Van Wickle House facts for kids
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The Meadows
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Van Wickle House in 2006
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 Location in Somerset County, New Jersey
Location in New Jersey
Location in the United States
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| Location | 1289 Easton Avenue, Franklin Township, Somerset County, New Jersey |
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| Area | 5.8 acres (2.3 ha) |
| Built | 1722 |
| NRHP reference No. | 73001134 |
Quick facts for kids Significant dates |
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| Added to NRHP | December 4, 1973 |
The Van Wickle House is a very old and important house in Somerset, New Jersey. It's also known as the Symen Van Wickle House. You can find it in Franklin Township. Symen Van Wickle built this house in 1722. It was historically called The Meadows. This special house was added to the National Register of Historic Places on December 4, 1973. This means it's recognized as a place important to history.
Contents
Meet the Van Wickle Family
Evert Van Wickle's Journey
The story of the Van Wickle House begins with Evert Van Wickle. He was a carpenter from the Netherlands. Evert moved to a place called New Amersfoort. This area is now known as Flatlands, Brooklyn. He married Elizabeth Van Liew.
Around the year 1700, Evert bought a lot of land. It was almost 800 acres near the Raritan River in Somerset. Evert and Elizabeth had a son named Symen Van Wickle.
Symen Van Wickle Builds a Home
Symen Van Wickle was born around 1700. He married Geradina Couwenhoven. In 1722, Symen built his family's home. He chose a spot facing the Raritan River. This location was known as the "upper fording place."
Behind the house was an important road. It was called "Old Middlebush Road." This road connected Middlebush, New Jersey and Raritan Landing, New Jersey. Today, it's known as DeMott Lane. Symen and Geradina had many children. These included Elsje, Evert, Nicholas, Mattje, Seytje, Anne, Dinah, and Mary.
The Delaware and Raritan Canal
Around 1835, a big change happened near the house. The Delaware and Raritan Canal was built. This canal was dug between the Raritan River and the Van Wickle House. Canals are like man-made rivers. They help boats move goods and people.
Saving the Historic House
The Meadows Foundation
In 1976, the Van Wickle House was put up for sale. Developers wanted to buy the land. They planned to build new things there. But a group of people in the community wanted to save the house. They formed a group to protect this historic building.
The house had long been known as "The Meadows." So, the group decided to call themselves the Meadows Foundation. They worked hard to raise money. They also got a special grant called a Green Acres grant. Because of their efforts, they were able to buy and save the house.
Fun Events at the House
Today, the Meadows Foundation uses the Van Wickle House for many fun events. They host Candlelight Concerts and Fireside Chats. These are special talks by the fireplace. They also have seasonal parties. One popular event is the Sinterklaas Festival. Sinterklaas is like the Dutch Santa Claus.
The foundation also works with Franklin Township Parks and Recreation. Together, they host events like the Pumpkin Patch Halloween Celebration. They also have the Bunny Jamboree. Small donations collected at these events help keep the house in good shape. They use the money for maintenance and restoration.
Temporary Closure for Repairs
In late 2014, the Meadows Foundation had to close the Van Wickle House. It was closed to visitors for a while. The house had been damaged by flooding. This flooding happened during big storms like Hurricane Irene and Hurricane Sandy.
The organization announced they were working hard. They were getting help from county, state, and federal groups. Their goal was to fully restore this historic building. Even though the house was closed, the land around it stayed open for everyone to enjoy.
