Craftsman Farms (Images of America)

Craftsman Farms was the country estate of the father of the American Arts and Crafts movement, Gustav Stickley. Though Stickley is credited with creating hundreds of home designs, this property contains the only home he designed and built for his own use. His rustic log house was built upon a rolling hillside surrounded by lawns, stone walls, and working farmland. In September 1917,the property was purchased by Sylvia and George Farny, who loved it dearly and passed it on to their descendants. Portions of the 650 acres were sold, but the core remained intact until the 1980s, when it was threatened by condominium development. Community activists launched a “Save the Farms” campaign, which led to the Township of Parsippany-Troy Hills purchasing Craftsman Farms through eminent domain. Today, it is a busy historic house museum operated by the nonprofit Craftsman Farms Foundation. Craftsman Farms showcases the significant design legacy Gustav Stickley created as well as the architectural and landscape history of this New Jersey National Historic Landmark.