04/24/2026
Between 1903 and 1906, Mr. and Mrs. Bensel purchased over 300 acres to create an isolated, self-sufficient estate in Bernardsville, NJ called “Queen Anne Farm,” known today as the Cross Estate.
The property featured a 23-room stone house and a five-story granite water tower. The tower was once capped with a wooden windmill and included two exterior balconies that offered views of the surrounding countryside. An engine in a separate pump house fed well water into the tower, creating enough pressure to supply the home.
Over time, parts of its history have been lost. A storm destroyed the windmill in the mid-1920s, and the balconies were later removed for safety reasons. Still, the tower remains, standing over the gardens more than a century later.
In 1929, William and Julia Cross purchased the property and renamed it “Hardscrabble House.” In 1975, the National Park Service acquired the estate, and it is now part of Morristown National Historical Park.
Today, you can explore the gardens and access hiking trails that connect to Jockey Hollow, Lewis Morris Park, and the Scherman-Hoffman Wildlife Sanctuary.
Unfortunately, nothing was in bloom yet when I visited, but I am already planning a trip back in late spring to see the wisteria-covered pergola in full bloom 🤩
📍 Cross Estate Gardens
61 Jockey Hollow Rd, Bernardsville, NJ
🚗Parking is free and there are no entry fees
🌸 Gardens are open from dawn to dusk
