The Jacobus
Vanderveer
House
News Update (March 2007):
The Friends of the Jacobus Vanderveer House have been undertaking a monumental task alongside the Bedminster Residents and Town Council with the initial stages of recognizing the Pluckemin Artillery Encampment as a National Historical Site.
Artifacts discovered at Artillery Park
theme of luncheon/lecture
Sunday, May 6, 2007 at 1pmTraining of Continental soldiers at the Pluckemin Encampment during 1778 and 1779 on artillery captured from the British changed the course of the American Revolution.
Now, the encampment site, known as Artillery Park, is being considered for the National Register of Historical Places, and the Raritan-Millstone Heritage Alliance, Inc., a preservation group, will sponsor a lecture-slide show about the archeology of the site Sunday, May 6 at The Bernards Inn, Route 202, Bernardsville.
A luncheon at 1 p.m. will precede the lecture. Principal speaker is Clifford Sekel Jr. of Somerville, who was the chief researcher during an archaeological dig at Artillery Park nearly 30 years ago. Sekel is now part of the team that is cataloguing thousands of artifacts found at the site.
Jim Cline, new president of The Friends of the Jacobus Vanderveer House, will speak about restoration of JVH House and efforts to hunt down authentic colonial furniture and decorations for the interior. A tour of the Vanderveer House following the lecture is being arranged by the Alliance.
Donald Johnstone Peck, president of the Alliance, encouraged supporters of the Friends of JVH and those interested in promoting New Jersey’s growing importance in Revolutionary War history to attend the luncheon/lecture May 6.
“As headquarters for Gen. Knox, the Pluckemin Encampment and Artillery Park provide an important link between war sites in Morristown and Somerville and continue to be at the center of Bedminster Township’s rich history,” said Peck.
The cost of the luncheon/lecture is $40. Reservations are required and can be made through Elyce Jennings, (732) 463-0767.
JVH behind Pluckemin Encampment getting added to National Register of Historic Places
Incredibly, the site of the Pluckemin Encampment and Artillery Park on Schley Mountain in Bedminster Township, site of America’s first West Point in 1778 and 1779, has never been a part of the National Register of Historic Places.
But now The Friends of Jacobus Vanderveer House are spearheading the effort to get the national commitment. It’s never too late.
The Friends group approached the township in February about committing $15,500 in funds to make the application, which was overwhelmingly approved by the municipality. Work started immediately, led by grants consultant Linda McTeague and archaeologist Ian Burrow.
A designation is critical now as the Friends scramble to furnish the JVH Museum and display some of the thousands of artifacts dug up on the nearby encampment site nearly 30 years ago in an archaeological project. Cataloguing of those items, put on the back burner for many years, has just started up again in earnest.
When it applied for state funds to catalogue artifacts from the dig, the Friends group learned that the National Register designation had to be in place first. It was a little like finding that the horse was leaving but the cart hadn’t been taken out of the barn.
The encampment area, located in the middle of the Somerset Hills housing development but protected by being township property, was always supposed to be a part of the National Register. Somehow the work never was undertaken.
Jim Cline, new president of The Friends of JVH, said everything is moving forward to rectify the situation. “We are so excited that the Township of Bedminster has committed funds toward this very worthwhile project,” said Cline.
Some day, he said, the encampment site and the JVH House will be key locations in the new Crossroads of the Revolution National Heritage Area being planned for New Jersey and Pennsylvania.
Bernardsville News Article: March 1, 2007
"Bedminster seeks historic listing. Friends group wants 1778-79 encampment site recognized" - Click Here to Download
The article was based on the attached presentation that was given to the Bedminster Township Committee Meeting in February 2007 - Click HereIn addition, below are a number of new web addresses that we have recently reserved on the internet and will begin to use to promote our efforts.
www.pluckeminartilleryencampment.com
www.pluckeminartillerycantonment.com
www.pluckeminarcheologicalproject.com
www.pluckeminartillerypark.com
www.middlebrookencampment.com
Please come back and visit us again soon.
The Friends of the Jacobus Vanderveer House received an operating support grant from the New Jersey Historical Commission, division of the Department of State.
