We are thrilled and grateful to announce that Durand-Hedden is the recipient of a $5,000 program grant from The Maplewood Foundation. This grant will help cover costs for our annual Juneteenth celebration, co-hosted with the Maplewood/South Orange Community Coalition on Race. This annual tradition at Durand-Hedden has grown in popularity year after year. This year's event will take place on Saturday, June 13, at Durand-Hedden House & Garden from 1 pm to 5 pm.
Durand-Hedden House & Garden FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
PO Box 206, 523 Ridgewood Road, Maplewood, NJ 07040
MAPLEWOOD, NJ – December 2025 – The clever and inventive entries to the 2025 Durand-Hedden Gingerbread House Contest will be displayed at Durand-Hedden House & Garden on Sunday, December 14, from 1 pm to 4 pm. Take photos with our “Victorian Santa” while enjoying live music by harpist Odarka Stockert in our beautifully decorated historic house. Shop the Country Store to find inexpensive and unique historical-themed gifts for family, friends, and teachers. Pre-registration is appreciated at DurandHedden.org.
Sign up at DurandHedden.org to enter this year’s Gingerbread House Contest. Registration forms are due Friday, December 12, by 5 pm; Gingerbread Houses must be dropped off on Saturday, December 13, from 11 am to 1 pm, followed by the judging. All houses will be displayed in the Carriage House at Durand-Hedden on Sunday, December 14. Details, rules, and entry forms are available at DurandHedden.org.
About Durand-Hedden House and Garden
The Durand-Hedden House and Garden Association is Maplewood’s historical house museum, dedicated to creating engaging and informative educational programs and materials about the local history of Maplewood and surrounding communities, natural history, and other related topics. The House, at 523 Ridgewood Road, Maplewood, is open once a month between September and June. For more information visit our website at durandhedden.org. To arrange group tours, write to info@durandhedden.org. You can also find us on Facebook and Twitter.
Press contact:
Laura Farrell, laura@lfarrell.com
Last Sunday's lecture, "Three Miles to Maplewood: The Rahway Valley Railroad," presented by historian and author Richard J. King, was a big hit with train enthusiasts and local history buffs.
Originally intended to be just one lecture in our small space, we quickly ran out of seats and added an additional lecture time. Both seatings were overflowing with standing room only. Participants were riveted by Mr. King’s presentation, and each talk sparked a lively discussion.
Seton Hall intern Brooke Hurrell organized a children's activity in which our young visitors were asked to imagine travelling on the rail line through early 20th-century Maplewood.
As always, we thank the community for supporting our programming and helping to preserve Maplewood’s historic treasure, the Durand-Hedden House.
