Have You Heard Of Gnome Town in Hamilton, NJ?

Hamilton Township (Mercer County) is a big place, but, there's a small, magical-like town within its borders that you probably had no idea existed....it's Gnome Town...yes, Gnome Town.

I started reading about Gnome Town in Community News and was instantly hooked...I needed more information. Lol. It's amazing.

Gnome Town was created by Michael McConnell, who spent some of his childhood in Hamilton. He used to go horseback riding in the same woods where he created Gnome Town, before the area became Veterans Park.

McConnell's family left Hamilton when he was 16 years old for Pennsylvania. He moved around quite a bit after that, even joining the Ringling Brothers and Barnum Bailey Circus for about 5 years. Check out more of his life story here.

Hamilton once again became home for McConnell, where he began working in construction and started a family of his own. One of the jobs he's become most proud of is Gnome Town.

Wait, let's stop for a minute. You know what a Gnome is, right?  It's a "legendary dwarfish creature supposed to guard the earth's treasures underground," according to an online definition. You may have seen a few with tall, pointy hats in the landscape of a friend or family member's home.

I have to be honest, I find some of them to be kind of creepy...like their eyes are following me and watching my every move. Lol.

But, in this case I find it endearing. Some people have fairy gardens...well, this is similar, except with Gnomes.

McConnell says it started in March 2022 with him clearing a section of the woods he regularly walks past. He put a few Gnomes in their new home and people starting noticing it, adding to it, or leaving things for him to add. So cool.

There are lots of things to discover in Gnome Town. A campsite, a windmill, a fishing pond, a boat, little Gnome houses and more.

If you'd like to take a look...I'm sure your kids would love it. The article says park at the northern most parking lot of the southern entrance of Veterans Park near the tennis courts, dog park and skate park. Take the paved path into the woods to see it.

I can't wait to go find it and see it for myself.