LAMBERTVILLE — The Lambertville Historical Society (LHS) has awarded the Narducci Award, its annual honor for the best restoration in the past year, to St. John the Evangelist Parish for the renovation of the rectory and prayer garden at 44 Bridge St.
The ceremony took place in late October at the banquet following the Historical Society’s annual Autumn House Tour.
St. John’s Parish Historian, Nettie Masterson Eubank, accepted the award from Lambertville historian Lou Toboz on behalf of the Rev. Robert Kolakowski, JCL, pastor of St. John’s.
St. John’s Rectory, built about 1828 by Samuel Stryker, was restored recently. It was painted in historic colors. Its original wooden shutters were reinstalled and the original wrought iron fence was repaired.
The prayer garden was redesigned to create a serene environment for meditation and prayer.
The award for the revitalization of St. John’s Church campus is particularly meaningful, in view of the connection with the LHS headquarters — the Marshall House — that served as St. John’s Convent for many years.
The Narducci Award is named for Lambertville resident Alice Narducci (1891-1983) who championed the preservation of the Marshall House when it was slated for demolition in 1967 along with the old St. John’s School.
Thanks to Mrs. Narducci’s efforts, St. John’s Church instead deeded the property to the State of New Jersey, which in turn rents it to the Lambertville Historical Society for use as its headquarters.
The Marshall House — former home of James Wilson Marshall, whose discovery of gold in California is credited with triggering the gold rush of 1849 — was restored by LHS, which maintains the historical museum.

