PRINCETON, N.J. - eTradeWire -- Morven's annual Grand Homes & Gardens Speaker Series returns on a weekly basis from Tues., Mar 5 through Weds., Mar 27. The theme for this 2024 Signature event, sponsored by Bryn Mawr Trust, is State-ly Homes: Exploring U.S. Governors' Mansions and Gardens.

Homes to generations of state leaders and their families, governors' mansions have been staples of the American landscape since the country's founding. From refurbished sites of historical significance to bespoke masterpieces, the grand homes and gardens of U.S. governors offer a unique glimpse into how architecture, interior design, and landscapes can serve a civic purpose.

Join Morven (NJ's first executive mansion) as we explore four current governor's mansions, traveling from New Jersey to Virginia, Hawai'i, and Maine. Learn from experts about how these spaces were created to embody the state and the people they seek to represent.

Up first, on Tues., Mar 5 at 6:30 p.m. explore Drumthwacket: New Jersey's Governor's Mansion, presented by Drumthwacket docent, Chuck Johnson. Spanning multiple periods of U.S. history, Drumthwacket, New Jersey's governor's mansion, is one of the nation's most elegant and fascinating residences. Originally built in 1835 for Charles Smith Olden, a farmer turned businessman who would eventually serve as a state senator and governor of New Jersey. The home was named the official governor's residence of New Jersey in 1981. This program is sponsored by Mrs. G Appliances.

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Next, on Weds., Mar 13 at 6:30 p.m. travel back in time at First House: Virginia's Executive Mansion, presented by historian Mary Miley Theobald, author of First House: Two Centuries with Virginia's First Families. First inhabited in 1813 by Governor James Barbour, Virginia's executive mansion is the oldest continuously occupied governors' residence in the United States. The Federal style mansion, little altered architecturally over its long history, has accommodated more than fifty "first families." In 1990, Virginia's executive mansion became the residence of L. Douglas Wilder, the first elected Black governor in America since Reconstruction. This program is sponsored by Erin Forrey Design.

On Weds., Mar 20 at 6:30 p.m., visit Washington Place: The People's Home of Hawai'i, presented virtually from Hawai'i by Travis Hancock, M.A., Curator of Washington Place. Washington Place, a National Historic Landmark, is the only official governor's residence in the U.S. states that was also home to a monarch. Queen Lili'uokalani, Hawai'i's last reigning monarch, moved into Washington Place in 1862 as the bride of John Owen Dominis, son of Captain John and Mary Dominis, the couple who built the mansion. It remained her private residence until her death in 1917. Washington Place was home to Hawai'i's territorial and statehood governors from 1918 to 2002. This program is sponsored by Keller Williams Princeton Realty.

Last, on Weds., Mar 27 at 6:30 p.m., travel to The Blaine House: Home to Maine's Governors, presented virtually from Maine by Earle Shettleworth, the Maine State Historian. Setting to one of the most wide-ranging careers in the history of American politics, The Blaine House is an architectural gem and home to Maine's governors and their families. In 1862, the house became the residence of James G. Blaine who would go on to serve as a Speaker of the U.S. House of Representatives, a U.S. Senator, Secretary of State, and, finally, a Republican candidate for president in 1884. The home was donated to the state of Maine in 1919 by Blaine's daughter, Harriet Blaine Beale. This program is sponsored by Courtney Lederer and Mark Thierfelder.

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All talks begin at 6:30 p.m. in Morven's Stockton Education Center. A Zoom link will be sent to all virtual participants upon registration. Light refreshments inspired by each state will be provided for in-person attendees. All programs will be recorded and shared with registrants following each event.

Tickets are available for the entire series (all four programs), or can be purchased for each individual lecture. Series tickets, as well as individual tickets for the Drumthwacket program on Tues., Mar 5, also include an option to tour Drumthwacket on Thurs., Mar 7, at 10:30 a.m. or 11:30 a.m. Limited spots available.

Series tickets are $90 General Admission In-Person, $70 General Admission Virtual, $60 Morven Member In-Person, $30 Morven Member Virtual, $60 Student In-Person, and $30 Student Virtual. Individual tickets are $30 General Admission In-Person, $20 General Admission Virtual, $20 Morven Member In-Person, $10 Morven Member Virtual, $20 Student In-Person, and $10 Student Virtual. Bundle and save!

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ABOUT MORVEN MUSEUM & GARDEN

Built in the 1750s and home to one of the signers of the Declaration of Independence, Richard Stockton, Morven was home to five generations of Stocktons, then Robert Wood Johnson, Jr. before becoming New Jersey's first Governor's Mansion and home to five New Jersey governors, their families and staffs, witnessing nearly 300 years of history. Morven is located at 55 Stockton Street, Princeton, NJ and is open to the public Wednesday through Sunday from 10:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. The gardens are open daily until dusk.