The Governor’s budget proposal will close nine parks, among them High Point and Shepard Lake. Reduction in services intended at others, including Ringwood Manor historic site. The Ringwood Manor reduction is drastic; it will affect school programs, tours, maintainence, special programs (Independence Day Celebration, reenactments, etc.), and collection management. In total, the Park Service will be losing 80 permanent positions.

PLEASE HELP: Contact your state legislators to let them know you are not happy with this. Ask them to help restore the money necessary to allow the parks to operate.

To find your district’s legislator: http://www.njleg.state.nj.us/districts/municipalities.asp and write to them, asking them to stop the cuts in the already understaffed parks.

The following calendar of events is subject to cancellation or schedule changes due to state budget cutbacks effective July 1. Call (973) 962-2240 to inquire about whether events and tours have been cancelled.

The Forges and Manor of Ringwood is an historic center, sacred ground to the Native Americans and a site of important American developments, both industrial and social, during the Colonial, Federal, and Victorian periods. The manor and the surrounding lands provide a window into New Jersey history.

During the American Revolution, Ringwood was a supply center, transportation route, strategic headquarters, and site of George Washington's critical defense mapping agency. Ringwood and the surrounding Highlands iron works supplied the ore for three wars, urban growth and rail systems.

Later, Ringwood grew into a "Great Estate," a place which influenced the flow of our nation's cultural, political and industrial history. Due to the influence of Abram Hewitt and Peter Cooper, Ringwood was referred to as the "second White House."

With historical structures in an original setting (on 582 acres of the original 38,000) and extensive historical collections illustrative of family life, community, industry and culture, The Forges and Manor of Ringwood is recognized as a National Historic Landmark District and a unique repository of American history.