Cornelius Low House

The Cornelius Low House will be closed on the following dates:

September – 9/3, 9/19, 9/25

October – 10/3, 10/31

November – 11/14, 11/21, 11/29

The Cornelius Low House’s exhibit Caught in the Crossfire: Divided Loyalties in Middlesex County is now open and runs through December 2028!

In honor of nationwide celebrations for America’s 250th birthday, The Cornelius Low House Middlesex County Museum’s exhibition Caught in the Crossfire: Divided Loyalties in Middlesex County will re-frame the American Revolution as a complex eight-year-long civil war wherein Americans did not all agree on a path forward in 1776. New Jersey historians have long emphasized that the Revolution was a civil war. Still, often scholars outside the state have either ignored New Jersey’s role or simplified and misinterpreted our part in the story. In the end, more of the war was fought in this state than elsewhere, resulting in the highest number of casualties, a devastating economic toll, and physical damage to communities, and high costs for individuals, no matter which side(s) they took. Embroiled in an active war zone, residents had to take stands—from “loyalist” to “patriot” to “neutral”— and readily change sides at the drop of a hat—becoming a “trimmer,” “straddler,” or “opportunist.”

Regardless of which side they chose, this exhibition illustrates how Middlesex County residents were caught in the middle of a war zone through stories of ordinary and extraordinary individuals and families. It weaves women’s history, Black history, and the history of indigenous communities throughout the galleries. The exhibition will utilize a combination of material cultural artifacts, archival documents, reproductions, interactive and experiential design, and specially commissioned artwork to fill gaps in source material and create immersive experiences. The exhibition will tell stories of Middlesex County residents through its own collection, loans from lenders across the United States, Canada, and the United Kingdom, and exclusive loans from our 250th partner, Rutgers University Libraries’ Special Collections & University Archives.

We aim to rectify how New Jerseyans view their place in the American Revolution and offer locals and visitors a once-in-a-generation opportunity to uncover and celebrate their “revolutionary” roots with us!

Click here to read the Rutgers Today story on the exhibit. 

The Cornelius Low House, located on River Road in Piscataway, is the Middlesex County Museum and is listed on the National Register of Historic Places.  The Cornelius Low House was built in 1741 and belonged to Cornelius Low, a merchant who lived at Raritan Landing. In a notation in the family Bible from October 1741, Low states his son William was born “in my new house on the mountain.”  The Low House is a classic example of Georgian architecture, a style guided by balance, proportion, and symmetry. It is constructed of more than 350 tons of local sandstone.

The side facing River Road features more finely cut stone, while the sides and rear are built in far less expensive rubble stone. There was originally a one-and-a-half-story kitchen wing attached to the left side of the structure. Low and his wife, Johanna, had eleven children. Sadly, only four of the children lived past the age of 36: Isaac, Nicholas, Gertrude, and Sarah.  Isaac Low, a former member of the Continental Congress, and his brothers-in-law, Hugh Wallace and Alexander Wallace, were Loyalists; Nicholas was a Patriot. Cornelius Low died in April 1777, early in the Revolutionary War. It is believed he was a Loyalist, and this is why his house remained untouched by British soldiers, who were encamped in the area.  Archaeological excavations revealed proof of British soldiers being on the property.  After the American Revolution, the house was sold to the Pool family, who lived in it until the mid-nineteenth century. The house was purchased by Middlesex County in 1979 and today offers award-winning exhibits about New Jersey history.

250th Exhibition Partners include the New Jersey Historical Commission, RevolutionNJ, Special Collections & University Archives, and the Rutgers University Libraries.

Funded by Middlesex County Commissioners, New Jersey Historical Commission, a Division of the Department of State, Special Collections & University Archives, Rutgers University Libraries.

2026 will mark the 250th anniversary of the American Revolution. The turmoil of the war happened right here, on the doorstep of those living in Middlesex County. What unfolded was an account of politics, divided loyalties, battles, destruction, and ultimately, rebuilding. This led to the founding of a new nation on July 4, 1776, with the adoption of the Declaration of Independence, shaping the communities we enjoy today. In honor of the 250th Anniversary of the United States of America, Middlesex County is proud to celebrate this milestone as one community, embracing our rich history, taking pride in our fight for independence, and continuing our legacy of welcoming new cultures and traditions from around the world. Visit middlesexcountynj.gov/250 for detailed information and events in honor of this significant period.