Crane House and Historic YWCA facts for kids
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Crane House and Historic YWCA
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Crane House and Historic YWCA in 2016
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 Location in Essex County, New Jersey
Location in New Jersey
Location in the United States
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| Location | 110 Orange Road Montclair, New Jersey |
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| Area | 1.1 acres (0.45 ha) |
| Built | 1796 |
| NRHP reference No. | 73001091 |
Quick facts for kids Significant dates |
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| Added to NRHP | March 14, 1973 |
The Crane House and Historic YWCA is a beautiful old home in Montclair, New Jersey. It was built in 1796 and has a special style called Federal. This house has a long and interesting history. It was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1973. This means it's an important building because of its design, how it was saved, and its role in local history.
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A Home with a Long History
The Crane House was built by Israel Crane in 1796. It was first located on Old Road, which is now Glen Ridge Avenue. This area was once known as Cranetown. The house stayed in the Crane family for many years, until 1920.
In 1920, the YWCA (Young Women's Christian Association) bought the house. They used it as offices and a social center. It also provided a safe place for African American women and girls to live. The YWCA used the house for 45 years.
By 1965, the house was in danger of being torn down. But local people wanted to save it! They worked together to move the entire house. It was carefully moved from Old Road to its current spot at 110 Orange Road.
Today, the Crane House and Historic YWCA is one of the few old Federal-style mansions left in northern New Jersey. You can visit it for tours. It's next to other historic buildings owned by the Montclair History Center. These include the Clark House and the Nathaniel Crane House.
Israel Crane and His Family
Israel Crane was born in 1774. His family founded Cranetown way back in 1694. Israel was a very smart and busy businessman. He was successful in many different areas. These included making cider and producing cotton and wool.
In 1806, Israel Crane helped build the Newark-Pompton Turnpike. This was an important toll road for trade. It connected Newark, New Jersey to places like Cranetown. Today, parts of this old road are still used. They are now Bloomfield Avenue and Route 23.
The Israel Crane house shows what a wealthy home in Montclair might have looked like in the late 1700s. Historical records show that Israel Crane had several enslaved people working for him. This was a common, but unfair, practice at the time.
Later, Israel's son, James Crane, took over the house. By his time, society had changed. Records show James Crane did not own enslaved people. Instead, he hired people called indentured servants. These were people who worked for a set time to pay off a debt. Many of James's servants were from Ireland.
James Crane also made changes to the house. He added new features like columns to the front. James died in 1882. His wife, Phebe Crane, and their three unmarried daughters lived in the house after him. After Phebe passed away in 1902, the daughters sold the house.
The YWCA and Its Impact
After a few different owners, the Crane House was bought by the YWCA in 1920. The YWCA in Montclair was started in 1912 by 19 African American women. One of these women was Alice Hooe Foster. She was the first African American woman to graduate from Montclair High School.
At that time, many places were segregated, meaning Black people were kept separate. There were not many chances for Black girls and women to improve their lives. The YWCA was created to help them. It offered a safe place to learn skills and meet others. This helped them get better jobs and education.
The Crane House became a place where African American women could stay. They could look for jobs or connect with their community. The rooms were turned into dormitories and offices.
By 1965, the YWCA decided to sell the house to build a new building. A condition of the sale was that the old house had to be moved. This is why the house was saved and moved to its current spot!
Even though schools in Montclair were no longer segregated, other parts of life still were. The women of the YWCA kept working to help women succeed. The organization continued until 1990. The Montclair History Center made a film in 2014 called “A Place to Become.” It tells the story of the YWCA and its members. You can watch it on their YouTube page.
What You Can See at the Crane House
The Crane House and Historic YWCA has ten rooms to explore. They show furniture, paintings, and decorations from the 1700s, 1800s, and 1900s. You can see rugs, quilts, dishes, and old toys. There are also items from the YWCA.
Some special things on display include:
- A painted bedroom set that belonged to Paul Revere IV (from 1816).
- A harp made by Sebastian Erard (from 1827).
- An old highboy (a tall chest of drawers) from 1740.
When the house was saved, people worked hard to make it look like it did when Israel and James Crane lived there. Until 2014, the house mostly focused on its early American history. Now, the Montclair History Center also shares the important story of the YWCA. This helps visitors understand the full history of the house from 1796 to 1965.
See also
