Van Doren-Howe Farmstead Receives Annual Historic Preservation Grant

FRANKLIN TOWNSHIP, NJ - The Somerset County Historical Society (SCHS) is proud to announce that the Van Doren-Howe Farmstead in Franklin Township was awarded a $288,310 annual grant from their partners at the Somerset County Board of County Commissioners. The grant will be used to continue architectural restoration and preservation efforts at the historic farmstead nestled inside Colonial Park. This new funding will be focused on efforts to protect the farmstead from harmful natural elements, such as rain and snow.

SCHS president Frank McGonigle told Patch, “This grant indicates a strong sense of pride in the Van Doren-Howe Farmstead project on the part of community leaders and historical society members. This grant recognizes the profound ripple effect historic preservation projects can have in making Somerset County an even greater history-oriented community.”

The Van Doren-Howe Farmstead consists of a group of buildings including an eighteenth-century Dutch farmhouse, carriage house, hay barn, corn crib, chicken house, hired man's house, outhouse and well. The original farmhouse (c. 1732) is believed to have been constructed and owned by a member of the prominent Somerset County Van Doren family. The original dwelling now serves as the kitchen wing, with a larger two-story farmhouse addition added c. 1790-1810.

The nearby athletic complex and nature trail also bear the names of their benefactors, the Howe family. The Howes were respected historic preservationists in the area, who donated land and financial resources to the park and community. In 1992, the Howes donated their property to Somerset County with the agreement that they be allowed to continue living in the farmhouse. It was their intent that their beloved farmstead be preserved by Somerset County for generations to come.

Since the spring of 2021, volunteers have strived to honor the wishes of the Howe family by spending countless days hard at work cleaning up and making repairs to the farmhouse. Volunteers typically ascend on the property to work weekly on Saturdays.

Over the past 12 months, the Van Doren-Howe Farmstead has undergone extensive restoration and preservation work in large part thanks to the efforts of a coalition made up of SCHS volunteers; the architectural firm Connolly & Hickey; and the cultural resource management (archaeology) firm Richard Grubb & Associates, Inc. Despite acts of vandalism and volatile weather conditions, this coalition has persisted and continues to look forward to restoring this significant part of the community’s history to its past glory.

The project manager for historic restorations and preservation efforts at the Van Doren-Howe Farmstead is Rikki Lyn McCarthy, who also serves as a SCHS trustee. She hopes that the Van Doren-Howe Farmstead will be registered as a state or national historic site in the foreseeable future. Regarding the recent grant, McCarthy said, “This sets the bar high for what extraordinary feats of determination can be accomplished at the Van Doren-Howe Farmstead in a relatively short period of time. SCHS is setting a new precedent of ‘walking the walk’ when it comes to awareness and preservation of local history.”

The SCHS is always seeking concerned citizens, nonprofit organizations and businesses to provide financial and labor support to renovate and preserve the Van Doren-Howe Farmstead. Over the course of this project, the SCHS has sought to continue the process of building collaborative partnerships dedicated to historic preservation that will ensure the farmstead remains an important fixture of the community for years to come.

Founded in 1882, the SCHS is dedicated to finding, saving and sharing the history of Somerset County, New Jersey. If you are interested in supporting the Van Doren-Howe Farmstead restoration and preservation efforts, please visit the SCHS website for more information on how to become a volunteer and/or member of the SCHS. You can support historical interpretation and preservation throughout Somerset County, like those taking place at the Howe Farmstead, by becoming a member of the SCHS for $25 a year. All email inquiries can be sent to the SCHS at schshowefarm@gmail.com.

For additional information on the Van Doren-Howe Farmstead, please visit the SCHS website, Facebook page or Instagram. Weekly updates on restoration and historic preservation at the Van Doren-Howe Farmstead will be made on social media under the hashtag #HoweWeHistory.