Morven, a historic Georgian house and formal gardens that has become a center for social and political activity, was originally part of a 5,500-acre tract purchased from William Penn in 1701 by Richard Stockton. Over the years, the residents of Morven have included a signer of the Declaration of Independence (Richard Stockton), two United States Senators, and five state governors. Richard's wife, Annis, a published poet, named the property Morven, after a mythical Gaelic kingdom in the epic poems of Ossian, a Gaelic poet and Irish folk hero of the 3rd or 4th century.
The daily lives of all of the inhabitants of Morven and the development of the house and grounds have over the years reflected many of the changes in the political, economic, cultural, and social history in New Jersey.