By John Tredrea, Special Writer
A residence in Pennington’s historic district, which was created by a borough ordinance last year, was named House of the Day by the Wall Street Journal last month.
The East Delaware Avenue house, owned by David and Mary Clare Barber, was built in 1895 by Col. John A. Kunkle and is known as Stony Brook Lodge.
”We are honored that our wonderful home was featured as House of the Day in the Wall Street Journal,” said Mr. Garber.
”It is a pleasure to see such a grand, historic home receive national attention. Pennington is a wonderful community with deep roots and a rich history, and we are pleased that the spotlight was shown on our town.
”Our home, the Stony Brook Lodge, is filled with wonderful memories and we feel so fortunate to have called it home for the past eight years. We have thoroughly enjoyed life in Pennington and raising our family here and we are honored to have been entrusted with the care of the Stony Brook Lodge. “
The large Queen Anne-style home has a wealth of beautiful hand-carved American chestnut wainscoting and other woodwork on its first floor.
Also there is Trent tile, imported from England. There are high ceilings throughout the residence, which has a number of stained glass windows. Original chandeliers are still in place.
A winding staircase leads to the third floor, which offers a great view of Pennington and the surrounding area, particularly from a turret, which has windows all around and benches under the windows.
Mr. Garber, an attorney, is a former member of the Pennington Borough Council, on which he served two three-year terms.
Mr. Garber took the oath of office as a member of Pennington Borough Council in January 2002. His addition to the six-member council brought the Democratic contingent up to five members. He ended his council service at the end of December 2007.
He is a board member of the Hopewell Valley YMCA and the Hopewell Valley Education Foundation, a nonprofit organization that works to benefit the Valley’s public schools.
Mrs. Garber is a member of the Pennington Day Grants Committee and the Hopewell Valley Municipal Alliance, which works to discourage substance abuse by young people.
The Garbers have opened their home frequently to the community, hosting four Toll Gate Grammar School staff appreciation dinners and, most recently, hosting an event for the Hopewell Valley Historical Society.
The Garbers recently listed the Stony Brook Lodge for sale, as their youngest son Noah is now a freshman at Christian Brothers Academy in Lincroft.
The Garbers will be moving to Monmouth County to be close to Noah’s new school.
”We’ll miss Pennington and all of our neighbors and friends,” Mr. Garber said.
The Garber family is not the only family with ties to borough government that has lived at Stony Brook Lodge.
Years ago, a former Pennington mayor, Theodore McCarty, and his family, called Stony Brook Lodge home.
