By Sunayana Prabhu
HOLMDEL – It’s not quite happening at light speed, but preservation of Holmdel’s historic Horn Antenna is steadily gaining momentum, taking shape as Robert Wilson Park with help from a new state preservation grant.
The New Jersey Historic Trust has recommended awarding nearly $75,000 to support preservation of the antenna, which sits atop Crawford Hill. Holmdel Township purchased 35 acres of the Crawford Hill property in 2023 for $5.5 million and has since pursued grants to stabilize the antenna and transform the site into a public park with educational features.
Built in 1959 at Bell Labs’ Crawford Hill facility, the Holmdel Horn Antenna was used by scientists Arno Penzias and Robert Wilson in 1965 to detect cosmic microwave background radiation, evidence that strongly supported the Big Bang theory. Their discovery earned the pair the Nobel Prize in Physics, and the site was named a National Historic Landmark in 1989.
The state award will help develop a strategic plan for Robert Wilson Park as a scientific heritage site that will include the antenna. The award comes from the Preserve New Jersey Historic Preservation Fund, which supports planning, restoration and capital projects at historically significant sites. The proposal must still be approved by the governor and requires matching funds from local stewards before it can be disbursed.
According to Brian O’Malley, aide to the mayor and public information officer for Holmdel, township officials are “currently focused on preliminary due diligence for the future park. This includes essential work like environmental studies, identifying historical buildings on the property, and pinpointing any potential hazards that need remediation.”
Federal support arrived last year when Rep. Andy Kim announced a $500,000 appropriation for site improvements and planning. Township officials have said the state grant, if finalized, would contribute to ongoing efforts to preserve and open the antenna and its grounds to the public.
“The $75,000 grant we’ve received is crucial,” O’Malley said. “It will enable us to begin planning and implementing the vision for the park.” He added that the township hopes to use the planning process to pursue future funding. “The next significant step will be to leverage that finished planning work to apply for implementation grants,” he said. “These larger grants will provide the funding needed for the actual construction of the park down the road.”
As for when the park might open, O’Malley said it is still too early to project a date. “We do not have an estimated opening date for the park at this time, as we are still in the early stages of planning and due diligence,” he said.
Once completed, township officials envision Robert Wilson Park as both a community gathering space and an educational destination that celebrates one of the most significant scientific achievements in the world.
The article originally appeared in the October 9 – October 15, 2025 print edition of The Two River Times.
