COLTS NECK – The Colts Neck Historic Preservation Committee has now taken over stewardship of the township’s treasured six, one-room schoolhouses.
The committee will begin its work with a $52,120 fund, provided by the now-defunct Colts Neck Historical Society earmarked “for the express purpose of furthering historic preservation” within Colts Neck. All expenditures from the account must be recommended by the Historic Preservation Committee and approved by the township.
One of the committee’s projects will be to save, maintain, and upgrade Montrose School at the corner of Cedar Drive and Montrose Road, which has suffered from funding challenges, severe weather and the ravages of time.
“We always talk about preserving our past and how important that is to our community,” said Mayor James Schatzle, a lifelong resident. “The Historic Preservation Committee starts in the primary school with the historic enactors and carries that through all our local schools. We’re so grateful to have this financial support.”
“We want Montrose School to be a living museum” said Lillian Burry, who chairs the Historic Preservation Committee, and also serves as a county freeholder. “The building is in constant need of rehabilitation. These funds will enable us to offer more programs and make the school more available to the general public with programs and displays.” There are plans to have a landscape architect design and plan an original, period garden.
The school got a new durable fence last October after a resident plowed down the rickety previous wood picket fence in a onecar accident. A pine tree was donated by the Brock family of Brock Farms in December, and a new slate roof was recently donated by another resident in the slate business. When a lack of funds threatened the historic enactor program several years ago, two residents came forward and donated the monies for the presentations to continue.
The committee is currently planning its first “Antiques Roadshow”-style appraisal event, scheduled for fall.
– By Laura D. Kolnoski
