What is a Somerset County History Docent? | Somerset County Docent Training Program

What does it mean to be a docent at a historical house museum? In this foundational presentation, Paul Soltis, Resource Interpretive Specialist at the Wallace House and Old Dutch Parsonage, begins by reorienting participants to a place that no longer appears on contemporary maps: the Middlebrook area. Through this geographic and temporal lens, he introduces the Five Generals Houses as more than isolated structures - they are interconnected portals into understanding what life was like in this region centuries ago. This presentation establishes the essential context that new docents need to understand their role in helping visitors bridge the gap between the present and the past, and why these historic houses matter as part of the collective story of Revolutionary War-era Somerset County. IN THIS VIDEO: Defining the role of a docent at historical house museums Understanding the Middlebrook area as a historical location absent from modern maps Introduction to the Five Generals Houses and their geographic connections How historic structures serve as glimpses into life centuries ago The relationship between individual houses and the broader historical landscape What docents help visitors understand about place, time, and daily life in the Revolutionary era Contextualizing Somerset County's unique concentration of Revolutionary War sites The interpretive approach that connects architecture, location, and historical narrative ABOUT THE PROGRAM The Somerset County Docent Training Program is a collaborative initiative developed by the Somerset County Cultural & Heritage Commission in partnership with history-based organizations managing local historic sites. As one of only a handful of collaborative docent training programs in the country, and perhaps the first in New Jersey, this model demonstrates how counties can build sustainable volunteer capacity across multiple sites through shared training, consistent standards, and community partnership. Learn more: somersetcountynj.gov Contact: CulturalHeritage@somersetcountynj.gov