By Natalia Knochowski, Staff Writer
MONROE The Dey Farm historic site recalls the early days of Monroe Township.
There is a farmhouse that was preserved on the site and another building waiting to be restored, as well as several barns.
Soon, however, residents may see another building on the site the Prospect Plains Schoolhouse, thanks to two residents of the Encore adult community.
The schoolhouse dates back to approximately 1850 and originally was located on Prospect Plains Road behind the Wawa, near the Encore development.
The schoolhouse, in addition, was later used as the town hall in 1938, a recreation department in the 1970s, and then a food pantry. It was dismantled in 2003, and its pieces are in a storage barn on the historic site’s property.
Encore residents Howard Rosenthal and Barry Faulk have taken it upon themselves to push for the restoration of the schoolhouse.
”I can’t say enough nice things about these guys,” said John Katerba, township historian, chief inspector of the Monroe Township Utility Department and chairman of the Monroe Township Historic Preservation Commission, which manages and takes care of the site on Old Church Road.
”Howard Rosenthal he’s like I am. He wants to go, go, go,” Mr. Katerba said.
”But unfortunately, he has to have patience with this,” Mr. Katerba added, in reference to how long the restoring process may actually take.
Mr. Rosenthal said after being at Dey Farm for a reenactment of the Civil War in June, he and Mr. Faulk saw a sketch of the proposed site plan.
The proposed plan, which was drawn up by former MTHPC member Renee Hobbs about 4 years ago, showed what the historic site will eventually look like in the future.
This sketch included the various buildings of the site, including the Charles Dey Home, a farmhouse, which is now a museum dedicated to Monroe Township; the England House, a family home that dates back to 1810 that is on site, but still not restored; the Whitson-Byrne Barn from the 1790s, which has been dismantled and is in storage; and, finally, the Prospect Plains Schoolhouse.
It was the schoolhouse Mr. Rosenthal and Mr. Faulk were most drawn to.
Mr. Rosenthal said he remembered the schoolhouse being dismantled when he first moved into Encore in 2003.
”It’s obvious that, in 2010, seven years have gone by, and they still haven’t done it yet,” Mr. Rosenthal said.
Now with the new high school being built in Thompson Park, he and Mr. Faulk thought it would be an interesting idea to put it up and show the comparison of time periods, particularly to students.
”I really believe in the education of children,” Mr. Rosenthal said. “And as a part of that, you have to know where you’ve been to know where you’re going.”
Therefore, he and Mr. Faulk are in the process of setting up the Friends of the Prospect Plains One Room School Fund, which will be active this month. Mr. Rosenthal said they are looking for volunteers, people or corporations to donate money toward the restoration of the schoolhouse.
Mr. Rosenthal said he wants students of all ages to see what contributed to the prosperity of the country and to Monroe Township itself. In addition to Mr. Rosenthal and Mr. Faulk’s effort, the commission also plans to restore the barn behind the farmhouse, which stores and showcases township artifacts that have been donated.
Mr. Katerba said Mayor Richard Pucci and the Township Council have played a big role in the development of the historical site, although they mostly have worked “behind the scenes.”
The MTHPC does have a small budget from township, Mr. Katerba said, but it is really the communication the MTHPC has with the township that is great.
”We’re all volunteers on the commission, and sometimes you need professional people and they’re great to work with,” he said.
In addition, he said that the township always takes the time to just listen to the MTHPC’s suggestions.
Mr. Katerba said the township saw early on the possibility of what Dey Farm could be. The commission first acquired the farm in 2001 after there had been communication between the township and the MTHPC to create a historical site.
The opportunity came up to get the former Charles Dey House, and Mr. Katerba said that it had everything that the MTHPC wanted.
However, it only an acre and a half.
Mr. Katerba said that the mayor said the land looked more like a lot, than a site.
Today, the historical site is over 40 acres.
According to Mr. Katerba, when the Southfields Estates development was first going up west of Old Church Road, the township helped get 25 acres. Then, an outparcel of property that belonged to Stonebridge developments became available because it wasn’t being used. The township again helped get the 20 acres of the outparcel.
”The land acquired was at no cost to the township,” Mr. Katerba said.
In addition, the MTHPC, with the help of the township, was able to save barn and schoolhouse by dismantling them and moving them to the site. The dismantling, moving and storage of the buildings were paid for by various development companies.
For example, the Whitson-Byrne Barn was originally on Applegarth Road and Cranbury Station, where The Crossings Development is. Centex Homes dismantled the barn at its own cost. It is now in storage.
Kailan Companies dismantled and moved the schoolhouse, and the England House was moved, basically just a few acres over from its original adjacent location to the site, by Renaissance Properties.
The next project on the commission’s agenda for the site is the restoration of the barn behind the farmhouse, which stores and showcases township artifacts Mr. Katerba said have been donated.
Mr. Katerba said that the MTHPC looks to eventually erect all of the buildings of the proposed sketch and turn them into museums. This will only happen, however, when enough funds are acquired, which may not be until his children’s generation he said.
The Dey Farm Historical Site is open every first Sunday of the month. ?
