Cool family activities this weekend in Flemington

Apr 11, 2019

Train Flemington Activities Clinton Honda

Image via Flickr by Gamma Man

Although Flemington is a small town, it offers plenty of sites and activities where you can spend some quality time together as a family over a weekend. Here are a few suggestions.

Northlandz

Building model railroads in his basement was a passionate hobby of Bruce Williams Zaccagnino’s. His railroads grew larger and larger, forcing him to keep extending his basement until he eventually decided to build Northlandz to house his ever-growing creation. Today, Northlandz is noted in the Guinness Book of World Records as the museum that houses the largest model railroad in the world. This 52,000 square-foot building contains over eight miles of tracks, 400 bridges, thousands of miniature buildings, 135 locomotives, and hundreds of tunnels and canyons.

The museum offers something of interest for the whole family. For those who are not that into trains, Northlandz also houses a random collection of over 200 dolls, as well as a 300-seat concert hall featuring a large pipe organ where Bruce, who is a concert organist, gives a daily performance. Strange? Yes. But also wonderful.

Fleming Castle Museum

Although many children may not be impressed by spending a family day out at a museum, those who are interested in history may very well enjoy a visit to the Fleming Castle Museum. The house was built in 1756 by an affluent local businessman. In order to accommodate his large family of 10 children, he altered the architectural plan of the common house built at the time, known as the German Bank house, by adding a Gambrel roof for extra living space, as well as adding a floor that was partly below the ground level.

The result was a big three-story house, which according to the standards of the time, was a mansion — hence the name Fleming Castle. Today, the house is a museum, and great pains have been taken to preserve the original structure and content of the house, as well as the gardens. The idea is to depict everyday life in the early years of Flemington’s history. Inside the house, one can view the colonial kitchen, a tavern room, and a ladies parlor, giving one a glimpse of how people lived over 250 years ago.

Black River and Western Railroad

If you have small children, a ride on a real steam train is bound to excite them. The Black River and Western Railroad, which was built in 1854, is one of the few railroads in the U.S. where you can still see a steam-powered freight train in action. The steam trains, however, are primarily used today for passenger excursions. Various trips and themed events are offered throughout the year, affording passengers the opportunity to experience traveling the old-fashioned way.

Upcoming events include the Easter Bunny Express, which features a live Easter Bunny that dishes out treats for the kids, and the annual RailFest, featuring food stalls, a blacksmith demonstration, model trains, and much more.

Whether your kids are into model railroads or real ones, or have a penchant for history, Flemington offers many exciting sites and events that the whole family can enjoy.

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