Preservation group gives past homes a future
By: PAMELA SROKA
Staff Writer
Saturday, October 14, 2006

FRANKLIN (SOMERSET) -- It all started with the Van Wickle House, which might have become a strip mall if a nonprofit organization had not stepped in to save the structure 30 years ago.

It was the vision of the Somerset-based Meadows Foundation founders who started the nonprofit organization in 1976 to give the past a future by preserving and restoring historic sites with an emphasis on early Dutch and American heritage, said Mark Else, executive director of the foundation.

The Van Wickle House, a Dutch house on Easton Avenue, could have fallen into the hands of developers looking to build a strip mall after out-of-state owners offered it for sale in 1976.

The property was known as "Bogan Meadows," and Simon Van Wickle built the house in 1722.

The house was already 54 years old when Paul Revere made his historic ride in 1776 and more than 100 years old when the Delaware and Raritan Canal cut through its front yard in 1832. The house was more than 200 years old during World War II in 1941.

During negotiations with the township to save the house in 1976, it was decided that a nonprofit organization would be formed to be the steward of the house.The Meadows Foundation took its name from "Bogan Meadows."

A campaign was launched by the Meadows Foundation shortly after the house was put up for sale to raise funding for the building. The Township Council had secured a $45,000 state Green Acres grant, but it did not reach the dollar amount needed. Another $20,000 was raised by private donations. Finally, the parents of one of the Meadows Foundation members anonymously paid the balance for the estimated $120,000 house.

Today, the house is the site each December for the foundation's "SinterKlaas" holiday event, where Dutch dancers and crafters parade the grounds. A "SinterKlaas" character also greets children, said Bruce Hamilton, one of the founding members of the foundation.

Throughout 30 years, the organization has grown to help maintain the historic heritage of six additional homes -- Blackwell Mills Canal House on Canal Road; Hageman House and Barn, Wyckoff-Garretson House and Van Liew-Suydam House, all on South Middlebush Road; Franklin Inn on Amwell Road; and Tulipwood on Hamilton Street. All of the historic properties of the Meadows Foundation are owned by township residents and are looked after by caretakers, who are employees of the foundation.

"Our organization seems to be obsessed with restoration," Else said. "We have been able to bring people into these houses and acquaint them with the history of the area."

Two of the houses are located on township property -- Van Wickle and Tulipwood -- one house is located on private property -- Franklin Inn -- and the remaining four are owned by the township on leased land from the state.

All are listed as historic sites on the state and national registries of historic places.

"We started with one house, and now we have more," Else said. "It's like kids in a cafeteria -- we have too much on our tray."

Meadows Foundation members Else, John Mullen, Hamilton and Jean Pellicane discussed the restoration of the historic properties, future goals for the organization and plans for their 30th anniversary celebration last week with Courier News editors:

Blackwell Mills Canal House, circa 1832

Built about 1835, the Blackwell Mills Canal House was created for the men and women who operated swing bridges, Else said. When the canal closed in 1932, the vintage bridges began to disappear as did those who tended to the bridges. The house remained and, like the canal itself, became state property.

In 1971, a group of canal buffs formed the Blackwell Mills Canal House Association, leased the house from the state and began to restore the structure. The Delaware and Raritan Canal also was declared a state and national historic site, as well as a state park.

Else said plumbing, electricity, heat, telephone and other utilities were installed. Outside, a white-picket fence was built, along with fresh coats of paint covering the walls and a new roof featuring real, cedar shingles. Today, the house is a site for craft and antique shows, open house tours, fireplace cookings and other Meadows Foundation events.

Hageman House and Barn, 1861-1876
   
The land, consisting of four farms, was bought in 1701 by the father of John Wyckoff, Cornelius Wyckoff. In 1765, Barnadus Garretson bought a portion of the Wyckoff property from his son, Cornelius Wyckoff. Garretson farmed on the land until his death in 1802. His four daughters maintained the land until the last daughter, Jane, died in 1858.

Her nephew Benjamin Hageman married Jane Van Wickle in 1845, and the couple moved to Somerville, where he farmed for 16 years.


In 1861, he returned to the homestead and built a large Victorian Italianate house that "dominates the property today," Else said.

Else said Hageman had a son named Garretson, a Rutgers College graduate, who kept a detailed diary for 40 years about his life on the property. The diary is now archived at the Rutgers University library in New Brunswick, Else said.

The house was later passed down to Garretson's son, Peter, in 1915 after Van Wickle's death. Peter was the township's tax collector from 1928 to his death in 1943. The tax collector's room was located in the southwest corner of the house with a door leading out to the side porch.

  Wyckoff-Garretson House, 1740-1805

The roots of the Wyckoff-Garretson House date back to Cornelius Wyckoff of Brooklyn, who bought the home from John Harrison in 1701. He then divided the land among his four sons: Peter, Jacob, Simon and John. Research indicated the first son to live in the house was John, and he built the first half of the house in 1730, Else said.

