The 1759 Vought House, A Revolutionary War Loyalist Homestead has just received another grant for educational purposes.  The Hunterdon County Cultural & Heritage Commission’s $1,250 award is to offset expenses incurred “to promote the significance of the historic Vought House.” 

This grant comes at a very important time.  The 1759 Vought House, Inc. nonprofit is about to launch a round of meetings with members of the new school board to ask them to get a serious estimate of any possible market value of this historic structure.   We believe that Hunterdon County’s most significant historic site, the Vought House, must be open and available to the public.  We see no reason to sell this house for a dollar at auction and risk being out-bid by a private individual who would not make it available to the public.   Apparently, members of the township school board have an erroneous notion that this house could be worth a significant amount of money. 

The board needs to get a professional estimate of its value given the legal restrictions currently in place.  They also need to have someone write the historic preservation easements which became a requirement in September of 2007, when the house was placed on New Jersey’s Register of Historic Places.  Once they get this easement approved by the state, any current market value would need to be reworked based on the effect of this easement.

We intend to promote the home’s significance with publications and mailings.  We’d like to know where the school board stands on these two issues -

• This home’s current fair market value and
• Its historic significance to the public the board serves

- before we put together educational information for the Clinton Township public, who do not yet appreciate fully the great significance of this property.  Most people in town only know of this house as the huge money pit it has been and will continue to be.  Also, too few appreciate the dedicated members of this non-profit which has waited for years to remove this burden from taxpayers and create something of tremendous educational value at no cost to taxpayers. 

This grant will help The 1759 House, A Revolutionary War Loyalist Homestead, a non-profit 501 c 3 corporation, move forward in saving Clinton Twp. citizens tax dollars while also saving our rich common past by spending private resources to enhance the public good:  An attractive stone museum telling an important story of Revolutionary days instead of a fenced-off decrepit vacant house on the campus of two Clinton Twp. schools.  In reality, those are the only two options.  

After three long years, it’s about time for the school district to take action. 

• Step one, get the facts. 
• Step two, draw the subdivision and do the deed, with easement. 
• Step three, thank your friends in The 1759 House nonprofit for caring enough to help you make this happen.