Ringwood Manor
Ringwood Manor is a designated National Historic Landmark district and museum located in Ringwood State Park. Its history begins with Native American occupation running through the early 20th century. The area’s rich magnetite iron deposits allowed the area to become a major mining industry and was home to a succession of ironmasters from the colonial period through the early 20th century. During the Gilded Age, Ringwood Manor became a summer estate for partners Peter Cooper and Abram S. Hewitt and their families. Characteristic of the Gilded Age, the estate reflects an era when wealthy industrialists invested their money in expansive country properties and enjoyed a lifestyle unattainable by most Americans.
In 1938, the house, its complete contents, and the surrounding property were donated by the family to the State of New Jersey. Now a museum at the heart of Ringwood State Park, the site features original historical structures, gardens, and landscapes on 582 acres and extensive historical collections illustrative of family life, community, industry and culture.