The object of the New Jersey commission for the Louisiana Purchase Exposition was to provide visitors from the State with suitable and homelike headquarters and to advertise the extensive resources of the Commonwealth.  The growth of the manufacturing interests of the State has been so remarkable that from a purely agricultural center it has, within a comparatively few years, obtained an indisputable position in the forefront of the manufacturing States of the Union.  The number and character of individual exhibits compared favorably with other States represented.  They represented a variety of industries, and were among the finest exhibits at the exposition.

The State Pavilion was a practical reproduction of the old Ford Tavern at Morristown, N.J., which was used as Washington’s headquarters during the winter of 1779-80.  Alexander Hamilton made his home there that winter, and there met the daughter of General Schuyler, whom he afterwards married.  Among other famous men who have been beneath its roof were Green, Knox, Lafayette, Steuben, Kosciusko, Schuyler, “Light Horse” Harry Lee, Old Israel Putman, “Mad Anthony” Wayne, and Benedict Arnold.

The location of the New Jersey Building was in the center of a grove of trees, with an extensive lawn, and had every convenience for the comfort of visitors.  The furnishings were selected to harmonize in color as well as with a view to comfort.

Owing to the expense required to make shipments of fresh articles such a great distance, the commission found it would be impossible to make such agricultural and horticultural displays as would do justice to the State with the amount of the appropriation placed at their disposal.

The educational exhibit differed in some features from that of any other State.  For the display of books and various lines of work not readily shown upon the walls or in the cabinets, drawers instead of shelves were placed under the cabinets.  This enabled the work to be put in convenient form for inspection, and had the additional merit of keeping it clean.  Another feature entirely new and used for the first time at this exposition was the index key.  The exhibit was divided into sections lettered from A to M, inclusive, and these were subdivided into units numbered from 1 to 68, inclusive.  Each unit consisted of a leaf cabinet with six drawers directly underneath.  The units from 15 to 21, inclusive, served as an index to the entire New Jersey educational exhibit.  Unit No. 15 directed to first year’s work.  Unit No. 16 directed to second and fourth year’s work.  Unit No. 17 directed to third and fourth year’s work, and so on.

To find work from a particular school, the card containing work from the county or city in which said school is located was first taken.  That card directed to the section in which all work of the school, except that placed upon the walls, could be found.  Different lines of school work were bound in different colored volumes, as shown by index cards.  Another unique feature of the exhibit was the manual-training work of each school shown in connection with its academic work.