Two Morris County Sites Win New Jersey Historic Preservation Awards

Published on October 07, 2021

Craftsman Farms interior room

Lake Hopatcong Train Station & Stickley Museum at Craftsman Farms Receive Honors

Historic preservation projects at the Lake Hopatcong Train Station in Roxbury and the Stickley Museum at Craftsman Farms in Parsippany were among 15 recipients of the 2021 New Jersey Historic Preservation Awards announced today by Preservation New Jersey.

The two on-going projects, both of which have received multiple grants from the taxpayer supported Morris County Historic Preservation Trust Fund, each will be presented with a “Preservation Project Award” at a ceremony to be held on Oct. 13 at the 1867 Sanctuary in Ewing, N.J.  Preservation New Jersey annually celebrates individuals, organization, and agencies that have made a major or sustained impact within the field of history and historic preservation in New Jersey.

Learn more about the awards at Preservation New Jersey

Morris County has helped to preserve 117 historic sites since 2003, after residents overwhelmingly approved of dedicating tax dollars annually to protect our rich history. More than $43.3 million has been invested to protect, preserve and refurbish buildings, structures and symbols of our past.

“We are thrilled to have learned of this award. With the help of Morris County, the State of New Jersey and the local community, this wonderful building has been given a new life and a new mission. And just as it did when first constructed, the station building is once again serving the public with an important mission,” said Marty Kane, president of Lake Hopatcong Historical Museum and board chair of the Lake Hopatcong Foundation.

Lake-Hopatcong-Train-Station-300x225.jpg The Lake Hopatcong Train Station, which is 110 years old, now serves as the Foundation headquarters.

Because of the pandemic and damage caused by a tropical storm last year, the Stickley Museum at Craftsman Farms been closed to the public, except for grounds tours, but is looking forward to re-opening in full next year.

"Good news has been in short supply over the past year, and we were so pleased to receive the announcement that the Education Center is being recognized for an award by Preservation New Jersey. Rehabilitating this original, Stickley-era garage structure, has been a long-held dream for the Stickley Museum at Craftsman Farms, a nonprofit museum that has stewarded the property’s preservation, interpretation, and daily operation since 1989. The rehabilitated building provides a beautiful gateway to the property. We are grateful for support from Morris County Historic Preservation Trust and from the Township of Parsippany-Troy Hills," said Vonda Givens, Executive Director of the Stickley Museum at Craftsman Farms.

 Craftsman Farms

The Stickley Museum and the complex of 12 buildings on the 31-acre Craftsman Farms are a National Historic Landmark – a tribute to Gustav Stickley, who pioneered the American Arts and Crafts movement in the early twentieth century. In 1908, Stickley established Craftsman Farms as a farm and school, where children could study with master craftsmen.

The garage and workshop building at Craftsman Farms was constructed in 1912, about a year after the construction of a log house, which was a key structure leading to the National Historic Landmark designation.  More than $1.07 million in grants from the Morris County Historic Preservation Trust Fund have been dedicated to the mission of preserving and restoring the buildings to their 1911-1917 appearance. The property was purchased by Parsippany Township in the 1980s.

"After working on the plan for the Education Center for five years, we have been thrilled by the results. The project, which rehabilitates an original garage structure on the Craftsman Farms campus, also called for rebuilding the building’s upper two floors -- which had been destroyed by a fire in 1950 -- to look much as they did in the Stickley era. The strong support of the Township of Parsippany-Troy Hills, which owns the property, the Morris County Historic Preservation Trust, and individuals who supported the museum’s capital campaign, made this project possible. We have been thrilled with the results and are delighted for the project to be recognized by Preservation New Jersey," said Givens.

Lake Hopatcong Train Station

A total of $1,129,143 in funding has been provided toward ongoing restoration work at the Lake Hopatcong Train Station through the Morris County Historic Preservation Trust Fund. The New Jersey Historic Trust has provided separate grants of $150,000 and $254,879.  In July, the Morris County Board of County Commissioners and members of the Morris County Office of Planning and Preservation joined the Lake Hopatcong Foundation, the New Jersey Historic Trust and a host of other state, county and local officials in dedicating a plaque and celebrating the revival of the structure.

The Lake Hopatcong Station was built in 1911 and connected rail passengers to the many summer resorts, hotels, camping and cottages around the lake every summer. Visitors would step off the train to jump aboard one of the Lake Hopatcong Steamboat Company boats, access the lake via the Morris Canal nearby, or they would board the Morris County Traction Company trolley in front of the station to reach Bertrand Island.

The station was part of the Delaware, Lackawanna and Western Railroad and the Lackawanna Cutoff project.  It was constructed in what is known as a “Tudor Revival/Jacobethan” style building, similar to a sister station in Mountain Lakes, using stone rubble materials with detailing of concrete and glazed terra cotta.

Inside are a ticket office, main hall and luggage room.

Photos:

Top Right: Inside the log home at Craftsman Farms

Center Left: Lake Hopatcong Train Station

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