Welcome to the Somerset County Docent Training Program!
The Somerset County Docent Training Program defines a docent as someone who is knowledgeable about a site’s history, collection of artifacts, and context within a wider historical narrative; and utilizes various methods of historical interpretation and educational strategies to impart information to visitors and engage the community in local history. In this training program, you will receive an introduction or continuing education in Somerset County history, gain experience with public speaking and dialogue, and make connections with others who share an interest in history and education.
Over the next few weeks, you will attend presentations and interactive workshops, visit historic sites, and even take a bus tour! You will learn directly from Somerset County history docents and from public historians who specialize in the 18th century revolutionary era. At the beginning of April, we will come together as a community to celebrate your progress in the program and begin the process to match you with a historical house museum. This spring, you will get hands-on experience working alongside experienced docents during a period of learning and service.
Program Orientation
In this program, you will learn to become a history docent, and volunteer at a historical house museum in Somerset County. The word docent comes from the Latin word docere, which means “to teach.” Your responsibilities may vary because no historical house museum is the same. But your function as an essential link between the historic house museum and the community is universal. In your time as a docent, you can expect to engage visitors in conversation about the history of the house, the people who lived, worked, and visited there, and why it is historically significant; and to lead tours for individuals and groups throughout the house. You also expect to work on special projects for the house utilizing interpretation and research skills, and you may represent the house on the grounds and off-site for community events.
What does a volunteer docent do?
Session 1 | February 1, 2025
Below, you can find highlights from our first session. It was wonderful to see everyone actively participating, sharing insights, and embracing the start of your journey to become a volunteer docent at a historical house museum in Somerset County! Your energy and willingness to collaborate set a great tone for the rest of the training, and we are all excited to continue this adventure together. If you have any questions or feedback, feel free to reach out—we’d love to hear from you! Reach out to scdocent@ahaliconsulting.com for support.
Program Welcome
In Somerset County Commissioner Deputy Director Melonie Marano’s welcome remarks, you learned that you were selected from nearly 100 people who signed up looking to participate in this program, from 12 different counties around the state. She lets you know how vital your role as a volunteer docent will be at the historic sites in Somerset County. With the coming Semiquincentennial, you will inspire and educate people of all ages about the county’s unique history.
What is a Docent?
Paul Soltis of the Wallace House and Old Dutch Parsonage led a workshop on what makes being a docent at a historical house museum in Somerset County. Here are 5 key points we hope you take away from this presentation:
We use Middlebrook to refer to the historic area where the Continental Army camped during the winter of 1778-1779, and a “Little Middlebrook” encampment that took place in May and June of 1777.
The Five Generals Houses are surviving structures of the 18th century Middlebrook region. This group of historical house museums have a shared history as the temporary residences of five generals of the Continental Army. These generals include:
Commander-in-Chief George Washington, who stayed at the Wallace House in Somerville;
Quartermaster General Nathanael Greene, who stayed at the Van Veghten House in Bridgewater;
General William Alexander (also known as Lord Stirling), who stayed at the Van Horne House in Bridgewater;
Inspector General Baron von Steuben, who stayed at the Abraham Staats House in South Bound Brook; and
General Henry Knox, who stayed at the Jacobus Vanderveer House in Bedminster.
We say that docents “interpret” history because we use the evidence we have (like artifacts, correspondence, or records) to make reasonable inferences about the past; and then explain our understanding to the public. When we engage in historical interpretation, we take these items and help people to understand the meaning behind them.
Docents are resource-based, and are always asking, “Why do we need to tell this story in this place?” We must pay attention to understanding the places and spaces where we are sharing.
Paul’s advice for docents-in-training: Go on tours of other historic sites, continue to learn, and enjoy yourself!
Follow @WallaceHouseAssociation on Instagram to stay connected to Paul and the other docents at the Wallace House and Old Dutch Parsonage!
In 2026, New Jersey will commemorate the 250 th Anniversary of the founding of the United States of America, which is also known as the Semiquincentennial. Ashley Abruzzo of RevolutionNJ presented New Jersey’s plans to celebrate the Semiquincentennial, and reviewed some key themes that docents should reflect on to help visitors to historical house museums find meaning and inspiration from this once-in-a-generation milestone. You can review pp. 5-19 of your red American Revolution and NJ History toolkit to learn the key concepts, resources, and essential questions to connect each of these themes to the historical house museums where you will volunteer:
The Historical Process
Revolutionary Ideals
New Jersey as a Battleground
Inclusion/Exclusion
Movement of People
Property and Sovereignty
Political Participation
We are delighted that so many of you felt inspired to tap into RevNJ’s resources and activate your home communities! communities! Visit their website for more information that you can share with others, like the RevolutionNJ Handbook: A Guide for Engaging the Past and Shaping the Future, that can help your community plan for the 250th. Don’t forget to follow @RevolutionNJ on Instagram to stay in the know about all of the Semiquincentennial commemorations and events happening around the state.