The Road Up Raritan Historic District is a 69-acre (28 ha) historic district located along River Road in the township of Piscataway in Middlesex County, New Jersey.[3] It is north of Raritan Landing, once an important inland port on the Raritan River during the 18th and 19th centuries. The name is taken from an earlier colonial era name for what was once a Lenape path, Assunpink Trail that became a main road parallel to the river.[4][5] Piscataway Township itself was formed on December 18, 1666[6] as one of the first seven townships in East Jersey, and is one of the oldest municipalities in the state.[7] It was added to the National Register of Historic Places on September 18, 1997, for its significance in architecture, military history, and exploration/settlement.[3] The district includes nine of fourteen historic homes along an approximately 1.2-mile (1.9 km) stretch of River Road.[8] The Metlar-Bodine House[9] and the Cornelius Low House are also in the immediate vicinity.
Road Up Raritan Historic District | |
 | |
    | |
| Location | Along River Road, from Ellis Parkway to 899 River Road Piscataway, New Jersey |
|---|---|
| Coordinates | 40°31′35″N 74°29′29″W / 40.52639°N 74.49139°W |
| Area | 69 acres (28 ha) |
| Architectural style | Italianate, Greek Revival, Colonial Revival |
| NRHP reference No. | 97001146[1] |
| NJRHP No. | 3320 [2] |
| Significant dates | |
| Added to NRHP | September 18, 1997 |
| Designated NJRHP | August 7, 1997 |
Contributing properties edit
There are seven contributing properties in the district plus two properties that were previously listed.
| Name | Image | Address | Date | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| John Field House | 
|
625 River Road | c. 1743 | |
| W. Dunham House | 
|
649 River Road | c. 1760 | Originally Field House |
| Isaac Onderdonk House | 
|
685 River Road | c. 1750 | Listed on the NRHP |
| Lewis Onderdonk House | 
|
701 River Road | c. 1841 | |
| John Onderdonk House | 
|
730 River Road | 1854 | first recorded deed |
| Richard Field, Jr. House | 
|
771 River Road | c. 1832 | |
| Matthias Hendricke Smock House | 
|
851 River Road | c. 1720 | Listed on the NRHP |
| Jonathan Smock House | 
|
871 River Road | c. 1850 | |
| Hendrick Smock House | 
|
899 River Road | c. 1865 | Also known as Smock-Voorhees House |
See also edit
References edit
- ^ "National Register Information System – (#97001146)". National Register of Historic Places. National Park Service. July 9, 2010.
- ^ "New Jersey and National Registers of Historic Places - Middlesex County" (PDF). New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection - Historic Preservation Office. May 28, 2014. p. 11. Archived from the original (PDF) on November 7, 2014.
- ^ a b Brecknell, Ursula (September 18, 1997). "National Register of Historic Places Inventory/Nomination: Road Up Raritan Historic District". National Park Service. With accompanying 49 photos, from 1994–95.
- ^ Gabrielen, Randall (2001), Piscataway Township, Arcadia Publishing, ISBN 978-0-7385-0439-1
- ^ Dalley map 1762 From Perth Amboy to Trenton
- ^ "The Story of New Jersey's Civil Boundaries: 1606-1968", John P. Snyder, Bureau of Geology and Topography; Trenton, New Jersey; 1969. p. 172.
- ^ Welcome to Piscataway, NJ, accessed February 8, 2007.
- ^ "Piscatawy Historic Sites". Piscataway NJ.org. Archived from the original on July 4, 2011. Retrieved July 5, 2011.
- ^ "Metlar-Bodine House". NJ Proghouse. Archived from the original on July 14, 2011. Retrieved July 5, 2011.
External links edit
Media related to Road Up Raritan Historic District at Wikimedia Commons
