Craftsman Farms – Oasis in a Wasteland
Quietly tucked away, just off Route 10 in the belly of the beast of suburban sprawl of Parsippany, is an oasis, Craftsman Farms and the Gustav Stickley Museum.
Stickley is famous for his mission style furniture, but he is less well known as a leader in the arts and crafts movement and founder of the utopian community, Craftsman Farms.
Stickley was influenced by the work of William Morris, and from 1908 – 1914, he strived to establish a living community founded on the ideals of the arts and crafts movement: simplicity, nature, and a creative unification or art, work, and life.
The aesthetics, ideology, and values of the arts and crafts movement still inspire me – come and take a look at some photos. And next time you’re battling traffic and sickened by the banal landscapes of suburban NJ, stop in for a visit. Awesome interior tour, great gift shop and bookstore: http://www.stickleymuseum.org/
Bill, great pictures.
I am glad to see someone else who enjoys the out doors as much as I do. If it were not for your pictures on the computer screen many people would not know how much beauty there is outside.
Keep it up. Perhaps some day more folks will meet us outdoors.