Historic Sites

1860 House.

124 Montgomery Rd., Montgomery. Constructed circa 1860, in the late Greek Revival style, the house was once part of the 500-acre farm of the Van derVeer family. A mahogany-paneled library was added to the house in the 1930s by the Ballantine (brewery owners) family of Newark. The house serves as the Montgomery Cultural Center, which offers cultural arts and environmental programs. Open Tuesday-Friday, 10 a.m.-3 p.m., and Sunday 1-4 p.m. Closed Monday.
609-921-3272
http://montgomerycenterforthearts.org

Brick Academy.

15 West Oak St., Basking Ridge. 1809 seminary, Federal style of architecture. Representative of the numerous classical seminaries created in New Jersey during the 19th century for educating the sons of wealthy citizens of the state. Owned by Bernards Township and operated by the Historical Society of the Somerset Hills. For research and questions: Open the first and third Wednesdays of each month from 9:30 a.m. to noon, or by appointment. Museum: Open Sundays from 2 to 4 p.m., except summer and holidays.
908-221-1770

Bridges.

Eight unique historic bridges located in Somerset County are described below. Most are open to vehicular and pedestrian traffic 908-231-7021
The Mill Pond Bridge is shown on right.

Bedens Brook Road Bridge.

Bedens Brook Rd., Montgomery. Single-arch, 20-foot-long random rubble stone structure built across a tributary of Bedens Brook. Its stonework, arch, parapets and wing walls are still intact. Thought to have been constructed in the late 19th century.

Cat Tail Brook Bridge.

Montgomery Rd., Hillsborough. Single-arch stone bridge, built in 1825 of local field stone. Example of local stone craftsmanship, early 19th century.

Higginsville Road Bridges.

Higginsville Rd., Hillsborough. Two through Pratt truss road bridges spanning the South Branch of the Raritan River. One was fabricated by Milliken Brothers of New York (1890) and the other by the Wrought Iron Bridge Company of Canton, Ohio (1893). Both are intact examples of 19th century bridge technology and construction techniques.

Kingston Bridge.

Old Rt. 27, Franklin. The oldest bridge in Somerset County. Four-arch stone bridge, constructed in 1798, replaced a bridge burned by the Continental Army during the Revolution. Once carried the King's Highway and later the Lincoln Highway over the Millstone River. Part of Kingston Mill Historic District.

Mill Pond Bridge.

Mill Pond Road, Montgomery. Located within the picturesque Bridgepoint Historic District, this three-arch, random-rubble stone bridge was constructed in the 1820s. It was repaired and restored by Somerset County in 2000.

Nevius Street Bridge.

Nevius Street, Raritan. Constructed in 1886, this wrought-iron bridge is the last remaining double-intersection pratt through-truss in Somerset County and is still in a remarkable state of preservation. Renovated and reopened for pedestrians and bicyclists.

Opossum Road Bridge.

Opossum Rd., Montgomery. The county's second oldest bridge. Built across Bedens Brook in 1822, the Opossum Road Bridge is a double-arched, random rubble stone bridge that retains its original stonework, arches, parapets and approaches. It is 54 feet long and rises to a camelback shape at its center, which is 18 feet above the brook bed.

Delaware & Raritan Canal.

The D&R Canal traverses 22 miles of Somerset County, from Landing Lane in the eastern section of Franklin Township through South Bound Brook to Kingston in the southern section of Franklin. Historic structures include locks at South Bound Brook and Griggstown; the homes of the bridgetenders and locktenders at Zarephath, Weston, East Millstone, Blackwells Mills, Griggstown and Kingston; and spillways, aqueducts and bridges. Once an important link in the Atlantic Intracoastal Waterway, the canal operated from 1834 to 1932, carrying anthracite coal, farm products, terra cotta, rock and much more. In 1866 a record 2.9 million tons were shipped through the waterway - more tonnage than was carried in any single year by the longer and more famous Erie Canal. Hours: Dawn to dusk, all year. 609-924-5705

www.dandrcanal.com

Gen. John Frelinghuysen House.

