Morristown’s Church of the Redeemer and the Presbyterian Church are the big winners in this year’s Morris County historic preservation sweepstakes, which will distribute $2.7 million among 22 sites.
Redeemer will receive $293,810 for restoration of its Gothic Revival-style Parish House, which dates to 1926 and is on the state and national historic registers. The Presbyterian Church in Morristown is getting $264,616 for the first phase of its chapel restoration.
The Morris County freeholders approved the grants this week.
Other local recipients include Willow Hall in Morristown, $135,080 for roof work for the Passaic River Coalition headquarters; the Schuyler-Hamilton House, run by the Daughters of the American Revolution, in Morristown, $45,120 for interior preservation; and Acorn Hall, $40,000 for interior work and $14,640 for paint testing, for the Morris County Historical Society .
Additionally, the Mount Kemble Home in Morristown is getting $40,416, Church of the Assumption in Morristown, $25,000, and the Mayo Performing Arts Center in Morristown, $23,512, all for preservation plans. The Woman’s Club of Morristown is receiving $9,800 for contract documents.
Below is the complete list, from the county.
FROM THE MORRIS COUNTY FREEHOLDERS:
FREEHOLDERS AWARD HISTORIC PRESERVATION GRANTS
The Morris County Freeholders have approved spending $2.7 million from the historic preservation portion of the county’s Preservation Trust Fund to help preserve 22 historic sites and resources across the county.
The freeholders approved the grants June 26 based on the recommendation of the county’s Historic Preservation Trust Fund Review Board.
Of the 26 grants that were approved, 13 were for construction or restoration projects and 13 were for non-construction projects, which may include acquisition and the development of plans for preservation, according to Ray Chang, director of the Preservation Trust.
The largest construction grant, $293,810, was awarded to the Church of the Redeemer in Morristown to assist in the restoration of the Parish House, a Gothic Revival style structure built in 1926, which is on the state and national historic registers and which is a contributing resource to the Morristown Historic District.
The Boonton Holmes Public Library in Boonton received a construction grant totaling $292,480 for interior renovation. According to Chang, this building appears to have been constructed around 1849 and has served as both a residence and library. It, too, is on the state and national historic registers.
Among the non-construction projects that were approved was Madison’s request for a $75,000 grant to assist in the purchase of an historic 1921 Ahrens Fox P4 Fire Truck. The vehicle was originally donated to the borough by Geraldine Rockefeller Dodge in 1921, but eventually wound up with a private owner out of state.
Morris County voters in 2002 approved an amendment to the county’s Preservation Trust Fund to include the acquisition and preservation of historic sites and facilities. Since 2003, when the first grants were awarded, 74 sites or resources in 32 Morris County municipalities have received funding assistance through 264 grants.
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Other sites receiving 2013 historic preservation grants for construction were:
●First Reformed Church of Pompton Plains in Pequannock: Chapel Restoration, submitted by First Reformed Church of Pompton Plains – $281,600.
●Presbyterian Church in Morristown: Phase I Chapel Restoration, submitted by Presbyterian Church in Morristown – $264,616.
●Glenburn House in Riverdale: Phase 4, submitted by Riverdale Borough – $252,206.
●Millington Schoolhouse in Long Hill: Interior work, submitted by Long Hill Township – $241,038.
●L’Ecole Kinnelon Museum in Kinnelon: Exterior Restoration, submitted by Kinnelon Borough – $205,264.
●Former Baptist Church in Mount Olive: Phase II Exterior Restoration, submitted by Mount Olive Township – $190,216.
●Willow Hall in Morristown: Roof work, submitted by Passaic River Coalition – $135,080.
●King Homestead Museum in Roxbury: Exterior work on the King Store, submitted by Roxbury Historic Trust, Inc. – $77,840.
●J. Smith Richardson History House in Parsippany: Phase I Roof work, submitted by Mount Tabor Historical Society – $69,597.
●Schuyler-Hamilton House in Morristown: Interior Preservation, submitted by Daughters of the American Revolution, Morristown Chapter – $45,120.
●Acorn Hall: Interior work, submitted by Morris County Historical Society – $40,000.
Other sites benefitting this year from non-construction grants were:
●Mount Kemble Home in Morristown: Preservation Plan, submitted by Mount Kemble Home – $40,416.
●First Presbyterian Church of New Vernon in Harding: Contract Documents, submitted by First Presbyterian Church of New Vernon – $29,736.
●Ledgewood Baptist Church in Roxbury: Preservation Plan submitted by Ledgewood Baptist Church – $26,000.
●Church of the Assumption in Morristown: Preservation Plan, submitted by Church of the Assumption – $25,000.
●Rockaway Borough Free Public Library: Preservation Plan, submitted by Rockaway Borough – $23,880.
●Morristown Community Theater in Morristown: Preservation Plan, submitted by South Street Theater Company – $23,512.
●Former Baptist Church in Mount Olive: Contract Documents, submitted by Mount Olive Township – $21,800.
●Boonton Holmes Public Library in Boonton: Contract Documents, submitted by Boonton Town – $17,600.
●First Reformed Church of Pompton Plains in Pequannock: Contract Documents, submitted by First Reformed Church of Pompton Plains – $15,480.
●Acorn Hall in Morristown: Paint Test, submitted by: Morris County Historical Society – $14,640.
●Woman’s Club of Morristown: Contract Documents, submitted by The Woman’s Club of Morristown, Inc. – $9,800.
●Bridget Smith House in Mine Hill: Contract Documents, submitted by Mine Hill Township – $9,320.
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