Berkeley Heights Township : Give A Little For Littel-Lord: Help Save Berkeley Heights' Historic Landmark!

Press release from the Berkeley Heights Township:

July 26, 2021

BERKELEY HEIGHTS, NJ - Did you know Berkeley Heights has a tremendous historic gem right in our very own backyard? That’s right, and it’s called the Littel-Lord Farmstead. At more than 250 years old – it was built even before the United States existed! – the museum is full of artifacts from the 18th and 19th century and provides a glimpse into the past of life as it was in Union County. Two generations of Berkeley Heights school children have gotten that glimpse.

On the National Register of Historic Places, the Farmstead currently serves as the home and public museum of the Berkeley Heights Historical Society. The museum has fallen on hard times over the last few decades. Now it’s up to us to restore Littel-Lord to its rightful place as a jewel of our community!  While in recent years, the Township of Berkeley Heights has and will continue to obtain grants and other funding to help, we need residents like you to “Give a Little for Littel-Lord.” That's the name of the community-wide campaign we have launched to raise funds for this very important project, that will help give residents from the youngest students up to seniors an inside glimpse at life in Berkeley Heights over 100 years ago. 

The first part of the restoration project is an archaeological survey; the digs began this week! Hunter Research, the archeology firm retained by the Township to do this work, will open up the digs to the public this summer; continue to check our website at BerkeleyHeights.gov for more information on that as we get it. 

This important archeology work will tell us what the area around and under the museum is like – and even if we have dinosaur bones in Berkeley Heights! The archeology is part of a long-term, phased plan to restore the Farmstead. A historical architectural firm has also been hired by the Township to oversee the foundational restoration work, which can only begin after the archeology work has been completed. Restoration funds are paid for entirely out of the Littel-Lord Trust, from grant money and from local fundraising efforts.

Please help us raise $5,000 from the community by July 31st to help us complete the initial stages of the project. 

So, are you ready to help Berkeley Heights “dig for dinos”? Let’s come together and Give a Little for Littel-Lord! Please go to our GoFundMe link here to donate today. 

Want to pay by check? 

Please make checks payable to "Township of Berkeley Heights – Littel-Lord," and mail them to:

Township of Berkeley Heights, Finance Office

29 Park Avenue

Berkeley Heights, NJ 07922

This press release was produced by the Berkeley Heights Township. The views expressed here are the author’s own.