The Roxbury Historic Trust

The Roxbury Historic Trust serves as curator of the 1826 King Canal Store
& the 1881 King Victorian Home, located within the
Museums at Drakesville Historic Park, Ledgewood, New Jersey.

The Roxbury Historic Trust exists to preserve our local heritage and to educate the public about the history of the Township of Roxbury and its place in New Jersey and our nation. We have restored and preserved two National Register properties--the King Store Museum at 211 Main Street, Ledgewood, and the King Home Museum at 209 Main Street, Ledgewood. Both township-owned structures are currently leased to the Trust. The King Store was located just yards from the Morris Canal and  prospered during the Canal's height of activity from 1831 to 1870 and continued to be the center of town activity through the 1920's. This area was once known as Drakesville before the adoption of the name Ledgewood.

The King Canal Store and King Home Museum are now open for short tours on the second Sunday of each month from 1-4 pm. (closed January-March) Located on Main Street in the Ledgewood Historic Park, this is well worth a visit. Operated by Theodore F. King from 1874 through 1928, the Store was originally built circa 1826 and retains it's turn of the Century appearance. The Trust is also restoring the adjacent 1881 Victorian House built by the King family. A newly restored Parlor and two Exhibition rooms are open to the public.  The adjacent historic Silas Riggs Saltbox House is owned and operated by the Roxbury Township Historical Society, dates from Colonial times, and can be visited on the Second Sunday as well. These three buildings, situated together, provide us with a glimpse into the 18th,19th & 20th centuries. 

Roxbury Historic Museums Openings: Second Sunday of month,
April to December - 1 to 4 pm!!
209 & 211 Main St, Ledgewood, NJ - FREE, donations appreciated.

The King Canal Store is a unique, 2-1/2 story building constructed of stone circa 1826. At the ground floor its walls are 3 feet thick. Theodore King took over the building in 1873 from his father-in-law, Albert R. Riggs, and ran the General Store and Post Office very successfully. Mr. King died in 1928 and his daughter Louise closed the building, it's contents remaining just as they were, with a few occasional openings in the 1930's to help locals in the depths of the Depression.

Full page of photographs and information on the
King Store Museum

In 1881 Theodore & Emma Louise King built a home next to the store, the house would have several additions with Italianate and Queen Ann influenced detailing.  The Roxbury Rotary Club started renovation of the Home in 2000. Structural rehabilitation is now nearing completion and the Roxbury Historic Trust is concentrating on interior decoration and the presentation of educational exhibits.

Info on the
King Homestead Museum 

Drakesville Historic Park, Main St, Ledgewood

The Colonial Saltbox House, King Canal Store & King Homestead
are located at 209-213 Main Street, Ledgewood, NJ.
You've already seen 2024, now you can experience 1924 at the 
King Buildings, and experience 1824 at the Salt Box House!

NEW EXHIBIT!    VICTORIAN GIRLS ROOM

Tours of the King House and King Store Museums will be
available all afternoon.

Come delve into three centuries of local history at the Museums at Drakesville in Ledgewood, NJ and see how the Morris Canal has shaped our landscape. Adjacent to the birthplace of the Morris Canal and Inclined Planes 2 and 3 East stand the impressive c.1826, two and a half story, stucco stone King Store and Post Office and neighboring c.1875 vernacular framed King House built by Theodore F. King, influential entrepreneur and landowner. These structures are focal buildings of the Drakesville Historic District together representing a microcosm of the development of New Jersey from the Lenape people through iron mining, farming, transportation, explosives and recreation onwards. The King Store features original stock items from the 1920’s. The King House has a lovely dining room mural painted by James William Marland in 1936.

NOTE: Special Tours and Special Needs:
We occasionally do tours for small groups by appointment. We encourage those who can't make the scheduled times to call the Trust or e-mail, address below. It is strongly recommended that individuals with special needs who wish to visit the King Museums first contact the Roxbury Historic Trust to make sure that we can make arrangements to accommodate you so that your visit will be informative and enjoyable.

Our non-profit Community History Trust is funded by local friends like YOU, and
The Roxbury Historic Trust, Inc. received a grant administered by the Morris County Heritage Commission for the Morris County Commissioners. The grant was funded by the New Jersey Historical Commission, a division of the Department of State.


New: Riggs Family Descended from British Royalty!

New: Brochure Overview of the Drakesville Historic Park

New: Ledgewood Historic Walking Tour Brochure

 Roxbury Historic Trust Inc., 
209 Main St, Ledgewood, NJ 07852   tel# 973-927-7603  or 973-584-7903. 

THE DRAKESVILLE TIMES - Our Illustrated History Publication
The following Newsletters are chock full of great articles and large photos. When downloading,
note that a few issues are approx. 10 mb each, so allow time if your connection is slow.

DRAKESVILLE TIMES NEWSLETTER 1 - DECEMBER 2010

DRAKESVILLE TIMES NEWSLETTER 2 - MAY 2011

DRAKESVILLE TIMES NEWSLETTER 3 - DECEMBER 2011

DRAKESVILLE TIMES NEWSLETTER 4 - MAY 2012

DRAKESVILLE TIMES NEWSLETTER 5 - DECEMBER 2012

DRAKESVILLE TIMES NEWSLETTER 6 - MAY 2013

DRAKESVILLE TIMES NEWSLETTER 7 - DECEMBER 2013

DRAKESVILLE TIMES NEWSLETTER 8 - MAY 2014

DRAKESVILLE TIMES NEWSLETTER 9 - DECEMBER 2014

DRAKESVILLE TIMES NEWSLETTER 10 - MAY 2015

DRAKESVILLE TIMES NEWSLETTER 11 - DECEMBER 2015

DRAKESVILLE TIMES NEWSLETTER 12 - MAY 2016

DRAKESVILLE TIMES NEWSLETTER 13 - DECEMBER 2016

DRAKESVILLE TIMES NEWSLETTER 14 - DECEMBER 2017

~  ~  ~

 Living History Day Photos!

NEW!  Online Membership Application &
Involvement Form
Download a printable Membership Application
Directions to the Ledgewood Historic Park
A Call for Volunteers at the Historic Buildings of The Trust!!

©2006, 2024 Roxbury Historic Trust, Ledgewood, NJ. Please do not reproduce or use on another website without permission.
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