John used 16th century Dutch framing techniques to construct the white-oak, anchor bent frames held together with "mortis and tenon" joints and fastened with wood pegs.

Upon John's death in 1746, the farm was passed on to his son, Cornelius. In 1805, Samuel Garretson, a Hillsborough resident, bought the property from the estate and built the second half of the house in the same Dutch anchor bent construction, Else said.

Descendents of Garretson lived on the property into the 20th century.

Else said the house, which does have electricity, is being restored with no outlets on the walls or lights on the ceiling to resemble the era when it was built.

"Our lighting is going to be minimal," Else said. "A couple candles a night (in the era) was a big luxury. It's concealed as it can be to look as authentic as possible."

 Van Liew-Suydam House, 1875

The property dates back to the 1700s, when Peter Van Liew settled on the site. Later, Joseph Suydam built part of the house seen today and farmed on the surrounding land. The exterior of the house has been completely restored and painted in Victorian-style colors, Else said.

The ornate woodworking on the porch and walls clearly demonstrates a "perfect example" of the architecture of a 19th century Victorian farmhouse, he said.

In Sept. 1988, the state sold the house to the township for $100, Else said.

The house and property have been leased to the Meadows Foundation, currently in the process of restoring the house for community use.

This restoration effort has required replacement of all major systems in the house. Major projects including exterior siding and painting, porch reconstruction, interior walls, finishing and decorating were completed in 2005, Else said.

In October 2005, the Meadows Foundation played host to the grand re-opening and public ribbon-cutting ceremony of the Van Liew-Suydam house.

Franklin Inn Used Book Store, 1752-1829

The Franklin Inn was originally built 250 years ago by Cornelius Van Liew as his homestead. In 1832, it was bought by John Wyckoff, who enlarged the home for use as a tavern and inn for nearly 180 years. The inn was in anticipation of the Raritan Canal being constructed during that time and served stagecoaches traveling through the area, Else said.

During the Revolutionary War, the house was headquarters for British Gen. Charles Cornwallis for five days while thousands of his troops camped at the site now known as Colonial Park.

Members of the Franklin Inn Committee have been restoring the building with complete first floor restoration and a new central furnace for year-round heating. The Canal House Association leases the inn from the Onka family, owners since 1945.

The tavern is large enough to house 20,000 books, Else said. After months of preparation, the Franklin Inn used book store opened in November 1992. The used bookstore is open for patrons, and book sales benefit the Meadows Foundation restoration of the tavern and other projects.

 Tulipwood, 1892

Tulipwood is the latest addition to the Meadows Foundation's family of historic Dutch houses.

The structure, designed by architect J. August Lienau, was part of a 121-acre tract owned by Mary Maclay Williams until 1877. It was used as a summer house by the Williams family, who lived in New York, Else said. In 1920, Tulipwood became the home of the Leigh W. Kimball family.

"It may have been the first house built in Franklin Township that an architect designed," Mullen said. "Tuilipwood was built for that owner. There's no house like it."

Mullen, who lives next door to the site, said the house was hidden by brush and had gone unnoticed by residents in the township. He had been a personal friend of Roland Lehman, who was the brother-in-law of Leigh Kimball. Mullen said when Lehman died, he approached the Meadows Foundation about preserving the 3-acre property, located in the northeast portion of the township.

"All of a sudden, there was a 'for sale' sign in front of the house," Mullen said. "The only offers were to developers."

In 2001, the Meadows Foundation announced it would support the property.

"It's a Dutch revival. It's sort of like a book end on our collection of houses," Else said.

"It was never really altered," Mullen said, describing the home. "The kitchen never changed. It was unbelievable."

Pamela Sroka can be reached at (908) 707-3155 or psroka@c-n.com.

The Meadows Foundation timeline:

1. 1976: The historic Bogan Meadows property, also known as the Van Wickle House, is put up for sale. During negotiations with the township to save the house, it was decided that a nonprofit organization would be formed to be the steward of the house. The Meadows Foundation begins fundraising efforts.

2. 1977: The Meadows Foundation is formed as a nonprofit corporation and receives $45,000 in green acres funding from the state to preserve the Van Wickle House.

3. 1978: A “candlelight concert” series, “Sinterklaas” holiday event and pumpkin patch event are offered at the Van Wickle House on Easton Avenue.

4. 1979: First used book sale and art show is offered at the Van Wickle House, which later becomes an annual event.

5. 1983: The Meadows Foundation acquires two vandalized Dutch farm sites, the Hageman Farm and Wyckoff-Garretson House and wagon barn on the state’s “Six Mile Run” Reservoir land.

