County Historical Museum Gets Aid from County, Library

SWAINTON – The Cresse-Holmes House, 504 Route 9 North, has withstood the storms of centuries on land bought in 1695 by Arthur Cresse and built in 1704 by his son, John Cresse. On Dec. 22, because economic winds have blown, and government and private funding sources ebb and flow, freeholders approved a memorandum of understanding that outlines what the county, the County Library Commission and the Historical and Genealogical Society will do to maintain the historical museum.
Freeholder M. Marie Hayes, who oversees the museum among her assignments, said the action was taken “Basically to supplement the running of the museum.” The memorandum “clarified what the county will be doing for the museum, what Facilities and services will supply, and a certain amount of work that Management Information Systems will supply to assist with computers and the telephone system.”
“It will clarify what the county will do to help with supplementing the museum to keep it running. The services we will provide to supplement so they (museum) don’t have to pay out,” Hayes said.
The agreement is to be reissued annually, Hayes added.
“We have been doing this for a long time, it’s just never been memorialized,” she said.
The resolution noted that the society, founded in 1927, has the mission of “preserving, protecting and celebrating the diverse history of Cape May County and its residents…”
The museum, houses in three historic structures on that parcel displays an array of collections that “benefit county residents and visitors.”
“A shifting economic climate and burdens on federal, state and local government resources, coupled with rising demand for services and limitations on available funding through charitable fundraising, grant resources and public support, has placed an increasing strain on the Society’s ability to deliver the programs and services for which it has become known,” the resolution continued.
It added that the county and Library Commission “have the ability to provide limited support, directly and indirectly, to help lessen the burden on the Society as it continues its valuable operation in our community.”
The memorandum outlines the rights and responsibilities of all parties “to allow for direct and in-kind support to the Society by the county and the commission.”
“The museum contains extensive and varied exhibits including furnishings, costumes, tools and decorative and practical objects from the 17th to 20th centuries.
“The period rooms include the 18th century kitchen and bedroom with its sampler collection, the pre- 1820 dining room and the Victorian sitting room,” according to its website.