54 East Somerset St., Raritan. Homestead of the Frelinghuysen family, constructed in 1750, exhibits colonial, Federal and Greek Revival features. Gen. John Frelinghuysen was an attorney who served as a brigadier general during the War of 1812 and later was Somerset County surrogate. The house is now in use as the Raritan Public Library. Open Monday & Thursday, 10 a.m.-8 p.m., Tuesday & Wednesday 10 a.m.-6 p.m., Friday 10 a.m.-5 p.m., Saturday 10 a.m.-3 p.m. (closed Saturdays in July & August).
908-725-0413

Frothingham/Sloan House.

Liberty Corner Rd., Bernards. This Georgian Revival mansion, constructed in 1919, was built for Thomas Frothingham and later sold to John Sloan, a prominent furniture retailer. It was designed by John Russell Pope, a leading designer of country houses for wealthy patrons early in the 20th century. He was later known for his monumental architecture in Washington, D.C., including the Jefferson Memorial. The mansion now houses the United States Golf Association Museum. Open seven days a week from 10 a.m.-5 p.m.
908-234-2300

Dirck Gulick House.

508 Belle Mead-Blawenburg Rd., Montgomery. A rare example of a Somerset County Dutch Colonial stone house. Dirck Gulick, an original settler of the area, built the house in 1752. The house serves as the headquarters of the Van Harlingen Historical Society and is open to the public on the fourth Saturday of the month from 10 a.m. to noon.
908-359-3498

Hendrick Fisher Homestead.

135 Davidson Ave., Somerset 08873. Dating from 1688, the homestead is believed to be Somerset County's oldest historic structure. It was owned by Hendrick Fisher (originally Visscher), a Revolutionary firebrand and farmer whose resistance to the British during the six years the Revolution was fought in New Jersey contributed to the patriots' ultimate victory. A plaque has been affixed to the building in nearby Bound Brook where Fisher read the Declaration of Independence.
732-356-0090
www.uocofusa.org/center/fisher.shtml

Kirch Ford House.

1 Reinman Rd, Warren Twp. Early 18th-century vernacular dwelling, one of the oldest homes in the township. Capt. William Ford owned the house during the American Revolution. It also was the home of Thomas Terrell, first clerk of Warren Twp. Owned by Warren Twp. Open second Sunday of the month from April-December (closed July), 2-4 p.m.
908-753-8000

Meadows Foundation.

Has preserved and maintains six structures (listed below) in Franklin Twp. All are open the second Sun. of each month from 1-3 p.m. 732-828-7418
www.themeadowsfoundation.org

Blackwells Mills Canal House.

598 Canal Rd., Somerset. Built around 1835, one of many dwellings erected for the men and women who operated the swinging bridges along the Delaware & Raritan Canal.
732-873-2133 or 732-873-2958

Franklin Inn.

2371 Amwell Rd., East Millstone. Built circa 1752 as the home of Cornelius and Anje Van Liew. Used by Gen. Charles Cornwallis as a headquarters during the Revolutionary War. It was converted to an inn by John Wyckoff in 1829. Now a used-book store.
732-873-5244 or 732-873-2958

Tulipwood.

1165 Hamilton St., Somerset. Constructed in 1892, Tulipwood is a rare surviving example, in Somerset County, of the Shingle Style, characterized by the extensive use of shingles on prominent roofs and siding. Tulipwood is thought to have been designed by New York architect J. August Lienau for Stephen G. Williams, a New York attorney. In 1920, the property was sold to Leigh W. Kimball, in whose family the house descended until it was purchased by Franklin Township in 2003. Leigh Kimball was a professor of romance languages at Rutgers University. The Tulipwood exterior retains its gambrel roof, its porch with Tuscan columns and its six-over-six windows with louvered shutters. The interior retains its wood paneling and exposed beams, reminiscent of medieval > "> old English> "> design, as well as a fireplace with sophisticated carved mantel. The dining room retains its original Federal-style mantle and corner cupboards with Chippendale-style glazing. The house is maintained by the Meadows Foundation.
732-828-7418

Van Liew-Suydam House.

