Port Mercer Canal House facts for kids
The Port Mercer Canal House is a special old house located right next to the Delaware and Raritan Canal in Lawrence Township, New Jersey. It's found in a small area called Port Mercer. This house was built a long time ago, in the 1830s.
It was built for a person called a "bridgetender" and their family. A bridgetender's job was very important. They had to open a special swing bridge when boats needed to pass through the canal. After the boats went by, they would close the bridge so people and wagons could cross over the canal again.
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Life at the Canal House
From about 1900 to 1934, a man named John Arrowsmith was the bridgetender. He lived in the house with his wife and their eight children! Imagine a family of ten living in a three-bedroom house.
The Arrowsmith family really loved their home by the canal. The children had a lot of fun. In the summer, they would often sleep outside next to the canal. In the winter, when the canal froze over, they would go ice skating all the way to Trenton!
The Delaware and Raritan Canal
The Delaware and Raritan Canal was once a very busy waterway. It helped move goods and people across New Jersey. Today, the canal and the old canal houses, like the Port Mercer Canal House, are part of the New Jersey State Park system. This means they are protected and can be enjoyed by everyone.
Restoring a Historic Home
In the 1970s, a group called the Lawrence Historical Society started working to fix up the Port Mercer Canal House. They wanted to make it look like it did between 1890 and 1920.
Around 1900, a kitchen was added to the first floor of the house. Before that, Mrs. Arrowsmith, who was known as a great cook, made all the meals for her big family and their friends. She cooked everything over the fireplace in the basement of the house!
The Canal House Today
Today, the Port Mercer Canal House is the main office for the Lawrence Historical Society. The house and the area around Port Mercer are listed on the National Register of Historic Places. This means they are recognized as important historical sites.
Outside the house, you can see small gardens. There's also an old outhouse that was built just before the American Civil War.
Every year in June, the Historical Society hosts a special event called an open house and garden party. Everyone is invited to visit the house for free tours, listen to live music, and enjoy some food. If you want to visit at other times, you can arrange a tour by making an appointment.
The second floor of the house is currently rented out. The original three bedrooms there have been changed into a kitchen, a den, and one bedroom for the tenant.
