See inside historic and elaborate North Jersey homes at these house tour events in May

Have you ever wondered what the inside of some of North Jersey's most historic and elaborate homes look like? Now is your chance to find out.

In May, there are home tours being held in both Morristown and Short Hills, where visitors are invited to explore a curated list of the areas most notable properties. And, even better, all of the money collected from ticket purchases go towards funding vital programs and services in their respective communities.

So, if you're looking for something to do this month while also supporting local initiatives, here are two home tour events taking place in North Jersey:

Historic District House Tour, Morristown - May 19th

The Macculloch Hall Historical Museum will be hosting its bi-annual Historic District House Tour in Morristown on May 19th. This tour, which has taken place for over ten years, is a fundraiser to support the programs and events held by the museum, which is at the center of the town's historic district.

"Macculloch Hall is considered an anchor of the historic district," said Tricia Pongracz, executive director of Macculloch Hall. "So, you've got this gem of a museum that supports the community, and that the community is able to support through this house tour."

The property of Macculloch Hall dates back to the 18th century, and George and Louisa Macculloch built their house there in 1810, Pongracz. A descendant of the Maccullochs lived in the home until the 1940s before it was chartered as a Morristown community museum in 1950.

In addition to Macculloch Hall, tour visitors will be able to explore the Kellogg Club, another historic mansion, as well as six private homes within Morristown's historic district. The self-guided tour begins at Macculloch Hall, where visitors can pick up their tour guidebook for more information on each of the properties.

Pongracz said this year's featured home was used as the set of Meryl Streep's film, "One True Thing." The Queen Anne-style Victorian home was first built in 1886 and is located just one block from the Macculloch Hall Historical Museum.

"What's great about the line up of homes this year is that we have homes that have recently been restored and conserved, or changed on the inside. So, what you're going to be able to see is the breadth and depth of how historic architecture is valued and reinterpreted in a 21st century context," Pongracz said. "Everyone who has moved in is a steward and they know that they're stewarding these historic homes in this historic neighborhood with the hope that these houses and this neighborhood are going to be here in 100 years."

The tour features preserved homes that were originally built in the late 19th and early 20th centuries, but there is also a home on the tour that was built in the 21st century. While the home is newer than the other properties, Pongracz said it was built in a way that blends into and celebrates the architectural history of the neighborhood.

Pongracz said the event was made possible through help from local businesses and sponsors, including main event sponsors Millea Bros Auctions + Appraisals and Simon Quick Advisors.

"It's our board really working hard to continue to make Macculloch Hall relevant not only to the broader community but within this little architectural environment as well," she said. "The board has a deep commitment to the museum because they value it and they just want this architectural history to survive."

Info: 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Sunday, May 19. Limited parking is available along Macculloch Avenue for two hours, and tickets are $60 — a non-refundable donation to the Macculloch Hall Historical Museum — which can be purchased at their website.

Go: 45 Macculloch Ave., Morristown; 973-539-2404, maccullochhall.org/house-tour.

H.O.M.E. Tour of Short Hills - May 31st

On May 31st, The Warehouse NJ — a non-profit that collects and redistributes used furniture for people coming out of tragedy — will be hosting their 2nd annual H.O.M.E. Tour of Short Hills as a fundraiser for their organization.

Margaret Santana, secretary for The Warehouse NJ and the H.O.M.E. event chair, said they previously funded their work solely through their annual paddle fundraiser. But, as the organization approaches its five-year anniversary, she said they started the H.O.M.E. — Helping Others Move Equitably — tour last year to raise more money so they could serve additional clients.

"We're running around and picking up all this beautiful furniture from beautiful homes and giving them a second life," she said. "So, when we thought of what we wanted to do for our next fundraiser, the idea of a home tour came to mind because one of the things that really strikes us whenever we do a move is that when we take that empty space and we give them a sofa, a bed, a table to eat at, it actually takes that space and makes it a home."

Like last year, the home tour will feature five carefully curated homes throughout Short Hills that have a unique story to tell, Santana said, whether it be a piece of its history, a particular renovation or any meaningful memories that have made it a home. She said that in addition to finding homes from different eras and with varying architectural styles, they included both extravagant "wow" houses and properties that are more relatable to the average person.

Santana said that because tickets sold out within a week or two of the event being announced last year, they made sure to increase the number of tickets available for this year's tour. To maintain the flow of the tour and ensure guests are respectful of the homes, especially given the increase in tickets, she said there will be volunteer docents staged in each home throughout the tour, just like last year.

"We'll basically have people stationed throughout every home. For the homeowners privacy, we also don't reveal the homes until the morning of or the day before for VIP ticket holders," she said. "At every home there is a check in so we can make sure that there are only ticket holders entering the homes. We have it very managed to ensure the privacy of the homeowners."

New this year is an online auction with designer items and unique in-home experiences and services. Running from May 27 to May 31, Santana said that while the items in the auction will be on display during the tour, bidding is open to non-tour attendees as well. Plus, for VIP ticket holders, there will be a Preview Party the night before the H.O.M.E. Tour, where guests can enjoy cocktails at a bonus sixth home.

There are also a variety of high-end, home-related sponsors, including architects and designers, that have helped make the event possible, Santana said.

"It's more of an art than a science putting this together," she said. "We're really proud about the fact that a couple of the homeowners enjoyed being part of the tour so much last year that they're on our committee this year. It's helping a good cause."

Info: 9 a.m. to noon on Friday, May 31 for the H.O.M.E. Tour. Tickets are $75 for general admission and $125 for a VIP ticket — a non-refundable donation to The Warehouse NJ — which can be purchased online.

Go: Addresses of the featured homes will be kept private until the day of the tour, and will only be made available to ticket holders. A tour map and event details will be emailed to ticket holders in the morning on May 31.

Maddie McGay is the real estate reporter for NorthJersey.com and The Record, covering all things worth celebrating about living in North Jersey. Find her on Instagram @maddiemcgay, on X @maddiemcgayy, and sign up for her North Jersey Living newsletter. Do you have a tip, trend or terrific house she should know about? Email her at MMcGay@gannett.

This article originally appeared on NorthJersey.com: Open house tours in NJ: See inside elaborate homes in May