Historic Chatham Site In Line To Receive Part Of $3.6M Grant

CHATHAM, NJ — Twenty-three Morris County projects, including one in Chatham, will receive $3.6 million in grants as part of a yearly initiative to revitalize and protect historic sites in the area.

Last month, it was announced that the Historical Society of the Township of Chatham had applied for county funding for the restoration of Red Brick Schoolhouse. The county Board of Commissioners approved the funding request on Tuesday, July 18.

The funds were approved by the county Board of Commissioners based on recommendations from the Historic Preservation Trust Fund Review Board.

The majority of the funds will be used to build and renovate 17 projects, with the remainder funding activities such as design work for future construction and preservation planning.

According to county officials, the historic site was built in 1860 as a two-story, two-room schoolhouse. It was an important part of Chatham Township's history and has served as a schoolhouse, community space and municipal office.

The building served as a rural school for the children of Chatham Township's Long Hill section until 1928 when the Southern Boulevard School replaced it.

Under the direction of the Historical Society, the Mount Vernon School, now known as the Red Brick Schoolhouse Museum, opened in 1991 and is now listed on the historic registers.

The $85,650 grant will be used to repair and replace deteriorated brick, rebuild the vestibule's northwest corner, repair stone window lintels and sills, interior storm windows, and replace the exterior stair.

For the 23 projects, the review board received nearly $5.9 million in grant requests. Following site visits and final presentations from applicants last month, the board approved full funding for 12 of the proposals and partial funding for the others.

“The staff and volunteers do a phenomenal job evaluating these applications and making recommendations on how to invest our dollars. People often thank the Commissioners for the money, but it ultimately comes from the taxpayers, who always overwhelmingly support these programs and it’s fortunate that they do," Commissioner Stephen Shaw said.

The trust fund was established 20 years ago when Morris County voters approved a referendum authorizing what was then the county freeholder board to allow funding for historic preservation as permitted by state law.

The fund considers grant proposals from county officials, municipal officials, and qualified nonprofits for the acquisition, restoration or preservation of historic resources. Since 2003, when grants were first issued, Morris County has awarded 535 grants totaling nearly $50 million.