By Elizabeth Wulfhorst
The Monmouth County Historical Commission awarded its 2021 preservation grants to 10 projects throughout the county late last month in a virtual ceremony. The grants total $61,215.
One project in the Two River area received grant money. The Parker Homestead-1665 in Little Silver will use the $6,000 matching grant it received to complete a kitchen restoration in the centuries-old house. The project will restore the kitchen, added to the house in 1850 and renovated a few times over the years, to its 1930s iteration, said Keith Wells, current president of The Parker Homestead-1665.
“It was a mess,” Wells said about the kitchen, gutted by the Borough of Little Silver about 20 years ago in anticipation of a renovation which stalled from lack of funds. The borough owns the homestead. The organization will now finish the job, adding new walls, ceiling, a linoleum floor appropriate to the era, and even a stove that has been in storage.
“We really don’t know what we have,” said Wells. “Box after box after box in storage that says, ‘kitchen stuff.’ ” But he expects they will have plenty to fill the room as it would have looked during that period. While the kitchen will be historically accurate, nothing in the room will actually work. “We’re incredibly paranoid about any kind of fire,” Wells said, so the gas stove will not be connected.
He said they chose to do a 1930s restoration because, after speaking with Parker family members and going through documents, they found the kitchen really was the heart of the home in that time period. “That was the family gathering room. That’s where anybody coming for a visit would sit in the kitchen and have a cup of coffee,” Wells said. He explained how the entire house is like a living museum to different eras as rooms were added onto the house over the years.
“It goes from pre-Colonial to Colonial to early Victorian to late Victorian to early 20th century,” said Wells. As they have been completing renovations to other rooms they have been trying to keep within each era. “The front parlor was put on during the Revolutionary War. The back parlor is more Victorian. We’ve been trying to give each room its own timeframe.”
Wells said the kitchen project budget is $12,000; the remaining $6,000 will be funded with $3,000 from the borough and $3,000 through fundraising. “The money from the borough is not coming out of taxpayer money,” he explained, but instead is from a “special fund” established years ago for restoration of the homestead.
While The Parker Homestead-1665 is not currently open because of COVID-19 restrictions, they hope to reopen to the public as soon as it is deemed safe.
Projects that can receive preservation grants are those that look to preserve, restore or rehabilitate historic structures. The buildings being restored must be owned by a nonprofit organization or a municipality and must be open to the public.
“Since 1990, the Historical Commission continues to provide support for preservation undertakings in Monmouth County,” said John Fabiano, executive director of the Historical Commission, in a release. “Once again, we have a variety of dedicated grantees that are moving these preservation projects forward.”
In addition to the 2021 preservation grants, the historical commission also awarded $29,185 through New Jersey’s County History Partnership Program. Thirteen applicants received monies that fund general operating costs or special projects not related to restoration. Funding for these matching grants is provided entirely by the New Jersey Historical Commission, a Division of the Department of State.
In the Two River area, the following organizations received 2021 History Regrants: Twin Lights Historical Society – curatorial staff salary; Parker Homestead 1665 – utilities, insurance and outreach; Middletown Township Historical Society – speaker series fees and publicity; Red Bank Public Library – national regatta and Monmouth pictorial digitization; and T. Thomas Fortune Foundation – ADA and long-range planning.
Monmouth County Commissioner Lillian G. Burry, liaison to the county historical commission, thanked the New Jersey Historical Commission for funding these regrants. “Because the grantees received General Operating Support and Special Project support, these recipients will continue to maintain their respective historical organizations.”
The Monmouth County Historical Commission was established in 1988 for the preservation and conservation of local history. The historic preservation grant program is its primary focus, “an undertaking that recognizes the acute need for funds to preserve Monmouth County’s rich and diverse historic legacy,” according to the release.
After awarding the grants, the historical commission turned its focus to completed historic preservation projects. It is currently accepting nominations for its annual Preservation Awards Program, which acknowledges individuals and groups who have preserved historic structures in Monmouth County.
“The annual Preservation Awards Program recognizes passionate individuals who are dedicated to preserving the history and authenticity of historic structures in the County,” said Burry, “Preservation is not only a formidable and time-consuming process, but also a costly undertaking. The County strives to honor those who take on these special projects.”
The commission recognized the Presbyterian Church of Shrewsbury last year for its restoration of the church’s manse which was renovated to 21st century standards while adhering to historical details of the 1800s.
Any person, group or municipality that historically preserved or renovated a county structure more than 50 years old is eligible for the award. Nomination forms can be downloaded from the county’s website at visitmonmouth.com. The deadline to submit a nomination is April 21.
For information about the Monmouth County’s Historical Commission call 732- 431-7400, ext. 7413, or visit the website at visitmonmouth.com.
