• NEWS FLASH: Yesterday the State Historic Preservation Office’s Review Board approved the Vought House application for inclusion on the State Register of Historic Places on all four criteria and recommended the application for inclusion on the National Register based on the unique wattle and daub ornamental ceilings!  The Vought House was included on the state register due to the people who lived in this house, the events that took place here, the architecture, and the ability of this property to shed light on colonial era life and culture.  It’s official:  It’s not just historic, it’s an important cultural resource in present-day Clinton Twp!

It’s great to see history in the news, especially when it sets the record straight. Recent articles in the Hunterdon Democrat and Newark Star Ledger revealed that almost everything we ‘knew’ about Fleming Castle (it was called a castle when built, was Fleming’s home, a post office, a tavern, and possibly hosted George Washington) was proven wrong by new research.

“I was shocked, I can’t use any other word,” said Carmen Grimes, leader of the Friends of Fleming Castle.  Well, fasten your seat belts. {more} Read the rest of this entry »

Note: today’s HPO Historic Register review has been postponed until February 27.

I presented the double-donation plan to the Township Council last night and urged them to help put our acquisition of the Vought House on the express track.

Since I had put the memo “What we want, don’t want, and why we ask” (memoto-the-townshipcouncil.pdf) in their boxes a couple of weeks ago, I was brief and asked for questions.   Kevin Cimei raised two.

• Why “avoid the bid process?”  Implies we’re trying to avoid a legitimate process. 
• Given the complications, why would the township want to touch this?

In the discussion, the mayor also asked the Twp. attorney Read the rest of this entry »

 Update: Here’s the agenda for Thursday -SHPO Historic Register Vought House

The  Vought House will be item #2 - possibly around 10:30 am.  Here’s a link to the SHPO.

Here’s a short list of happenings this week re: the Vought House
                           and in the next months re: NJ History

 

• Vought House: Wednesday - February 14 - Clinton Township meeting 7:30 (check location w/clerk 908 735-5328).  As advertised, I will present during the public comment section on the reasons why the township should accept the Vought House from the school district and donate it to The 1759 Vought House, Inc.

 

• Vought House: Thursday - February 15 - (This from Janice Armstrong)  The Vought House nomination for the National Register of Historic Places is scheduled to be presented to the State Review Board on February 15, 2007.  The meeting is open to the public and begins at 10 AM. Other nominations are also presented that day in ABC order by county so Hunterdon usually is heard around noon give or take.  Once the agenda is published we’ll have a better idea of where it will be in the schedule.  The historic preservation consultant will make the presention, Review Board will comment and they will ask for comments from the public.  It would be a good idea for someone to be there to show support. If you are interested in going contact me and I will plan on meeting you there. The Preservation Office website is www.state.nj.us/dep/hpo/   {I will be there - anyone else interested in going, please contact Janice +/or me}

 

• NJ History - Friday - March 23, 2007 - 14th Annual NJ History Issues Convention -”What’s Happening to History in the Classroom?” Here’s the brochure as a PDF. 

 

• NJ Historical Commission - April 26 & 27 (9-3) Doing Your Best: A New Workshop Series on Best Practices for Nonprofit History Organizations - Locations and date to be announced.