Martha Leigh Wolf, executive director of Morven Museum and Garden in Princeton, spoke at the second Society meeting of 2006. Ms. Wolf took us from the origins of the property as the home of five generations of the Stockton family (including Declaration of Independence signer Richard Stockton), on to its ownership by Robert Wood Johnson, use as the governor's mansion from 1945 to 1981, and finally into its refurbishment as a museum, completed in 2004.

During her slide presentation, Ms. Wolf enlightened the audience as to the history of Morven, illustrating the architectural and landscaping changes to the property and going into detail about the lives of the people who lived there. She also took care to debunk previously accepted "facts" about Morven and its owners, discussing Richard Stockton's changing loyalties during the Revolutionary War and rumors that had been invented by later Stocktons in order to increase the property's reputation.

The Society is most appreciative to Martha Wolf for speaking to us about Morven and other issues related to historic preservation. We also thank her for taking our questions with enthusiasm! We will be taking a trip to see the property on April 29th, 2006, and hope to see as many members as possible out there with us.

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