The 1759 Vought House, A Revolutionary War Loyalist Homestead, a 502 (c) 3 non-profit, is ready to forge an Educational Partnership with the Clinton Township School District to maximize the educational utility of the Vought House and bring financial resources to the district.  
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GOALS:

To transform this property from a liability draining resources from the school district to an asset with a positive financial impact on the educational mission of the district.

To enhance the aesthetics and safety of the Clinton Township Middle School and Spruce Run Elementary School campus.

To enhance the education of students in Clinton Township and beyond by providing them direct access to the material culture of Revolutionary era New Jersey.

UNTAPPED RESORCE:

This house met all four possible criteria for inclusion on the state register, which means it offers educational insights on several aspects of life in 18th Century Hunterdon County, NJ:
a. This family’s material culture is seen in the architecture and rare wattle & daub decorative plaster ceilings. 
b. The qualityof life on this prosperous Hunterdon County family farm is also well documented.
c. The builder, Christoffel Vought and son John, were prominent leaders among Hunterdon Loyalists.
d. Their mob attack on Jones’ Tavern, skirmish with the militia, and military service are emblematic of conflicts in New Jersey during the American Revolution.

Divided Loyalties is one of three interpretive themes of New Jersey’s Crossroads of the American Revolution National Heritage Area, created in 2002.  It is an under-represented theme within this National Heritage Area of the National Park Service.

CONTRAINTS:

In 2005 environment and archaeological restrictions were placed on file prohibiting a disturbance of the grounds.

In 2007 this property was placed on the New Jersey Register of Historic Places. The State Historic Preservation Office will require the district to write an historic preservation easement into any deed transferring the property to new owners.

PARTNERSHIP:

Ownership Responsibilities – We would be stewards of the subdivided house and grounds.

Raising Funds – We would be solely responsible for gaining government and foundation grants, private donations, local and national corporate gifts, and public fundraising to meet our goals.  All money invested in this project would be raised outside the school district’s budget and would benefit students and residents of Clinton Township by creating a potentially important local educational resource and museum. 

Occasional Partnership Grant Applications – We would also like to apply for grants and donations in partnership with the school district for specific educational projects while the house is being renovated and as it is developed into a local public history museum.

Curriculum Development – We will assist your efforts to incorporate this house history into your middle school curriculum and can help with the historic preservation easement, etc.

Library Space – To increase student access to collected research materials, especially while the house is being renovated, we would like to have some space in the Middle School Library/Media Center devoted to these materials, books, pamphlets and Compact Disks.

Parking – Although the house has access to Grayrock Road and limited parking, public events and school buses would utilize Middle School driveway and parking facilities.

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SAMPLE PARTNERSHIP GRANT:  SaveOurHistory
                                            
Inspire the youth in your community to become the preservationists of tomorrow. Museums, historic sites, historical societies, preservation organizations, libraries, and archives are invited to partner with a local school or youth group and apply for funding to help preserve the history of their communities. Each year, HISTORY awards $250,000 in grants to organizations that partner with schools or youth groups on community preservation projects that engage students in learning about, documenting and preserving the history of their communities.
The 2009/2010 Grant Cycle will kick off in January 2009, when the grant application is posted online at saveourhistory.com. Applications will be due in June of 2009. In the interim, questions about the program can be directed to info@saveourhistory.com.
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NOTE:  2009 Save Our History grant recipients nationwide included:
Vernon Township Historical Society  in Vernon, NJ
Partner: Glen Meadow Middle School
Description: Bringing the Past to the Present: Teaching Lenni Lenape History and Culture through the Black Creek Site
Assisted by professional archaeologists, students from Glen Meadow Middle School in partnership with the Vernon Township Historical Society will participate in an archaeological dig of the Black Creek Site, home to thousands of artifacts dating back 10,000 years (from 8500 BC to 1700 AD) through 500 generations of human history during the Great North American Stone Age. Maps, trail markers, signage and an outdoor classroom area will enable teachers to bring students onsite to learn the rich prehistory and history of the Black Creek Site.