280 S. Middlebush Rd., Somerset. Located on a picturesque hilltop, the house was constructed in 1875 by Peter Suydam. It is a fine example of a Victorian-Italianate agricultural dwelling common to the eastern seaboard in the mid 19th century. It is being restored as a community center.
732-873-3417

Van Wickle House (The Meadows).

1289 Easton Ave., Franklin Twp. Constructed circa 1722 it is an excellent example of 18th-century colonial architecture influenced by the Dutch, Flemish and English.
732-828-7418 or 732-828-1812

Wyckoff-Garretson House.

215 S. Middlebush Rd., Somerset. Built circa 1730 by John Wyckoff, one of the earliest settlers in the area, with an addition in 1805 by Samuel Garretson. The house is a remarkably intact example of Dutch house framing techniques. It is being restored as a center for the interpretation of Dutch culture in Somerset County.
732-873-1792 or 732-873-3417

Morristown National Historical Park, New Jersey Brigade.

Hardscrabble and Jockey Hollow Roads, Bernardsville. The New Jersey Brigade of 1,300 men camped a few miles south of General Washington's main army camped at Jockey Hollow during the "hard winter" of 1779-1780. Washington selected this area because of its strategic location in the Watchung Mountains and since it was heavily wooded from which shelters could be constructed. Archaeological investigation in 1968 revealed a road leading to Morristown from the encampment. The location of numerous officers' and enlisted men's huts were discovered also. It became part of the Morristown National Historical Park in 1969 as a result of a donation by the Audubon Society of New Jersey.
973-539-2016 or 973-543-4030
www.nps.gov/morr/

Mt. Bethel Baptist Meeting House.

Mt. Bethel Rd. & Mountainview Rd., Warren Twp. One of the oldest Baptist churches in New Jersey, constructed in 1761. It is representative of the simple church structure erected throughout the British colonies in the 18th century. Owned by Warren Twp. Open by appointment only.
908-755-7455

Old Dutch Parsonage.

71 Somerset Street, Somerville. Built in 1751 for the Rev. John Frelinghuysen. Theological classes held here were the beginning of Queens College, later Rutgers University. State historic site. Open Wednesday-Saturday, 10 a.m.-noon & 1-4 p.m., Sunday 1-4 p.m. Reservations required 2 weeks in advance for groups of 10 or more people.
908-725-1015
www.somervillenj.org/bdhist.html

Old Millstone Forge.

North River Rd., Millstone. Blacksmith shop constructed in the early 19th century. Open to the public Sunday 1:30-4 p.m. in the spring and fall, from April 1 to the last week in June, and the third Sunday in September to the last Sunday in November.
908-448-6624
www.oldmillstoneforge.org

Relief Hose Company No. 2.

16 Anderson St., Raritan. Constructed in 1894, it is a well-preserved example of a High Victorian Gothic-style fire house. Its distinctive features include a three-story tower, stained-glass windows, Art Nouveau signage and sandstone trim. In addition to its use as the fire company headquarters, it also served as a municipal court, council chambers, clerk's office meeting house and town library. It continues to be used by the fire company and was recently restored.

Rockingham.

84 Laurel Ave., Kingston. Headquarters of George Washington in 1783 while he attended sessions of the Continental Congress in Princeton. He wrote his "Farewell Orders to the Armies of the United States" from this house. John Harrison constructed the earliest section of the house between 1702 and 1710. Later additions were made in the 1760s by John Berrien, a prosperous farmer and New Jersey Supreme Court judge who owned the house during Washington's stay. State historic site. Open Wednesday-Saturday, 10 a.m.-noon and 1 - 4pm, Sunday 1-4 p.m.
609-683-7132
www.rockingham.net

Rocky Hill Community House

62 Washington St., Rocky Hill. The house, constructed in the vernacular Federal and Greek Revival styles, is believed to have been built by Benjamin Hatwick circa 1835. It is one of the earliest surviving buildings in Rocky Hill and contains much original exterior and interiors features. It is now operated by the Rocky Hill Community Group.