6. 1988: The Meadows Foundation acquires the Van Liew-Suydam House on the state’s “Six Mile Run” Reservoir land.

7. 1991: The Meadows Foundation writes its first New Jersey Historic Trust grant for the Hageman Horse Barn.

8. 1992: The Meadows Foundation receives a $100,000 restoration grant from the New Jersey Historic Trust for the Hageman Horse Barn.

9. 1996: A first reenactment is staged at the Van Wickle House.

10. 1997: A second reenactment is staged at the Van Wickle House.

11. 1998: The Meadows Foundation stages a major reenactment event at Colonial Park, titled “The British Are Coming.”

12. 1999: The Meadows Foundation applies for Somerset County Restoration Grants for the Hageman Horse Barn, Van Liew-Suydam House and Wyckoff-Garretson House.

13. 2000: The Meadows Foundation receives grants from Somerset County for the Hageman Horse Barn: $321,000; Van Liew-Suydam House: $60,600; and Wyckoff-Garretson House: $152,000. The Meadows Foundation applies for second Somerset County Restoration Grants for Hageman Horse Barn, Van Liew-Suydam and Wyckoff-Garretson Houses.

14. 2001: The Meadows Foundation receives second grants from Somerset County for Hageman Horse Barn: $80,000; Van Liew-Suydam: $79,000; and Wyckoff-Garretson House: $41,405. The Meadows Foundation applies for its third Somerset County Restoration Grants for Hageman Horse Barn and Wyckoff-Garretson House and applies for its first state Historic Commission General Operating Support grant.

15. 2001: The Meadows Foundation receives its first $30,000 general operating support grant.

16. 2002: The Meadows Foundation receives an “award for excellence” from the state Preservation Office for the Wyckoff-Garretson House prepared by architect Mark Alan Hewit.

17. 2002: The Meadows Foundation applies for its fourth Somerset County Restoration Grants for the Wyckoff-Garretson House and applies for its second state Historic Commission General Operating Support grant.

18. 2002: The Meadows Foundation receives its second General Operating Support grant for $12,000. The foundation participates in an “organizational audit” by consultant and starts action on the recommendations.

19. 2003: The Meadows Foundation receives a $78,000 Somerset County grant for the Wyckoff-Garretson House. The foundation applies for its fifth Somerset County restoration grant for the Wyckoff-Garretson House and its third New Jersey Historic Commission General Operating Support grant.

20. 2003: The Meadows Foundation receives its third General Operating Support grant for $30,000. The foundation continues action on reorganization recommendations and acquires the fifth Meadows Foundation house for Franklin Township called Tulipwood.

21. 2003: The foundation receives its first Franklin Township Historic Preservation grant for Hageman Horse Barn for $56,675; Van Liew-Suydam for $66,900; and the Wyckoff-Garretson Wagon Barn for $16,425.

22. 2004: The Meadows Foundation receives a $15,000 restoration grant from the New Jersey Cultural Trust to restore the Tulipwood House’s front porch. The foundation applies for its sixth Somerset County Restoration Grants for Hageman Horse Barn for $110,000; and applies for its second New Jersey Historic Trust Grant for Hageman Dairy Barn for $540,930; and the Wyckoff-Garretson House $208,649. The foundation receives its second New Jersey Historic Trust Grant and when combined, is the largest restoration grant ever received by the Meadows Foundation for $749,579.

23. 2004: The Meadows Foundation continues action on reorganization recommendations. The foundation receives its fourth general operating support grant for $20,000 and second Franklin Township Historic Preservation grant for Tulipwood for $40,320 and the Wyckoff-Garretson Wagon Barn for $99,680.

24. 2005: The Meadows Foundation receive a $68,000 Somerset County grant for the Wyckoff-Garretson House. The foundation applies for its second Somerset County Restoration Grants for Hageman Horse Barn and Wyckoff-Garretson House. The foundation continues action on re organizational recommendations, adopts new bylaws and completes a long-range plan.

25. 2005: The Meadows Foundation receives its fifth General Operating Support grant for $18,000; its third Franklin Township Historic Preservation grant for Tulipwood: $110,320; and Wyckoff-Garretson Wagon Barn: $29,680. The foundation staged its first public event at the Wyckoff-Garretson House called, “Colonial Times.”

26. 2006: The Meadows Foundation receives a $51,800 Somerset County grant for the Van Liew-Suydam House and its sixth General Operating Support grant for $18,000. The foundation also receives its fourth Franklin Township Historic Preservation grant for Tulipwood: $114,800. The foundation stages its second public event at the Wyckoff-Garretson House, called, “Colonial Times II.”

27. June 2007: The date Meadows Foundation chooses for its 30th anniversary celebration at the Hageman House and Barn, 209 South Middlebush Road. A banquet celebration is planned inside the barn, along with other festivities.

from the Courier News web site www.c-n.com