1930's photo Shows Polo Course and Race Track was once at Vanderveer House

Early photograph shows Polo field and Race Track at the Vanderveer House

Move over Far Hills and Bernardsville, you weren't the only one who had a polo field. Go back to 1917 when area resident Grant Schley was one of the areas wealthy landowners. While most of the Schley's time was spent at their nearby residence, Grant was an active sportsman and spent lots of time outdoors. The area was rich in tradition with equine and fox hunting activities and the Schley's had a place to play. As the photograph shows, horse racing, polo, and fox hunting were all alive and well on the Schley estate and his sportsman's cottage.

Left: Aerial Photo c.1939
Right: Google Maps aerial c. 2010

Click on either image to enlarge. North is at the top of both images.

John Smith, current President of the Friends of the Jacobus Vanderveer House is also a big local history buff. John's built a number of impressive historic perspective maps of the Somerset Hills areas, most recently one of the estates of the Bernardsville mountain colony. As part of his ongoing research of the area, John came across this great aerial photograph of what is know today as the Jacobus Vanderveer House and the surrounding River Road Park.

The Schley's were the last private owner of the property before Bedminster Township purchased the property in 1989.