We continue to honor the goals of our founding members. Each year we present History and Citizenship medals to grade schools, Good Citizen medals are given to high school students, and we participate in the America History Essay Contest for elementary students. We honor an American History Teacher of the Year, annually honor a member of the community for outstanding service, and the Chapter also recognizes a noted local historian each year. During the 100 years of our Chapter’s existence, we have marked many historical sites in Sussex County as well as the graves of many Revolutionary War soldiers.

The crowning glory of Chinkchewunska Chapter is the museum we own. In 1971 Mr. and Mrs. Clifford Ramsey presented us with the deed to a Dutch colonial farmhouse built in 1787 for the Reverend Elias Van Bunschooten, for whom our museum is named. We also own six acres of land containing a large barn and three historical outbuildings; a wagon house, Greek Revival privy, and ice house. Remaining true to its origins, the only changes made to the house in all these years are the additions of electric, plumbing, and heat. The home is listed on both the New Jersey and the National Registers of Historic Sites and Places.

Soon after the acquisition the Chapter began to restore, refurbish, and redecorate the DAR Van Bunschooten Museum and made it our Chapter headquarters. The ten rooms are furnished in period antiques, many of which were donated by the original family and used in the home. Items in the collection span a range from 1787 to1860, and include clothing, quilts and woven coverlets, furniture, oil paintings, cookware and china, wagons, and farm implements.

Chapter members devote countless hours maintaining and preserving the museum and outbuildings. The privy has been preserved, the carriage house has been restored and contains many early pieces of farm equipment, the library has over 700 volumes and is used for local historical and genealogical research, and the milk house has been restored.

To celebrate our 100th anniversary, a luncheon will be held on May 17th at the Glen Brook Inn, with tours of the museum to be held before and after the festivities. Certificates will be presented to members marking their 25, 40, or 50 years of DAR membership. Cameo Productions is scheduled to present a musical tribute of highlights in the history of the chapter. Our colonial patriots will be honored by the performance of a fife and drum team.

The DAR Elias Van Bunschooten Museum is located at 1097 Route 23, Wantage, NJ (4 miles north of the town of Sussex). We are open on Thursdays and Saturdays from 1-4 PM from May 15th to October 15th or by appointment. Come and spend a day in the country with us. For information, call Barbara Sauvè at 973-875-4058 (bjsauve@warwick.net) or Muriel Robertson at 973-875-5335 (muriel@nac.net).