Somerset County Awards $1.1M in Grants to Four Historic Properties

Somerset County distributed $1,145,982 in grants to four historic sites through its Historic Preservation Grant Program last month. The Somerset County Board of County Commissioners presented the grant-funded checks to representatives on Nov. 12.

The Vanderveer-Harris House in Hillsborough Township received $402,402. Money will pay for accessibility upgrades, hazardous material removal, utility improvements, and electrical system updates. This property dates back to the late-18th-century Van der Veer family and medical practitioners. It now features Colonial Revival design by architect Chester Patterson. The township bought it in 2003 as part of its master plan to develop a town center.

The Stillwell-Van Tine House at the Howe Property in Franklin got $442,500 for restoration work on the kitchenette, wooden floors, carpets, walls, ceilings, interior doors, and both porches. The Franklin Inn in Somerset was awarded $237,730. This covers construction documents, structural repair drawings, an archaeological survey, and construction-related repairs.

The Kirch-Ford-Terrill House in Warren received $63,350 to complete a historic structures report and update the preservation plan. The plan includes an archaeological investigation, restoration recommendations, maintenance guidelines, a hazard assessment plan, and accessibility improvements.

"For 26 years, Somerset County's Historic Preservation Grant Program has helped to save and restore over 70 individual buildings, structures, and archaeological resources that tell the rich story of Somerset County," Deputy Director Melonie Marano, liaison to the Somerset County Cultural & Heritage Commission said in the release.

The competitive program lets applicants apply for funding set aside each year. It helps with preservation plans, construction projects, cultural landscape reports, and planning. Every restoration project extends the lifespan of a historic site.

Since 1999, the program has helped local nonprofit organizations, county governments, and municipal governments restore, acquire, protect, and preserve 57 historic sites across the county. The grant program is supported by the Somerset County Cultural & Heritage Commission, which operates out of the Division of Planning.

Funds come from the Somerset County Board of County Commissioners and the Somerset County Open Space, Recreation, Farmland, and Historic Preservation Trust Fund. Residents can visit these sites. They can participate in historical programs, community events, and educational workshops.