How Should Historic 1745 Farmhouse In Livingston, One Of Oldest To Survive, Be Repaired?

LIVINGSTON, NJ — The Livingston Historical Society was expected this week to discuss a proposal to repair the Old Force Homestead on South Livingston Avenue — which, according to the state of New Jersey, is one of the best preserved early farmhouses in Essex County. It was built around 1745 and is sometimes open for tours.

The town of Livingston has tapped Barton Ross & Partners to prepare a five-year preservation plan for the house and the Condit Family Cookhouse, both located on the property at 366 Livingston Ave.

Ross was expected to present the Force Homestead Preservation Plan to the Livingston Historical Society at a meeting Monday at 7:30 p.m. at the Senior Community Center, 204 Hillside Ave.

Fireplaces And Grandfather Clocks

The homestead — now known at the Old Force Homestead Museum — was built circa 1745 by Theophelous Ward, descendant of the early settlers of the Canoe Brook area, says the Historical Society. In 1777, it was purchased by Samuel Force for his son Thomas and his wife Hannah Smith.

The original home consisted of one large room and a loft area. Thomas Force, who fought in the Revolutionary War, expanded the house in the 1790s, the state says.

The town bought the home in 1962.

In 1964, the new Historical Society began restoring the home and adding donated period pieces. The house contains fireplaces in nearly every room, grandfather clocks, spinning wheels, and original etchings.

The two buildings were listed in the state and National Registers of Historic Places in 1981, the state says.

The Proposal

The proposal includes an evaluation of the existing conditions, architectural history, paint finishes and mortar analysis, dendrochronology, an archaeological report, and a building inspection report.

The plan will be basis for a major Capital Improvement project to be undertaken within the next five years.

It will also be used as guide for applying for grants for the Force Home and Condit Cook House such as the New Jersey Historic Trust, the Society said.

The firm researched historical background and took field photographs to assess the state of the Force House.

A draft of the Preservation Plan has been submitted to the Historical Society, the Township and the NJ Historic Trust.

A written preservation plan is a document that defines and charts a course or action to meet an institution’s overall preservation needs for its collections, said the Society.

Barton Ross is a preservation architect and planner who has contributed to master plans for the Virginia State Capitol, the United States Capitol, and Princeton University. He has been recognized for his dedication to historic preservation by the National Park Service, the secretary of the
interior, and the Society of Architectural Historians. He has served as a historic consultant to New Jersey municipalities including Montclair, Verona, Millburn, Neptune, Cape May, Scotch Plains, Plainfield, North Plainfield, Westfield, Saddle River, and Mountain Lakes. He holds degrees from the Virginia Tech School of Architecture +Design, the University of Pennsylvania, and Columbia University.

The Livingston Historical Society usually meets the fourth Monday of the month September through April at the Livingston Senior Community Center. Members of the community are welcome to attend for no fee. However, monetary donations to the Society are greatly appreciated, they said.