In just seven years, our country will be celebrating its Sesquicentennial, its 250th anniversary, and in 2026 we plan to showcase the patriots who are interred in the historic Rahway Cemetery.  But there’s no need to wait seven years. This year, on Sunday, Oct. 6, we’ll get a head start on the celebration when the Merchants and Drovers Tavern Museum Association presents the 2019 Ghosts of the Past, a Cemetery Tour of Rahway in the Revolution.

During the tour, guests will be escorted to ten graves of citizens who have interesting stories to tell.  Costumed actors will represent both soldiers and civilians as they give the historic accounts of the parts they played in the war.

Tour stops will include the graves of two soldiers who gave their lives for liberty, the highest-ranking officer in the cemetery, an enslaved woman who met General Washington, a signer of the Declaration of Independence and his two sons, the pastor of the First Presbyterian Church, a member of the Continental Marines, the wife of a Tory, a veteran who became a famous clockmaker, and more.

Tours start at noon and leave every fifteen minutes, with each tour lasting approximately 1 1/2 hours.  The last tour goes out at 4:00pm.  Since we anticipate large crowds, tour time reservations are recommended to ensure a desired starting time.

Admission is $15.00 for adults, $10.00 for members, seniors (65+) and students, and $5.00 for children 12 and under. For reservations and more information, please call the Museum Office at 732-381-0441. 

This history program is made possible in part by a 2019 HEART (History, Education, Arts Reaching Thousands) Grant from the Union County Board of Chosen Freeholders.