Last Friday, the Warren County Commissioners hit the road — checks in hand — to deliver good news to three local preservation projects, according to a recent news release. A total of $324,000 in grant funding was awarded by the county’s Municipal and Charitable Conservancy Trust Fund. The funds, financed through the County’s Open Space Trust, were given to help restore three of the county’s historic sites.
Commissioners Jason J. Sarnoski, Lori Ciesla and James R. Kern III made stops in Hope Township, Washington Township and Pohatcong Township, where they met with local officials and toured the historic sites.
The biggest chunk of funding, $150,000, went to Hope Township’s Community Center — a site that’s lived many lives since its start as the Moravian Log Tavern in 1773. In 1843, a Christian church was erected and, today it’s home to community events, meetings and “Fun Fridays,” organized by the Hope Creative Team. The grant will fund the latest phase of restoration: replacing floors and ceilings, upgrading lighting, and repairing the exterior steps.
From there, the commissioners stopped at a unique piece of Warren County history you’ve probably never heard of and may have passed on Route 57 and not even noticed: Eckel’s Autogiro Airport in Washington Township. Built in 1931, it was the first exclusive autogiro — a rotary-wing aircraft that was a type of early hybrid between an airplane and a helicopter — airport in the U.S. The site’s two wooden hangars still stand, and $57,000 will help with long-overdue maintenance and repairs.
The final visit brought the team to Shimer Mansion, a stately brick home in Pohatcong built in 1850. Once the centerpiece of a 120-acre estate near Morris Canal Lock 10, the house is being restored by the Pohatcong History and Heritage Society. This latest grant — $117,000 — will support the next stage of work. The group has been working on restoration projects since 2015, when it was awarded ownership of the property.
The funding comes from the county’s Open Space Trust, made possible by a voter-approved tax. The grants are reviewed and recommended by a 12-member volunteer committee before going to the Commissioners for final approval.
With some care, these sites can hold new memories and become cornerstones of future gatherings.
Learn more about the Municipal and Charitable Conservancy Trust Fund and how it works here.
