Archivists.

Kids Craft Drop-In Days at the Museum

Dates: 1st Sunday of every month

Upcoming dates are February 2, March 2, April 6 and May 4

Time: 2:30 to 3:30 pm

There will be different craft themes every month.

Trivia on Tap

Date: February 1, 2024

Time: 6:00 pm to 8:00 pm

Register at Meetup Plainsboro.

An event with mocktails, games and prizes.

Building Community: The History of Civic and Social Organizations in Plainsboro

Date: February 23, 2025

Time: 1:00 pm to 2:00 pm

Free seminar with refreshments. Register here: Seminar.

Upcoming Events with a Fee

Junior Historians Club for Kids 6-8

Dates: Saturdays from January 18th to March 22nd

Times: 2:00 pm to 4:00 pm

Learn about history and historic preservation. Each participant receives a JHC t-shirt, workbook and snacks each week. Program fee is $45. Register here: Junior Historians Club.

Creative Chronicles: Reimagining Plainsboro’s History

Dates: January 31 to February 28, 2025

Times: 1 to 2:30 pm

Register at Creative Chronicles.

Create a piece of artwork based on a landmark or historic Plainsboro event that you learn about for $20.

Escape the Museum

Date: February 22, 2025

Time: 4:00 pm to 8:00 pm

Register at Escape Room Plainsboro.

$5 pp for admission to the escape room, pizza and a souvenir.

Escape room theme options will be Alice in Wonderland, Zombie Apocalypse, Haunted Library and Pirate Ship.

What are other things to do in the area?

The Plainsboro Public Library is modern and always has interesting events. The Asian Food Market has a lot of low priced food items. There is an area at the front where food can be purchased and eaten from a few different cuisines. Gong Cha also has some great bubble tea.

Resources used: Wickoff House Museum brochure, Historic Wickoff House Museum Website, Plainsboro History, National Register of Historic Places and Roadside America.

Historic John Van Buren Wickoff House Museum