Community Corner
Madison: County Grants Recommended To Freeholders For 28 Historic Preservation Projects
Money would come from the voter-approved Morris County Open Space, Farmland, Floodplain Protection and Historic Preservation Trust Fund.
July 23, 2020
County Grants Recommended to Freeholders for 28 Historic Preservation Projects
Projects in 18 Morris Towns Would Get Voter-Approved Preservation Funds
The Morris County Historic Preservation Trust Fund Review Board has recommended $4.4 million in county grants to help preserve, restore, or protect 28 historic sites in 18 towns across Morris County.
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The grant money would come from the voter-approved Morris County Open Space, Farmland, Floodplain Protection and Historic Preservation Trust Fund.
The recommendations were presented last evening at the Morris County Board of Freeholders remote meeting (due to COVID-19).
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They included grants ranging from $4,500 for construction documents for the Women’s Club of Morristown, to $89,820 for an electrical system at the King Homestead Museum in Roxbury, and $320,000 for the Stone Arch Bridge stablization project in the Town of Boonton.
The largest amount, $480,000, would be used towards the purchase of the historic Morristown Post Office in downtown Morristown.
The freeholders, who were briefed on the projects by Review Board Chairwoman Nita Galate, will make a final decision on the recommendations at the board’s Aug. 12 public meeting.
Recommended projects are located in Boonton, Chatham Township, Denville, Dover, East Hanover, Hanover, Kinnelon, Madison, Mendham, Morristown, Mount Arlington, Mount Olive, Netcong, Parsippany, Randolph, Rockaway Township, Roxbury, and Washington Township.
2020 HP Recommendations – Summary
2020 HP Recommendations – Chart
“The restoration, rehabilitation, and preservation work that is aided by this voter-approved grant program allows us preserve and better understand Morris County’s history, and it maintains important links to our past, ’’ said Morris County Freeholder Stephen Shaw.
“The many dedicated county residents who work to maintain our history, which offers lessons for the present and ensures an inheritance for our future, deserve our sincere thanks,’’ said Ray Chang, Historic Preservation Program Coordinator for Morris County. “These county grants assist their efforts to ensure that our county’s heritage and architectural legend are sustained.”
Chairwoman Galate highlighted two of the many projects in her presentation to the freeholders.
Stone Arch Bridge, Town of Boonton
The 1866 Stone Arched Bridge served as a viaduct to provide fire protection for the Boonton Ironworks. It is the only intact portion of the ironworks remaining.
It now functions as a walking bridge and overlook for the Boonton waterfalls, and is the only connection across the Rockaway River from Grace Lord Park to the ironworks.
The $320,000 funding is recommended to provide for stabilization and repair of the masonry structure including stone cleaning, raking and repointing of mortar, and replacement of concrete bridge deck.
Scott Farm Barn, Borough of Mendham
The Scott Farm Barn (aka the Cary Barn) is a c. 1825 banked English barn. It is listed on the Historic Registers as part of the individually listed Stephen Cary House property.
The property was continuously farmed until the 1990’s, and in 2015 the Borough of Mendham, with assistance from the County Open Space Trust Fund, purchased 10.5 acres, which included the barn.
The $16,000 funding is recommended to provide for the completion of a Preservation Plan.
For information on the selection process, visit the county’s Historic Preservation site.
2020 Historic Preservation Recommendations
Property Name
Grant Type
Location
Funding
Boonton Holmes Public Library – Exterior Restoration
Construction
Boonton Town
$221,360
Stone Arch Bridge – Bridge Stabilization
Construction
Boonton Town
$320,000
Arthur W. Condict House – Exterior Restoration
Construction
Dover Town
$144,576
Whippany Burying Yard – Stones & Lane Restoration
Construction
Hanover Twp.
$20,995
L’Ecole Kinnelon Museum – Interior Restoration
Construction
Kinnelon Boro.
$263,760
Museum of Early Trades & Crafts – Phase 5 Interior
Construction
Madison Boro.
$286,321
Acorn Hall Carriage House – Phase II Rehabilitation
Construction
Morristown Town
$245,488
Historic Speedwell Waterwheel – Waterwheel Restoration
Construction
Morristown Town
$311,329
Seward House – Phase 1C Partial Exterior Restoration
Construction
Mount Olive Twp.
$220,000
Growing Stage – Fly System Restoration
Construction
Netcong Boro.
$274,800
Richardson History House – Phase 2
Construction
Parsippany-Troy Hills Twp.
$177,647
Smith-Baldwin House – Phase 3 Rehabilitation
Construction
Parsippany-Troy Hills Twp.
$250,000
Friends Meeting House – Roof Restoration
Construction
Randolph Twp.
$198,190
Ford-Faesch House – Partial Interior Restoration
Construction
Rockaway Twp.
$300,656
King Homestead Museum – Store Electrical System
Construction
Roxbury Twp.
$89,820
Lake Hopatcong Train Station – Site Restoration
Construction
Roxbury Twp.
$331,632
Boonton Train Trestle – Engineering Assessment
Non-Construction
Boonton Town
$36,800
Mount Vernon School – Construction Documents
Non-Construction
Chatham Twp.
$16,600
Ayres Farm Garage – Construction Documents
Non-Construction
Denville Twp.
$17,500
Cook House – Preservation Plan
Non-Construction
East Hanover Twp.
$22,360
Madison Masonic Lodge – Construction Documents
Non-Construction
Madison Boro.
$21,440
Phoenix House – Construction Documents
Non-Construction
Mendham Boro.
$32,050
Scott Farm Barn – Preservation Plan
Non-Construction
Mendham Boro.
$16,000
Morristown Post Office – Acquisition
Non-Construction
Morristown Town
$480,000
Schuyler-Hamilton House – Construction Documents
Non-Construction
Morristown Town
$12,920
Woman’s Club of Morristown – Construction Documents
Non-Construction
Morristown Town
$4,500
Former Borough Hall – Preservation Plan
Non-Construction
Mount Arlington Boro.
$22,400
Obadiah LaTourette Grist and Saw Mill – Preservation Plan
Non-Construction
Washington Twp.
$30,856
Total Funding: $4,370,000
This press release was produced by the Morris County Government. The views expressed here are the author’s own.
