New Jersey Historic Trust Announces
More than $1 Million in Grants to 37 Projects

For more information, contact
Catherine Goulet, Public Information Officer
New Jersey Historic Trust (609/984-0473)
cgoulet@dep.state.nj.us

TRENTON (September 26, 2001):The Board of the New Jersey Historic Trust yesterday approved a list of recommended awards to preserve 37 historic sites with funding from the Garden State Historic Preservation Trust Fund. Nearly $1.06 million in matching grants will fund planning projects for historic preservation activity at a variety of sites in 17 counties throughout the State.

The grants were recommended by the Historic Trust, which received 49 applications requesting nearly $1.4 million in the second round of the Garden State Historic Preservation Trust Fund.

This is the first round of funding solely for Historic Site Management Grants, explained Executive Director Harriette Hawkins. "We are happy to see so many interesting proposals for historic landmarks. Careful research and good planning will help us achieve better preservation and stewardship of our many historic resources," she noted. "It is increasingly important that project proposals be highly focused when limited capital funds are available."

The recommendations were announced at a public meeting of the New Jersey Historic Trust in Madison. The grants, ranging from $5,250 to $50,000, will fund preservation plans, historic structure reports, construction documents, nominations to the State Register of Historic Places, fundraising plans and barrier-free access planning.

The Garden State Preservation Trust and the New Jersey State Legislature must approve all of the projects selected for funding before grant monies can be released.

This is the second round of funding under the current matching grant program, which was established by a voter-approved ballot initiative to preserve open space, farmland and historic sites. A total of $60 million for historic preservation funding from state tax revenues is guaranteed until 2009.

Applications for the next funding round will be available on November 1 and are due February 1, 2002. Applicants may apply for capital preservation funds or historic site management grants. Funding recommendations will be announced in June 2002. Eligible properties must be owned by counties, municipalities or non-profit organizations. Applicant properties must be listed, or be eligible for listing, in the State or National Register of Historic Places.

Created by the State Legislature, the New Jersey Historic Trust is a non-profit historic preservation organization affiliated with the Department of State. Governed by a 15-member board of trustees representing private citizens and state agencies, the Trust promotes the preservation of New Jersey's historic resources by encouraging cooperative efforts between public and private entities. For more information about the New Jersey Historic Trust and its programs, call (609) 984-0473.

Garden State Historic Preservation Trust Fund
2001 Grant Round

Presented to New Jersey Historic Trust, Board of Trustees, September 2001
Historic Site Management Grants, listed by county

