$140,424 Grant Awarded to Restore Historic Basking Ridge Farmhouse

A historic farmstead in Basking Ridge, Bernards Township will soon be prepared for three-season use, thanks to a generous grant from the Historic Preservation Grant Program.

The preservation grants are made by possible by Somerset County voters, who approved a referendum to expand open space and fund historic preservation activities, Somerset County freeholders stated in a release. The county received a total of $623,579 in Historic Preservation Grants during 2014.

$140,424 was awarded to the Friends of the Kennedy-Martin-Stelle-Farmstead. The main block of this Dutch-framed house was constructed prior to the American Revolution.

The farmstead also includes a late 18th century English barn, Dutch-framed wagon house, cowshed and ice house. The Rev. Samuel Kennedy was a renowned local minister and educator, Col. Ephraim Martin was a Revolutionary War soldier and a New Jersey legislator who was instrumental in securing passage of the Bill of Rights and Oliver Stelle was a successful local farmer.

Project work on the English barn includes preparing the interior for three-season use. This includes Americans with Disabilities Act access, work on the north entrance, basic interior lighting and exterior lights, a path to the southwest door and work on the drop stalls.

Work on the farmhouse includes repairing and stabilizing the basement steps, repairing the plaster ceiling in the dining room and installing fire-resistant sheetrock in the closet under the second-floor staircase. Work on the ice house includes installing a cedar shake roof.

Information courtesy of Joanne Vuoso. Photo courtesy of the Farmstead Arts Center Facebook page.

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