HELP TO SAVE PITNEY FARM FOR THE MENDHAMS

Pitney Farm is a 12 acre public site located in Mendham Township on Cold Hill Road (near Ballantine Road). It was purchased by the town in 2009, using a combination of open space funds from Mendham Township and Morris County, and general township funds, with 7-acres of lawn and gardens becoming protected open space, and to support future community needs on the other, 5-acre core of the property with all the farm structures. At the time the site was purchased, a new, larger and more modern library was stated as a community need, and locating it in the historic Pitney Farm setting, surrounded by the remaining 7 acres of beautiful open space, was also mentioned by the town as a good possibility.

“For as long as there has been a Mendham there has been Pitney Farm.” The main house, barns, cottages, and gardens are the remaining core of a over-250-year old farmstead that grew and changed with the needs and aspirations of one family and our Mendham area.

This historic, but as yet unregistered and unprotected 5-acres of property is an important part of our town’s history, evocative of its character, and represents the best location and opportunity for meeting many stated community and educational needs at this central location.

At its April 28 meeting, the Mendham Township governing body reaffirmed its intention to privatize the 5 acre public property, which will lead to the destruction of 300 years of Mendham history, leave the township with no future opportunity to meet any community facility needs for residents, and will devalue the existing public investment in the adjoining 7 acres of open space by removing them from their historic context and instead creating private backyards with public monies. The governing body has repeatedly stated misinformation to support their sale of the property.

Once destroyed, these things are gone forever, and once sold and subdivided, it cannot be replaced or replicated.

Please Help Us Save Pitney Farm for the Future of the Mendhams.

The Friends of Pitney Farm, Inc., is a not-for-profit corporation dedicated to the historic preservation of Pitney Farm and to adapting the use of the property to provide needed cultural and educational benefits to the community. (Note: Friends does not object to the town using part of the land for some other community use, but Friends is NOT advocating for a new library at the site, only for preserving and utilizing existing historic parts to benefit our area residents.)

How can you help?

• Visit the Website (www.pitneyfarm.org ).  View the video (under “About”).
• Sign up for our email list at the web site
• Volunteer, join us!
• Donations gratefully accepted.
• Attend Township Committee meetings