HIGHLANDS – The Highlands Historical Society, acknowledging that the double problems of insufficient time and money make their original plan virtually impossible, have come up with an alternate way to save the historic Rust in Lust chimney made famous in James Fenimore Cooper’s book, “The Waterwitch.”
Society president Russell Card, himself the 8th generation of his family to call Highlands home, reached out to Freeholder Lillian Burry, the Monmouth County Park System and others in an attempt to have the 35 foot tall, fireplace and chimney moved from a house under demolition to a county location, preferably Hartshorne Woods Park.
“We knew it would be an almost impossible feat, given the little time we had and the amount of time these things take,” Card said, “but it was worth the effort. We’ll now move on to an alternate that will let still enable the Society to preserve this piece of literary history.”
A hotel in his book is “The Waterwitch,” with action taking place in a house built by Esek Hartshorne on property approximately where Route 36 currently passes Waddell and Riker streets, in Highlands, in the 1700s. The house had a massive brick fireplace and chimney, the only part of the structure that survived following a fire in the 1800s. In Cooper’s book, the chimney is called Rust in Lust, although historians do not know how it got its name.
In the 1900s, a radar scientist, Dr. Fields, built a summer home on Marine Place Highlands, and secured permission to take the bricks from Rust in Lust and re-create the same fireplace in his home.
In the 20th century, that house was severely damaged in Hurricane Sandy and its current owner is demolishing it.
In the process, the owner, the McCluskey family has offered the chimney and fireplace to the Society and is being very accommodating in the demolition, anticipated to take place in three weeks, in the hopes of some preservation, Card said.
Moving this magnificent structure is a formidable task, that would require the support and cooperation of several agencies: re-creation of the chimney in the county Parks System’s Hartshorne Woods would bring the fireplace back to the property of the family who built it; the connection to Cooper and the possibilities of exhibits highlighting the author would be of interest to the county’s Library system; the Historic Society would feature The Waterwitch connection at its museum in the Twin Lights.
“Putting all of this together and making it work just can’t happen in the short time we have,” Card said, “and as much as everyone is enthused, we can accept that it really just can’t happen.”
Although Card did not disclose his alternate plans, he said the Society is forging a plan now that will enable Rust in Lust to be remembered and once the plans are completed, an announcement will be made.
“We are so appreciative that the McCluskeys are so accommodating and so willing to help us preserve this,” the society president continued, “even the fact it has been in their home throughout the 20th century gives it an additional historical bent. But we all know the Sandy storm did so much damage to so many families in Highlands and all along the Bayshore, we appreciate their trying to preserve history while still going on with their lives.”
Burry also praised both the family and the local historical society for all their efforts, and congratulated them on their research and willingness to find alternate preservation. She pointed out that every part of Monmouth County is rich in some part of the history that has America what it is, and “every historical society that works hard to recognize this is giving so much back to the nation and to the generations that follow us.”
— By Muriel J. Smith
