Gems In Our Backyard: The Peter Mott House

So it is no secret that I love to explore and travel to new territories and places but I have learned that there are a lot of noteworthy and interesting places worth visiting that are very close to my hometown.  I am now on a mission to visit them all!  Those that I recommend you visit will be highlighted under the theme, "Gems in Our Backyard." First up- The Peter Mott House!

The Peter Mott house is the home of African-American farmer, Peter Mott.  He built the home himself and he lived there with his wife until about 1879.  The house is a National site because it served as a stop on the Underground Railroad.  What is so special about this site, according to Lawnside Historical Society President Linda Waller, is that, " It is very rare that you find an African-American Underground Railroad site; property owned by a person of color and in an African-Amerian community. That just makes this that much more powerful; I'm not sure that there is any other place exactly like this in the United States."

The Mott residence is the oldest structure in Lawnside, NJ and is being restored by the Lawnside Historical Society.  You can tour the property on Saturdays from 12-3pm and I definitely will say that it is worth the visit!  Check out the pics from my time there…