MILLSTONE — Thomas Baird built his Greek Revival farmhouse on the road that bears his name around 1830. More than 180 years later, that property is scheduled to become the Thomas Baird Cultural Resource Center, a 7.5-acre site for various historic, agricultural and community activities.
The homestead is adjacent to the Millstone Township Middle School. A new organization, the Friends of Millstone Township Historic Registered Properties (FMTHRP), has formed to support this and other historic treasures in the town.
Pat Butch, who wears many volunteer hats in the township, is president of the FMTHRP. Township Historian Joann Kelty serves as vicepresident, while Debbie Novellino is the secretary and Frank Curcio is treasurer. Current trustees are Ellen Terry and Tom Pado.
Butch, who is the also the chairwoman of the township’s Open Space and Farmland Preservation Council, said the township hopes to officially close on the Baird property in October or November, and open it to the public this spring.
She said local community groups, such as the Boy Scouts, Girl Scouts, Future Farmers of America, garden clubs and others could use the site for agricultural and other projects.
Last year, the New Jersey
Museum of Agriculture on the Rutgers University campus in New Brunswick closed due to lack of funds.
The state’s loss is Millstone’s gain, as many of the historic items from its collection are on loan for display at the Baird property. These include a complete blacksmith shop dating from the early 1800s; a high-wheeled sulky originally donated by Princeton Nurseries in Upper Freehold, dating from the mid-1800s; two-seat and fourseat surreys, also dating from the mid-1800s; two sleighs and a bobsled from the 19th century; butter churns; threshers; a display of old pipes; well pumps; seeders and many other items, according to Kelty.
She said the FMTHRP is looking for volunteers to help with some restoration.
The organization would also like to raise money to move the historic barn from the Allen property on Route 524 near the Clarksburg Inn to the Baird homestead. Curcio, who also serves as construction consultant, said the barn dates from the mid- 1840s.
A carriage house on the Allen tract could also be moved, he said. The historic Allen house itself will be demolished to make way for 10 units of affordable senior housing.
Butch said the group has money for dismantling and storing the barn, but needs approximately $100,000 to erect it at the Baird site. Curcio said the Friends are looking for volunteers to help with the dismantling and eventual rebuilding.
The Friends’ wish list includes mannequins for period clothing displays, a deep sink for the greenhouse and historic Millstone photos.
For more information, visit the website at www.mtfriendsofhistory.org.