Community Corner

5 Facts About the Van Horne House

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On Saturday, Girl Scouts in grades two and three will spend the morning taking part in cultural activities and learning about the history of the , on East Main Street. So in honor of that event, we present a list of five important things to know about the Van Horne House.

All information is from the Heritage Trail Association website.

  • Hundreds of Years Old—Philip Van Horne bought the property around 1754, and built his home there. It was originally the Janeway and Broughton Store when it was built up in 1735—John Broughton was the township's first clerk.
  • Nicknames—Because of Van Horne's sentiments and demeanor, his home earned many nicknames, namely "Phil's Hill," "Phil's Hall" and "Convivial Hall."
  • Revolutionary House—The house was used during the American Revolution to serve as a stop for generals Benjamin Lincoln and William Alexander. In the Battle of Bound Brook in 1777, Lord Cornwallis' troops fought with the American Patriots around the house.
  • Milling—After the Van Horne family stopped living in the house, the house began to be part of a milling business, was a residence for certain union members and was later sold to Calco Chemical Company.
  • Registry—The house is on the National and New Jersey Register of Historic Houses. The Heritage Trail Association has its headquarters there, and completed the house's entry into the New Jersey register when it moved in in 2002.

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