Six Mile Run Historic District.

South Middlebush Road, Franklin. The Six Mile Run Historic District encompasses exceptionally well-preserved vistas of a Dutch-settled, rural 19th-century landscape that once characterized the Raritan Valley. The numerous farmsteads represent the evolution of a rural agricultural economy from the early 18th century to the early 20th century. The 198 contributing structures include 18th- and 19th-century dwellings, a number of New World Dutch barns, English barns, smoke houses, corncribs, granaries and other outbuildings. Significant structures in the district include the Dutch-vernacular Wyckoff/Garretson house, constructed 1730/1810, the Italianate Van Lieu/Suydam house and the Hageman House, both constructed c. 1875. Other houses exhibit influences of the Federal and Greek Revival styles
732-873-3050 www.dandrcanal.com D&R Canal State Park
732-828-7418 www.themeadowsfoundation.org The Meadows Foundation

Somerset County Court House Green.

East Main Street, Somerville. The Somerset County Court House, constructed in 1909 and refurbished in 1996, is a fine example of beaux-arts classicism. It was designed by the firm of Gordon, Tracy and Swartwout. James Riely Gordon, was one of America's foremost courthouse architects who designed the Arizona Capitol. Tracy and Swartwout designed the Missouri Capitol. The adjacent First Reformed Dutch Church, built in 1897 in the English Gothic church style, was designed by William Appleton Potter, who was renowned for his architecture on the Princeton University campus. The Church contains four Tiffany stained glass windows. The Lord Memorial Fountain, erected in 1910, was designed by John Russell Pope, who also designed the Jefferson Memorial in Washington, D.C.
908-231-7110

Somerville Fire Museum.

15 North Doughty St., Somerville. This Italianate-style building was constructed in 1888 for the West End Hose Company and was the home of the borough's first horse-drawn fire truck. The Fire Museum now showcases antique fire-fighting equipment and numerous pictures and citations showing the evolution of the Somerville Fire Department. Open Saturday 10 a.m.-noon or by appointment.
908-526-7098 or 908-526-4828 (after 5 p.m.)
www.somervillefd.com/museum.htm

South Branch School (Little Red School House).

South Branch Rd., Branchburg. Constructed in 1873, it is an excellent example of a well-preserved, one-room vernacular Victorian-Italianate schoolhouse. Owned by Branchburg Twp.
908-526-1300

Abraham Staats House.

17 von Steuben Lane, South Bound Brook. This Dutch-framed, Georgian dwelling was constructed in 1740. It served as Gen. von Steuben's headquarters from December 1778 to June 1779, when the Continental Army was stationed at Camp Middlebrook. The house is listed on the New Jersey State and National Registers of Historic Places (see Washington Campground/Middlebrook Encampment). Open by appointment .
732-469-5836
www.staatshouse.com

Andrew Ten Eyck House

Old York Rd., Branchburg. This house is an important survivor of the township's early domestic architecture. The original brick portion of the house was constructed in the early 19th century while the frame rear portion was added in the early 20th century. Early interior fabric still remaining includes door and window surrounds and door panels in the Federal style as well as tongue-and-groove flooring and beaded baseboards. The second floor contains a local research library. The site is owned and maintained by the Branchburg Historic Society. Open by appointment.
908-722-2124

Train Stations.

