4 Morristown Historical Sites Awarded Preservation Grants

MORRISTOWN, NJ — The Morris County Board of County Commissioners approved $2.6 million in grants from the county’s Preservation Trust Fund to help “restore, preserve, and protect” two dozen historic sites across Morris County, including four in Morristown.

The 24 historic sites to be restored span across 15 Morris County towns, with four of them in Morristown.

“We are proud to move these recommendations forward and continue our commitment to preserving Morris County’s rich historical legacy, which is so deeply tied to the shaping of America,” said Commissioner Deputy Director Stephen Shaw, liaison to the Historic Preservation Trust Fund Review Board. “These projects strengthen our local economy, promote heritage tourism, and connect residents and visitors with the stories that shaped both our county and our country.”

Other municipalities receiving funding for historical site restorations include Mendham Township, Parsippany, and Dover.

Since 2003, Morris County has issued more than $56 million in grant funds towards preservation efforts.

See which of Morristown’s historical sites received grant funding below:

Presbyterian Church in Morristown

The Presbyterian Church in Morristown, located at 57 E Park Place, is Morristown’s first church.

Originally built in 1740, the site went through repairs and expansions throughout the late 19th century.

The County has awarded the church a $336,720 construction grant to “ provide exterior repairs including tower masonry repairs, hyphen re-roofing, and chapel gable-end louvers repair.”

Schuyler-Hamilton House

The Schuyler-Hamilton House, located at 5 Olyphant Place, was originally built around 1760 and was even visited by Founding Father Alexander Hamilton in 1780.

Owned by the Daughters of the American Revolution since 1923, the historic house will be getting “system upgrades” after receiving a $268,920 construction grant from the county.

Morristown Community Theater

The Morristown Community Theater was originally built as a movie theater in 1937. It was designed by Thomas W. Lamb, the “foremost U.S. theater designer in the first half of the 20th century.”

The theater was refurbished into a performing arts center in the mid-90s, where it’s now referred to as the Mayo Performing Arts Center.

The $15,100 non-construction grant will “ prepare an update to the 2014 Preservation Plan to include a summary of work since 2014 and recommendations for treatment,” according to the county.

Vail House

The Vail House was built in the late 1700s by Thomas Kinney and was eventually purchased in 1830 by Stephen Vail, who developed the Speedwell Ironworks, a 19th-century industrial complex.

The historic house on South Street, maintained by the Morris County Parks System, received a $57,760 non-construction grant to “complete Construction Documents for structural stabilization and building restoration to its appearance c.1864,” according to officials.