Westfield Looks To Save Historic Pierson-Clark Home

WESTFIELD, NJ — The Westfield Historic Preservation Commission is looking to save the historic Pierson-Clark House, located at 1481 East Broad St. that is currently on the market.

"The Pierson-Clark home is one of the few remaining houses in Westfield from the 1700s. These homes are vitally important to telling the story of our Town’s rich history. Once they disappear, an important chapter in Westfield’s history will disappear too," according to Kelly Kessler, Chairman of the Historic Preservation Commission.

Built in 1755, this is the second time the fate of the property has been in jeopardy. A proposal to demolish the home and subdivide the property to build townhouses in its place was canceled after failing to get the required variances, according Kessler.

Now the home is once again going up for sale, however, the seller is offering the public a chance to save it. The property owner is willing to donate the house to any individual or organization who is willing to pay for the move.

The Commission created a Facebook page for the sole reason of bringing attention to this situation and find a solution to saving the home. The Commission is hoping to find a new location for the home or an interested buyer who wants to preserve it.

Here are some historical facts on the Pierson and Clark families, the original owners of the home who were pioneers in founding our Town of Westfield, according to Kessler:

• The plot was purchased by Daniel Pierson in 1752 and was originally 149 acres; the house was built in 1755.
• The Minisink Trail ran next to the property, where the Lenni-Lenape were known to camp and bury their dead.
• Westfield’s first school, called the Union School House, was built next to the house in 1755. Daniel Pierson was likely Westfield’s first school teacher.
• In 1776, during the Revolutionary War, British soldiers stole goods totaling 48 pounds sterling from the home.
• In 1777, Daniel Pierson, as a 2nd lieutenant in the Continental Army, defended Westfield in the little-known Battle of Short Hills.
• During the winter of 1777-1778, Daniel Pierson camped at Valley Forge with General George Washington.
• In 1839, Andrew Hetfield Clark bought the home. He taught at The Union Schoolhouse, the Presbyterian Church, and later became Westfield’s first superintendent of schools.
• During the Revolutionary War, Captain Billy Clark helped capture a cannon called “old one horn” that is now in Fairview Cemetery.
• The home appears in at least two films made by D..W. Griffith, who made a number of films in Westfield in 1910. Mary Pickford, the most famous female star of her day, is in one of them.
• The home was featured on the cover of the program celebrating Westfield’s 200th anniversary in 1920 and appears in many history books.

The Commission also created a video about its history and to show its importance to the town (below).

For more information on this effort visit the Westfield Historic Preservation Commission's Facebook page or HPC@Westfieldnj.gov.

(Image via Westfield Historic Preservation Commission)

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