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The General James A. Garfield Camp 

                                        G.A.R. & S.U.V.C.W. Museum    

 151 Eggert Crossing Road

  Lawrenceville, New Jersey 08648

    Telephone (609) 530 - 6801, Fax (609) 530 - 6907

LINK:     History of Garfield Camp #4 & G.A.R. Museum

Our museum has a new look and now two rooms to better display our artifacts

                                                                                             (Click on the thumbnail for a better look)

   The New Jersey National Guard Armory in Lawrenceville is an annex of the New jersey Militia Museum located at Sea Girt, 

New Jersey.  Past department and camp commander (now since deceased) Charles W. Larkin arranged for the permission for Camp #4 

to move the artifacts to the armory.  The Garfield Camp Civil War Museum was previously located in the Perry Street Trenton Fire Headquarters.  The artifacts were packed and moved to the National Guard Armory in Lawrenceville in July of 1988.

     The General James A. Garfield Camp # 4, Sons of Veterans was designated by the Grand Army of the Republic (GAR) at one of their annual encampments as the repository of the documents and artifacts of the posts as they were being closed.

This cannon was used to vote to accept or reject new members to Arron Wilkes Post $ 23 - GAR. 

                White or black balls were dropped into the cannon tube and deposited into the wooden box below.                

     The museum contains artifacts, documents and memorabilia of the U.S. Civil War, the GAR and the SUVCW.  These items were donated by the members of the GAR Posts, S of V and the SUVCW.  Camps throughout New Jersey, as well as people who wish to have them maintained and preserved in addition to having them displayed for the education and enjoyment of others.  Donations are desired and welcome.  Your families treasures will be cared for.  All of the items currently in the museum have been preserved by the Director of Restoration and Preservation, Brother Stanley Saperstein, Abraham Lincoln Camp #100, SUVCW.  He is a master craftsman, skilled in the preservation of weapons, wood and leather products.  A regular maintenance schedule has been implemented for all artifacts.

     The items in the museum fall into three distinct categories:

1. - Artifacts and documents of the Civil War

2. - Artifacts, documents and memorabilia donated by members of the GAR Posts located in Trenton and their families.

3. - Artifacts, documents and memorabilia donated by members of the SUVCW Camps located in New Jersey and their families.

Among the artifacts and memorabilia are:

1. - Civil War era muskets, carbines, bullets, artillery shot and shells, canteens, belts, buckles, swords, bayonets, shoes, battlefield relics, 

      uniform accoutrements, prison camp relics, stirrups, cooking equipment, a National color of a regiment in the First New Jersey Brigade.

2. - SUVCW uniform items and accoutrements.

3. - GAR Members photographs, monument photographs, GAR and SUVCW group photographs, oil paintings, burial markers

      and GAR Hall furniture.

4. - SUVCW membership medals, GAR, SUVCW and Allied orders annual encampment and other special medals and ribbons.

5. - The medal of Honor Certificate issued to Sgt. John Beech, 4th New Jersey Volunteer Infantry.

6. - GAR posts and SUVCW Camp Charters, ladies auxiliary minutes books, membership ledgers, burial records and encampment

     proceedings and many books written about Civil War topics.

     There are gaps in these collections, which we hope will be filled by donations by members of the SUVCW and the public.

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