Historic Smithville Park

803 Smithville Road, Eastampton, NJ 08060

609-265-5858

www.co.burlington.nj.us

The centerpiece of the Burlington County Parks System, Historic Smithville Park boasts the Historic Smithville Mansion - home to industrialist, inventor, and politician Hezekiah B. Smith and his wife Agnes. While H.B. was establishing a woodworking machine manufacturing facility, Agnes studied medicine at Penn Medical University and later served as an editor of a national publication, "The New Jersey Mechanic."

In addition to the mansion, the expansive property includes a worker’s house and a schoolhouse. Smithville grew from a small mill operation on the Rancocas Creek to a major industrial plant employing hundreds of workers in its shops and yards from the 1860s to the 1920s. Thanks to the joint effort of H.B. and Agnes, Smithville was ahead of its time in town planning, sustainability, as well as workers’ rights and welfare. The town offered its residents and workers various recreational, artistic, and educational opportunities including an opera house, library, and a public park.

Today, the village is listed on the National and New Jersey Registers of Historic Places. The 312-acre park also features diverse forests, meadows, freshwater streams and wetlands, as well as Smithville Lake, where visitors can enjoy hiking, biking, fishing, canoeing and picnicking.

WHAT TO SEE AND DO

• Tour the Smithville Mansion for a glimpse at life in the Smith household
• Embark on a self-guided tour of the historic village, making stops at the worker’s house, schoolhouse, or other museums along the way
• Head over to Smith's Woods Area across from the Historic District to explore hiking trails, a butterfly garden, playground and picnic areas with grills. Reserve a Picnic Pavilion for a special occasion.