Clinton Township Newsletter

2 5 j u l y 2 0 1 9 Many people have asked, "What is happening to the old house on Beaver Avenue?" The old house on Beaver Avenue is the Beaver Brook Homestead. It has been part of Clinton Township for over 250 years. Since then, many things have changed, and changed for the better. The exterior of the main house is being restored to look the way it originally did. The inside of the house is being converted to a community center and administrative offices for the planned affordable housing which is being built on the remainder of the property. It was not practical to restore the interior of the house because the ceilings were very low and lead paint was present. As construction moves forward, expect to see reconstruction of the exterior of the house which will bring it back to its previous grandeur. No solution for preserving historic buildings is perfect, but this solution comes close. We were able to salvage much of the material from the Homestead and stop the slow deterioration of the Beaver Brook house, so it will remain part of Clinton Township history for many years to come. Below is a previous article published by the Clinton Township Historical Preservation Commission in 2015 that gives a great background on the house and property. (Published: July 2015) Driving down Beaver Avenue through Annandale you may have missed an important part of local history just off the roadway. The property is currently called "Beaver Brook Homestead", after the Township took ownership in the 1980's and penned the current nameplate. Roughly 250 years ago, it began as a 100 acre parcel purchase from a large real estate firm by Thomas Jones. You may recognize the name from the Tavern bearing the same, just a short distance down the road. Jones was an influential Patriot during the Revolution and reportedly assisted General Washington in preparing for the Christmas crossing of the Delaware River. During these early years through the first part of the nineteenth century, there were two small houses on the property and much more land than the current parcel includes. The general store had yet to be designed or built, and the village of Annandale would develop many years later with the railroad and grid of interconnected streets. For the coming decades and turning of two centuries, the house and property were expanded, developed and played host to a wide range of owners. They brought with them their families, animals and architectural preferences. Anyone interested in how we have lived through the years or vernacular architecture can enjoy the rich timetable of human and building history it contains. Architectural details, extensions and evidence of period remodeling point to the varied history of life through the years, from farmers to summer residents and wealthy railroad executives. In 1833, two smaller houses were combined to create the central farmhouse, although the homes' current footprint would not develop until the very early 20th century. The 19th century brought the birth of Clinton Township and the expansion of the railroad to include Annandale station. Members of the Cregar family also farmed the property under the name "Homestead Farm". The expansive property north of what is now Beaver Avenue offered views of the valley below, and hosted a variety of crops including wheat and oats. Although the population remained largely unchanged in Clinton Township from 1850-1950, Beaver Brook was close to the center of a rapidly changing Annandale. The house was expanded again during this time, and reflected the changing taste and pursuit of the populace. The property changed hands again in 1933, when Roy White expanded his holdings to include the house, barns and icehouse. The tenant house was full and the barns hosted horses, sheep, chickens and ducks. He was a railroad man and brought his leadership savvy to the farm, developing the dairy production and expanding the farm to include "modern" refrigeration. During that era, the den was home to hours of radio and music along with a mixed assortment of books. Imagine living in the home during a slightly less automatic time, before smart phones and playdates, or perhaps when leisure time included the low, rhythmic creak of a porch swing before the glow and clamor of television began its evening rule. With a clear sadness expressed in his diary, White relinquished the farm to the Austin Family in 1941. Clinton Township purchased the property, including the icehouse assorted barns and the main house, in 1989. By then, Route 78 had cut a swath through the south lawn and Round Valley had been flooded as a reservoir. After that purchase and creation of the name "Beaver Brook Homestead", the house and barns sat idle for more than two decades. Several barns and outbuildings including the icehouse remain and ultimately sold at auction in September of 2007. Despite an encouraging set of plans including multiple use and several new buildings, construction has yet to start. Most recently, a tough winter and heavy snow in 2011 collapsed the dairy barn roof. Timbers and boards were salvaged for reuse, but the street view was changed forever. What will become of this 250 year old sentinel? Will plans be carried to fruition, or will continued environmental pressure and the over arching guidance of economy change the complexion of the property yet again? Will the radio play again in the den, or fade into the kitchen clamor of a bustling new restaurant? Either way, the Historic Commission will continue to advocate for the buildings and human story behind the Homestead. Members hope that however the next chapter unfolds, residents will place their mark and lovingly contribute to the ever-unfolding story. We're always interested in learning more about the history of our community. If you have stories, photos, or artifacts depicting the Township's history, please contact the Clinton Township Historical Commission at 1225 Route 31 South, Suite D, Lebanon NJ 08833. You can also contact us at 908.735.8800. c l i n t o n t o W n s h i P h i s t o r i c a l P r e s e r v a t i o n c o m m i s s i o n Getting to Know your Township – An Historical Perspective Series – Beaver Brook Homestead Update O beautiful for spacious skies, For amber waves of grain, For purple mountain majesties Above the fruited plain! America! America! God shed his grace on thee And crown thy good with brotherhood From sea to shining sea! O beautiful for pilgrim feet Whose stern impassioned stress A thoroughfare of freedom beat Across the wilderness! America! America! God mend thine every flaw, Confirm thy soul in self-control, y liberty in law! O beautiful for heroes proved In liberating strife. Who more than self their country loved And mercy more than life! America! America! May God thy gold refine Till all success be nobleness And every gain divine! O beautiful for patriot dream at sees beyond the years ine alabaster cities gleam Undimmed by human tears! America! America! God shed his grace on thee And crown thy good with brotherhood From sea to shining sea! O beautiful for halcyon skies, For amber waves of grain, For purple mountain majesties Above the enameled plain! America! America! God shed his grace on thee Till souls wax fair as earth and air And music-hearted sea! O beautiful for pilgrims feet, Whose stem impassioned stress A thoroughfare for freedom beat Across the wilderness! America! America! God shed his grace on thee Till paths be wrought through wilds of thought By pilgrim foot and knee! O beautiful for glory-tale Of liberating strife When once and twice, for man's avail Men lavished precious life! America! America! God shed his grace on thee Till selfish gain no longer stain e banner of the free! O beautiful for patriot dream at sees beyond the years ine alabaster cities gleam Undimmed by human tears! America! America! God shed his grace on thee Till nobler men keep once again y whiter jubilee! a m e r i c a t h e B e a u t i F u l h u n t e r d o n m e d i c a l c e n t e r a u x i l i a r y n e e d s v o l u n t e e r s ! The Hunterdon Medical Center Auxiliary, which helps to support the Hunterdon Healthcare Foundation's fundraising efforts, is looking for volunteers. For more information or to RSVP, contact: 908.788.6591 or: ddalley@hhsnj.org. Thank you in advance!

• Cover