Clinton Township Newsletter

1 6 j u l y 2 0 2 4 W W W . C L I N T O N T W P N E W S L E T T E R . C O M Welcome to with Rachel Sprague * C linton ree Questions * An Evening of History – It was May 16, a lovely Thursday evening in Pittstown, and over fifty people were gathered in a small meeting room at the Snyder Research Facility to hear a talk by Henry Bonnell, the 8th Generation owner of the Bonnell Tavern, the building located at the intersection of Clinton Town, Franklin Township, and Route 78 at Exit 15. I had always been curious to know more about the Tavern's history, and I wasn't the only one. In the small meeting space, Henry Bonnell shared the history of the Tavern, its activity and importance during the Revolutionary War, and his progress with its ongoing restoration. Bonnell is one of the N e w J e r s e y S o n s o f Liberty, and also active in the New York Sons of Liberty, two groups which celebrate, share i n f o r m a t i o n , a n d research this important historical period. The B o n n e l l f a m i l y ' s connection to this area is strong; for example, there are currently 125 Bonnell family items in the Red Mill Museum in Clinton. The Tavern, which is eligible for state and federal historical registry, was built in 1738 (127 years before Clinton itself was incorporated), by Lieutenant Colonel Abraham Bonnell, and has a rich and varied history, serving as an inn and tavern for over one hundred years. Most notable was the Tavern's importance in this area during the Revolutionary War. The first Minutemen of New Jersey were called together and organized at this spot, which by 1770 had become the meeting and voting place for the northern section of the County. In 1775, the officers of the Hunterdon County Militia Regiment were elected at the tavern, and the tavern became their headquarters. (As a historical note: out of the local militia, 48 out of the 64 men came from the local Grandin Church, which is Bethlehem Presbyterian Church on Race Street in Pittstown, today). Lt. Col Abraham Bonnell served under the direct command of Washington, and after the Battle of Monmouth was praised by the future President for his bravery during the battle. Aaron Burr stayed at the Tavern, and Charles Stewart (local founding father who became a Colonel and later served as a New Jweaey delegate to the Second Continental Congress) was at the Tavern "a lot", and selected officers of the Minutemen in the Tavern. George Washington (at the least) passed by, but very likely stopped at the Tavern, although Bonnell is still looking for hard evidence of Washington's visit. Of other note, Abraham Bonnell's grandson, William, was a popular folk artist of his time, and some of his work hangs in the Smithsonian. In the 1800s, the Tavern was a post office stop, as well as a stagecoach spot. Bonnell's great-great- grandmother, Margaret Hindeman Bonnell, was the last to run the Tavern, managing it from the 1860s to the 1890s. Several artifacts have been found at the Tavern; items such as an English penny dated 1738, a Revolutionary War musketball, and a Civil War uniform button. There are lots of oyster shells and clamshells i n t h e g r o u n d , presumably from Tavern victuals of the past. The walls have a horsehair m u d w a l l construction (a portion of which is left open for people to appreciate in the restoration). Henry Bonnell included many local historic facts and research in his presentation, including a slide of the different last names of local families and their historical connection to the Tavern or the Revolutionary War forces of the area. After the presentation, a few days later, I was able to tour the Tavern in person, and see the ongoing restoration work. The Restoration Progress and Plans – In 1957, Route 78 was built, and Bonnell's grandfather battled to have the location of the highway moved further away from the building, to no avail, and to the family's longtime frustration. In 2004, the Hunterdon County Cultural and Heritage Commission identified the Bonnell Tavern as one of the most imperiled landmarks in Hunterdon County. Passing by the building en route to Walmart Plaza, you might assume that the building has taken years of damage from the shaking of the loud highway being in such close proximity, and wonder how the building can be used with such noisy traffic nearby. "This is the strongest house in Clinton," Bonnell said as he showed me the stone foundation of the building which, I have to admit, was flawless, (and somehow in better shape than my 1901 Victorian house). Bonnell hired an acoustic engineer to develop ideas for soundproofing the walls, and showed me the second story room, closest to the highway, where the soundproofing had been done, and it was truly incredible... you could barely hear the noise from outside. Bonnell hopes to restore the building to its original function as a Tavern; an "adaptive re- use" so that the building will be commercially viable once more, and survive on its own merits. Bonnell is heavily inspired by the illustrious Fraunces Tavern in lower Manhattan, where George Washington gave his farewell speech to his men, which for hundreds of years has functioned both as a tavern and a time capsule/museum of Revolutionary War memorabilia. The restaurant would be built in the existing structure, and historical memorabilia would be placed in the tavern to highlight the structure's role in the history of Hunterdon County. The restoration is a true labor of love. It was amazing to see what one man could accomplish in such a short span of time. On and off for fifty years, Bonnell's father worked to fix up the building. Four years ago, Bonnell's father passed away, and Bonnell found h i m s e l f d r i v e n t o b e g i n t h e restoration. He began by rebuilding the windows himself, custom-made storm windows with double-panes for energy efficiency as well as noise reduction. Next, he scraped and repainted the exterior, which took him from Spring of 2020 into the Fall. "It was brutal!" said Bonnell. "Although it reminded me of how I painted the Tavern by myself in 1976 at the age of 16." He was never too busy painting to pause and chat with curious passersby, who would see him painting and stop and inquire if he would paint their own house, or ask questions about the Tavern. Next, Bonnell installed a much-needed security system. "During the 1960s and 1970s, the Tavern suffered from a lot of vandalism," recalled Bonnell. By the winter time, he was onto joists, and rebuilt 225 joists to strengthen the Tavern. One of the most interesting parts of the renovation walkthrough was when Bonnell talked about digging out the basement, transforming it from its original 5' high dirt-floor to a useable 8' space. His plan of what the Tavern could be, as well as the important place it holds in our local history, is irresistible and visionary, both honoring the history of the Tavern in a special way that only could be done by a loyal son with such a special connection through the ages, as well as smartly adapting the Tavern into a once-more vibrant, useable space, and sharing it with the community. I can't wait to raise a pint in the same room where Minutemen stood. n Local residents Rachel Sprague and her husband Russell are raising their two young children in Annandale. She thinks that Clinton Township is a delightful place to live.

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