There are historic train stations in six communities in Somerset County. For more information, request the "History of Railroad Stations" from the Somerset County Cultural & Heritage Commission, P.O. Box 3000, Somerville, NJ 08876-1262.
908-231-7110

• Bernardsville Station (1901-02). Rt. 202 North, Bernardsville.
• Bound Brook Station (1913). Main St., Bound Brook (shown at right).
• Far Hills Station (1914). Rt. 202 North, Far Hills.
• Gladstone Station (1890). Main St., Peapack & Gladstone.
• Lyons Station (1931). Cross Rd., Bernards Twp.
• Raritan Station (early 1890s). Thompson St., Raritan.

Jacobus Vanderveer House.

US Route 202/206, Bedminster. The Jacobus Vanderveer House is the last surviving building associated with the Vanderveers, a family prominent in Bedminster Twp. history from its earliest settlement through the 19th century. According to tradition, it served as headquarters for Gen. Henry Knox during the winter of 1778-79, when the American artillery was in the village of Pluckemin during the Second Middlebrook Encampment. It is an excellent example of a Dutch-American house. The interior contains massive exposed beams as well as Federal, Greek Revival and Victorian woodwork. The house is owned by Bedminster Twp. and was recently restored..
www.jvanderveerhouse.com

Van Derventer/Branson House (Vermeule Mansion).

614 Greenbrook Rd., North Plainfield. Located on the site of the "Blue Hills Plantation," the house is an example of the French Second Empire and Colonial Revival styles. It was constructed in the mid 19th century by Jeremiah Van Deventer, president of the First National Bank of Plainfield. The house is now home to the Fleetwood Museum of Art and Photographica located on the first floor. Museum tours Saturday 10 a.m.-4 p.m. or by appointment, closed holidays.
908-756-7810

Van Horne House.

941 Main Street, Bridgewater. The Van Horne House probably dates back to the mid 18th century and was extensively remodeled in the middle decades of the 19th and 20th centuries. The 1930s and 1940s remodeling was in the Colonial Revival style and is especially significant. This house was built by Phillip Van Horne, a Bridgewater merchant. It was the site of numerous important events during the Revolutionary War including a portion of the fighting during the Battle of Bound Brook. It was used at various times by Generals Lincoln, Stirling, Lee and Cornwallis. Owned by Somerset County. Tours are conducted by the Heritage Trail Association. The house is owned by the Heritage Trail Association and is currently being restored. Open by appointment only.
732-356-8856
www.heritagetrail.org

Van Veghten House.

9 Van Veghten Rd. (off Finderne Ave.), Bridgewater. Built in the early 1700s, this brick Dutch vernacular house served as headquarters for Quartermaster Gen. Nathaniel Green, winter of 1778-79. Library on New Jersey & Somerset County operated by Somerset County Historical Society. House and library open April 1-December 1, Tuesdays from 12-3 p.m. and the second Saturday of each month from 12-4 p.m.
908-218-1281
http://home.att.net/~SomersetCountyHistoricalSociety/

Wallace House.

71 Somerset Street, Somerville. This Dutch-framed, Georgian dwelling was constructed in 1776. It served as Gen. Washington's headquarters from December 1778 to June 1779, when the Continental Army was stationed at Camp Middlebrook. State historic site (see Washington Campground/Middlebrook Encampment). Open Wednesday-Saturday, 10 a.m.-noon & 1-4 p.m., Sunday 1-4 p.m. Reservations required 2 weeks in advance for groups of 10 or more people.
908-725-1015
www.somervillenj.org/bdhist.html

Washington Campground/Middlebrook Encampment.

Middlebrook Rd., Bridgewater. Site of two encampments of major portions of Washington's Continental Army, early summer of 1777 and the winter of 1778-1779. First official 13-star flag was flown over Washington's troops here.
732-563-0063

Washington Rock State Park.

Washington Ave., Green Brook. The strategic location of Washington Rock, with a 30-mile panoramic view of the Raritan Valley, made it a valuable lookout point for General Washington in June of 1777 during the first Middlebrook Encampment and the Battle of Short Hills.
201-915-3401