HOWELL – Members of the Township Council are planning to discuss the future of some of Howell’s history when they meet on Aug. 14.
Residents affiliated with Howell’s two historical groups, the Howell Historical Society and the Heritage Group of Howell, attended the council’s July 17 meeting to discuss the historical society, but were told by Deputy Mayor Robert Nicastro that there would be a discussion at the next meeting of the governing body.
“New information was delivered to the township attorney,” Nicastro said. “We are going to have (the discussion) at the next meeting once the township attorney reviews all the documents he has received.”
Resident Barbara Dixel expressed her support for the Howell Historical Society. She said the group was established by an ordinance and cannot be disbanded.
“Hopefully, we can come to some resolution with this historical society, we need the attorney to go over these documents. I can assure you Councilwoman (Evelyn) O’Donnell is on top of this,” Nicastro said.
Resident Virginia Krzyzanowski, a past-president of the Howell Historical Society, said she was asked to attend the July 17 meeting to speak on behalf of the society and its concerns in regard to the MacKenzie Museum and Library.
“When that building was taken over by the township and the (Howell Historical Society), our goal and objectives were to preserve and protect that building, as well as its collections, and apparently that has not happened with the current leadership,” Krzyzanowski said.
Nicastro said the issue would be discussed on Aug. 14 and he said the council is aware of the situation at the MacKenzie house.
“Councilman (Bob) Walsh and myself, with the help of members of the Howell Historical Society, were able to obtain a grant to do some work. Obviously it is a bigger job and more money than may have been anticipated,” Nicastro said.
Krzyzanowski said she wrote the grant Nicastro spoke about and he thanked her for that.
Nicastro later clarified what the nature of the discussion at the Aug. 14 meeting will be about.
“Currently there are two groups … the Howell Historical Society and Heritage Group of Howell. It was brought to the governing body’s attention that required documents such as (certain) paperwork and a tax ID number were never filled with the town. Both groups have since provided the required documents.
“The township has had a lease agreement with the Howell Historical Society since 1983, but must decide in what direction and with which society moving forward they will go with. The township is responsible for general maintenance, lawn maintenance and snow removal (at the MacKenzie house), as well as the monthly cost for the alarm system and propane at an annual cost of approximately $7,500. The Howell Historical Society is responsible for keeping the interior clean,” Nicastro said.
He said the grant he referenced was written by Virginia Woolley and Virginia Krzyzanowski through the Monmouth County Historical Commission.
“I believe that was in 2016. Some repairs have been done, but previous professional estimates to structurally repair the McKenzie museum were at $250,000.” Nicastro said.
There has been preliminary discussion with the New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection because administrators of Allaire State Park in neighboring Wall Township are interested in acquiring the MacKenzie house property.
The MacKenzie Museum and Library, 427 Lakewood-Farmingdale Road (Route 547), was once home to the Howell Historical Society and still holds many historic artifacts. However, the museum has been closed for years because it requires hundreds of thousands of dollars in renovations.
The home had its origins as a settler’s cabin sometime between 1730-50. A grist mill was built in 1779, turning the cabin into the miller’s home.
In 1850, Isaac Nesbit purchased the property. Nesbit asked his brother to be his partner to help run the mill and then built an addition to the cabin to house his brother’s family.
The mill burned down in the 1920s. In 1956, Jessie and James MacKenzie purchased the house and the MacKenzie family owned it until 1982.