Friends organization moves
into former Owl Haven home
By dave benjamin
Staff Writer
DAVE BENJAMIN A new home and office for the Friends of Monmouth Battlefield on Route 522, Manalapan, will house the Frank Hendershot Archives, historical records, maps and materials related to the Battle of Monmouth and the 1778 Monmouth Campaign.
MANALAPAN — A new home and office for the Friends of Monmouth Battlefield has been dedicated.
Highlighting the April 13 opening ceremony at the former Owl Haven building on Freehold-Englishtown Road was the dedication of the Frank Hendershot Archives, a room containing historical records, books, maps and other material related to the Battle of Monmouth and the Monmouth Campaign of 1778.
"This year marks the 225th anniversary of the Battle of Monmouth and it is altogether fitting that it also marks the opening of the Friends of Monmouth Battlefield office," said Rich Walling, president of the organization. "This is where we will have our offices and our monthly board meetings. The biggest part of the building, however, will be the archives, which is being dedicated today in memory of Frank Hendershot."
Walling said Hendershot was a member of the Friends of Monmouth Battlefield who did landmark work in helping to map the routes the American and British armies took across New Jersey in June and July 1778.
"Frank, who passed away in September, was a member of the board of directors and was also our second vice president," said Walling.
Hendershot was a native of South Amboy, Middlesex County, and a veteran of World War II and the Korean War. He retired as a colonel from the U.S. Air Force.
"He was the kind of guy, because of his life’s work and his life’s dream, who was a real driving force," Walling said. "One of his great loves was not only family genealogy [he traced his roots back to the 1600s], but something that he brought to the Friends. That was his love of the American Revolution, the American Revolution in New Jersey and more specifically, all about the Battle of Monmouth."
Walling said the room, named the Frank Hendershot Archives, will be the repository for all of the materials that have been and will be collected by the Friends of Monmouth Battlefield.
"But the seminal material will be that of the life’s work of Frank Hendershot," said Walling.
"I think this will be a big step for the Friends," said Chuck Sary, park superintendent. "I have the feeling that Frank is pretty happy right now. I could almost hear him whisper one of those war stories in my ear."
Sary said he had grown up on an Air Force base and, "I had my own little Frank moment last night. I’m sure he’s happy."
In addition to the Hendershot Archives, the renovated building has a conference room, kitchen and several smaller rooms.
The Friends of Monmouth Battlefield have a license agreement with the state as what is called the officially recognized organization for the park. Part of the license agreement provides office space for the Friends.
"The Friends previously were located at the visitors center [in Monmouth Battlefield State Park, Route 33], but due to the renovation there, that space was no longer available," said Walling. "When Owl Haven, which was part of the New Jersey Audubon Society, moved to Sandy Hook, the building became available to the Friends of Monmouth Battlefield for their new home and office."
The archives are open by appointment and can be reached by calling (732) 308-0330 or (732) 390-1954. The Friends of Monmouth Battlefield can also be reached by e-mail at [email protected].