Warren Historical House Gets $122K For Restoration

WARREN, NJ — The Mount Bethel Baptist Meeting House in Warren was awarded $122,230 from Somerset County's 2017 Historic Preservation Grants for restoration work.

A total of $897,000 in grants were awarded to historical sites throughout Somerset County. Freeholder Director Peter Palmer and county Historic Sites Coordinator Thomas D’Amico presented the ceremonial checks at the freeholder board’s Oct. 24 meeting.

Warren Township applied for the grant funds to stabilize the structure, preserve the exterior envelope and restore damaged plaster on the interior.

A National Register Nomination amendment is also proposed. Phase A includes foundation repair and repointing, chimney repair or rebuild, structural medal tie rods, carpentry, door and window restoration, plaster repair and painting and installation of a historic marker.

The Mount Bethel Baptist Meeting House was constructed in 1786, in part with materials salvaged from an earlier structure, by the county's first Baptist congregation.

It is one of the few 18th-century timber-frame meeting houses in New Jersey that retains much of its original character. It retains its very early exterior and interior appearances because many of the original features were retained in subsequent building modifications.

There were significant changes made to the structure in 1839 and 1887 as styles and customs of worship evolved. It is listed on the National Register of Historic Places. It is maintained by the Warren Township Historic Sites Committee and is open by appointment only.

(Images via Somerset County New Jersey Government)

Image 1 - Mount Bethel Baptist Meeting House, Warren.

Image 2 - Accepting for the Mount Bethel Baptist Meeting House: Historic Sites Committee Chairman Rory Britt, Township Committeeman Mick Marion, Deputy Mayor Victor Sordillo and Historic Sites Committee member Susie Boyce.

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