They are the Mt. Rose General Store, Andrew Titus House and Samuel Moore Sr. House
By John Tredrea
Three Hopewell Township sites have been designated historic landmarks under three ordinances adopted unanimously by the Township Committee on Monday night.
The designations came with the endorsement of the township’s Historic Sites Preservation Commission. They are the Mt. Rose General Store, Andrew Titus House and Samuel Moore Sr. House.
The Mt. Rose General Store site, 1.2 acres in size, is at the northeast corner of the intersection of Carter and Cherry Valley roads. This intersection is the center of the small Mt. Rose neighborhood. The building, which dates to around 1830, is now used as an office by architect Max Hayden, who also owns the yellow house on the southwest corner of the intersection.
That house will be moved shortly to a Cherry Valley Road site about one-quarter mile east of Carter Road. Mr. Hayden said PSE&G was at the site Tuesday moving wires around. When all preparations are complete, the structure will be moved across Carter Road, and, using the Verbeyst family’s driveway, a short distance away on the opposite side of Carter, to its new location.
Historic Sites Commission member David Blackwell said recently that the general store "portrays the growth of small villages, anchored by stores, as it occurred after 1800 in Hopewell Township." Mt. Rose was a thriving commercial area in the early 19th century, he said. "Mt. Rose took off around 1820 . . . It was a local business center with a hotel, stores and a distillery, among other things."
The Andrew Titus House, on 6.7 acres at 11 Cedar Lane, is owned and occupied by township police Chief George Meyer, his wife JoAnn Meyer and their three daughters. The house was built around 1760. The ordinance states in part that the house "represents a house plan particular to the 1750-1770 period with a blending of details in Dutch and English house types." The house sits on a small knoll, with the stone spring house still standing by a stream at the foot of the knoll forming a scene "that retains a historic character," the measure states.
The Samuel Moore Sr. House, the home of Lars and Moira Nilsson, is at 56 E. Curlis Ave. on 1.2 acres near Pennington. Built circa 1750-1770, it "is a composite of several architectural ideas that represent Dutch-influenced architecture in the first half of the 18th century," the ordinance states. Samuel Moore was "a man active in the civic and religious leadership of Hopewell Township."
The three property owners currently are not eligible for any grants or loans to improve their buildings. But, according to Pamela Crabtree, chairwoman of the township’s Historic Sites Preservation Commission, there is a proposal now before the state Legislature to provide such grants.
Dr. Crabtree said the owners may do anything they want to the interiors of their houses without notifying the commission. However, significant changes to the exteriors changing windows or doors or adding a porch, for example would require owners to consult with the commission, which has written design guidelines on these matters.

