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ATLANTIC HIGHLANDS HERALD
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TAKE A STEP BACK IN HISTORY AT MARLPIT HALL After an eight year restoration process, the Monmouth County Historical Association is ready to once again invite the public to take a step back in time at Marlpit Hall. Marlpit Hall, located on Kings Highway, is a fine example of colonial architecture that was erected in several stages. After chatting with Middletown historian Randy Gabrielian at last week's rededication and re-opening ceremony, I learned there is still some debate as to when different sections of the house were built. While it has been suggested a house was first built on the property in 1686, tests conducted on the wood in Marlpit Hall indicate the house on the property now was built in the mid-1700s. Randy is doing some extensive research on Marlpit Hall. When the information is available, I will share it with you in a later article. While the age of the exact age of the house is still unclear, no one can debate that is this beautifully restored house will show visitors how things were built and how Middletown residents lived in the 18th century. A tour of the house will also teach you that our descendants from colonial times were a bit shorter than us. I have to admit I bumped by head twice as I traveled from room to room! But let me tell you the restored house is so breathtaking, that it was well worth a few bumps. Its center hall, elegant staircase, detailed wood work and a Dutch door made it evident that this Georgian style home was built to impress. The second level reminded me of a beautiful doll house that every child wishes they could have. The Monmouth County Historical Association, which owns the home, closed it to the public in 1993 so it could be restored. Time had taken a toll on the home, which was named for a nearby vein of marl, a mixture of clay and limestone. Improvements that needed to be made included repairs to the structure, chimneys and mechanical systems. Historians throughly researched the every detail of the house right down to color of the paint used in the 18th century to ensure there were no anachronisms. When you see the house and surrounding property, I'm sure you'll agree the finished product was well worth eight years of careful research and restoration. The restoration work began in 1996. Funding came from a matching grant from the NJ Historic Trust, foundation and individual grants, and a special legislative grant secured through the efforts of our state Senator Joseph Kyrillos, and Assemblyman Joseph Azzolina and Samuel Thompson. We are very proud to have this very special house in Middletown and thank all the people who worked to save and restore it. We almost lost this remnant of Middletown's colonial beginnings in 1911 when the state wanted to tear it down to make way for the construction of Kings Highway. Mary Holmes Taylor, whose descendants built the house around 1756, fought to move the house 50 feet east to save it. After Mary died, the late Margaret Moor Riker Haskell, a well-known Middletown resident and collector of Americana, bought the house. Margaret generously restored, furnished and donated the home the Monmouth County Historical Association in 1936. Last weeks re-dedication ceremony was held in her honor. The association plans to furnish half the home with furniture from the 18th century, while the other half will reflect Haskell's era of ownership. Marlpit Hall should be open to the public for tours later this summer. Seeing the results of what years of fundraising, research and restoration have done for Marlpit Hall, I am glad we were able to save Grover House from destruction in 1996. The Grover House, a rare example Dutch colonial architecture, was built in the 1700s by Middletown's first Township Clerk, James Grover. Today, it sits at the foot of Middletown's Stevenson Park. After five years of research, fundraising and perseverance the Township is ready to begin restoration of this house. Workers arrived on the property last week to install temporary construction fencing around the project. Over the next six months a contractor well-versed in restoration will complete the first phase of the restoration, which includes making the house weather tight, repairing and repainting wall and exterior wood work, and installation of a new slate roof and replacement of first floor framing. Together historic structures such as Marlpit Hall, the Luyster House, Murray Farmhouse, Whitlock/Wilson Seabrook House (a.k.a The Spy House) and Grover House tell a more than 300-year-old tale about Middletown, a progressive community that began in the 1600s. As we strive to offering residents a bright future that meets the ever-evolving needs of our community, we need to preserve tangible remnants of our past to remind future generations that history often shapes our future. Why? Because we need to see where we've been in order to know where we're going. If you have any comments about Middletown's past, present, or future, feel free to e-mail me. Have a great week! Contact Mayor Joan Smith - thesmitty1@home.com http://www.exit109.com/~townhall/ - Middletown Township Municipal Website
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