1. Bergen County, Demarest Railroad Station, Demarest, $26,662 to the borough for the preparation of a preservation plan and construction documents for the 1872 railroad station that is now a senior center.
2. Bergen County, Historic Westervelt-Lydecker House, Woodcliff Lake, $36,600 to the borough for the preparation of a preliminary preservation plan and landscape plan for this Dutch stone house, which was recently acquired.
3. Bergen County, The Castle, Rutherford, $50,000 to Felician College for the preparation of a preservation plan and historic register nomination for this 19th-century campus landmark.
4. Bergen County, The Hermitage, Ho-Ho-Kus, $7,500 to the Friends of the Hermitage for the preparation of a video script for a virtual tour for visitors who are unable to physically access the house.
5. Burlington County, Gilder House, Bordentown, $28,706 to the city for the preparation of a historic structure report that will guide future preservation efforts at this local house museum.
6. Burlington County, Perkins Center for the Arts, Moorestown, $25,628 to the center for the design of an appropriate addition that will link two historic properties and provide a barrier-free entrance and facilities for this Tudor-style mansion that now hosts arts education.
7. Burlington County, Smithville Park, Eastampton, $50,000 to the county for the preparation of a historic landscape master plan for the Smithville Historic District, a county park that includes 19th-century industrial and farm buildings.
8. Burlington County, Whitesbog Farm, Pemberton Township, $39,207 to the Whitesbog Preservation Trust for the preparation of a preservation master plan for 28 historic buildings on the working cranberry farm and cultural landscape survey for the 2,000-acre historic district.
9. Camden County, Barclay Farmstead/Croft Farm, Cherry Hill, $22,875 to the township for the preparation of individual preservation plans for the c. 1828 Barclay Farmstead house museum, and the 19th-century Croft farmhouse, a rental property.
10. Camden County, Cathedral of the Immaculate Conception, Camden, $15,712 to the Roman Catholic Diocese of Camden for the preparation of a preservation plan and historic register nomination for this Jeremiah O'Rourke-designed Gothic cathedral.
11. Camden County, St. Joseph's Catholic Church, Camden, $19,312 to the Roman Catholic Diocese of Camden for the preparation of a historic register nomination and a preservation plan for the church complex, built for Polish immigrants, that will also assess possible community uses for the vacant school building.
12. Camden County, Tomlinson House, Borough of Pine Hill, $9,412 to the borough for the preparation of a preservation plan for this Federal-style home, which may become a house museum.
13. Cape May County, Franklin Street School, Cape May, $17,993 to the Center for Community Arts for the preparation of a preservation plan that will address future community uses for this school (1927) associated with the neighborhood's African American history
14. Cape May County, Hereford Inlet Light Station, North Wildwood, $21,000 to the city for construction documents for the third phase of this Victorian light station's restoration.
15. Cumberland County, Bivalve Shipping Sheds and Wharves, Commercial Township, $37,500 to the Delaware Bay Schooner Project for the preparation of a preservation plan for turn-of-the-century structures associated with the Delaware Bay oyster industry.
16. Cumberland County, Fairfield Presbyterian "Old Stone" Church, Fairfield Township, $7,500 to the Presbytery of West Jersey for the preparation of a preservation plan for the Georgian-style meeting house, built in 1780.
17. Essex County, Ahavas Sholom, Newark, $25,725 to the congregation for preparation of a historic register nomination and construction documents for exterior restoration and a barrier-free entrance.
18. Essex County, Ambrose Ward Mansion, East Orange, $33,188 to the Black United Fund for the preparation of a preservation plan and conditions assessment of the tile roof on the Renaissance-Revival style mansion that now houses a social service organization.
19. Essex County, Oakeside Bloomfield Cultural Center (OBCC), Bloomfield, $12,975 to the OBCC for the preparation of a maintenance plan for the restored landscape and interpretive materials for the Colonial Revival gardens at this horticultural and community center.
20. Essex County, The Old Stone House, South Orange, $6,413 to the South Orange Historic and Preservation Society for the preparation of construction documents for emergency stabilization.
21. Hudson County, Our Lady of Czestochowa Roman Catholic Church, Jersey City, $32,550 to the church for the preparation of a preservation plan for this 1831 landmark in the local historic district.
22. Hunterdon County, Historic Hunterdon County Courthouse, Flemington, $50,000 to the county for the preparation of construction documents for the interior restoration and rehabilitation.
23. Hunterdon County, A. H. Holcombe House/Lambertville City Hall, Lambertville, $40,500 to the city for the preparation of a preservation plan for the Second Empire-style residence that houses the City Hall.
24. Mercer County, Noah Hunt House, Mercer County, $49,178 to the county for the preparation of a historic structure report that will include historical research, existing conditions analysis and archaeological investigation of the vacant Georgian-era house in a county park.
25. Middlesex County, Christ Episcopal Church, New Brunswick, $50,000 to the church for a schematic design report and construction documents for the church and parish house complex.
26. Monmouth County, Taylor-Butler House/Marlpit Hall, Middletown, $5,250 to the Monmouth County Historical Association for a landscape master plan for the grounds surrounding these 18th- and 19th-century houses.
27. Morris County, Acorn Hall, Morristown, $10,155 to the Morris County Historical Society to develop architectural and programmatic recommendations for improving barrier-free access to the site and its collections.
28. Morris County, Fosterfields Living Historical Farm, Morris Township, $50,000 to the Morris County Parks Commission for the preparation of a historic structure report for the farm outbuildings at this former estate.
29. Morris County, St. John's Episcopal Church, Dover, $6,645 to the church for the preparation of a master plan that will make recommendations on preservation and barrier-free improvements to this Gothic Revival-style church designed by Richard Upjohn in 1866.
30. Morris County, The Phoenix House, Borough of Mendham, $33,225 to the borough for the preparation of a preservation plan and construction documents for exterior restoration and barrier-free improvements to the 19th-century house that is used for borough offices and public meetings.
31. Ocean County, Manitou Park School, Berkeley Township, $30,000 to the township for the preparation of a preservation plan that will also assess barrier-free accessibility for this 1929 schoolhouse, which was historically associated with Lakewood's African-American community.
32. Ocean County, Wanamaker Hall, Island Heights, $35,715 to the borough for the preparation of a landscape plan and update of existing preservation plan for this now-vacant landmark.
33. Passaic County, Schuyler-Colfax Historic House Museum, Wayne, $50,000 to the township for the preparation of a detailed roof study and construction documents to repair damage to this Dutch Colonial-style house museum, inhabited by eight generations of one Wayne family.
34. Somerset County, Brook Theatre, Bound Brook, $7,223 to the Somerset County Cultural Arts for the preparation of a historic register nomination for the theatre, a focus of neighborhood revitalization efforts.
35. Union County, Crescent Avenue Presbyterian Church, Plainfield, $50,000 to the church for the preparation of a preservation plan and construction documents for masonry stabilization of the church, a prominent landmark in the local historic district.
36. Union County, The Caldwell Parsonage, Union Township, $33,121 to the Union Township Historical Society for the preparation of a supplement to the existing preservation plan and the preparation of strategic and interpretive plans for the 1782 building that is now a repository for local history.
37. Warren County, The Vass Farmstead, Hardwick Township, $28,650 to the local preservation society for the preparation of a historic structure report for this early 19th-century farm complex, which borders on a proposed park.