Wyckoff-Garretson House facts for kids
Quick facts for kids |
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Wyckoff-Garretson House
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U.S. Historic district
Contributing property |
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Wyckoff-Garretson House in 2006
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| Part of | Six Mile Run Historic District (ID95001191) |
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| Designated CP | October 25, 1995 |
The Wyckoff-Garretson House is a very old and special house located at 215 South Middlebush Road in Somerset, New Jersey. It was built way back in 1730 by a man named Cornelius Wyckoff. This house is an important part of the Six Mile Run Historic District, which is like a special neighborhood recognized for its history. Because of its history, the house was added to the National Register of Historic Places on October 25, 1995. This means it's officially recognized as a valuable historical site in the United States.
Who Built the House?
Cornelius Wyckoff, who built the house, was the son of Pieter Claesen Wyckoff. Cornelius moved to Franklin Township, Somerset County, New Jersey in 1701. He worked with seven other Dutch farmers to buy a very large piece of land, about 10,000 acres (which is about 40 square kilometers!). Cornelius's share of this land was 1,200 acres (about 5 square kilometers). He later divided his land among his four sons: John, Jacob, Peter, and Simon Wyckoff.
John Wyckoff was the first of the sons to live on the land, near Middlebush, New Jersey. This happened sometime before 1711. In 1730, John built the first part of the Wyckoff-Garretson House. He brought in skilled Dutch builders from Brooklyn to help, and they used strong white oak wood for the construction.
Later Changes and Restoration
The house was made even bigger in 1805 by Samuel Garretson, who was from Hillsborough, New Jersey. Today, the house is being carefully fixed up and preserved by the Meadows Foundation. They are working to make sure this historic house lasts for many more years.
The Nearby Cemetery
Close to the house is the Wyckoff-Garretson Cemetery. It is also known as the South Middlebush Cemetery. This cemetery was started in 1811. It is also considered an important part of the historic district. Samuel Garretson, who enlarged the house, is buried here.
