Van Wagenen House

The Van Wagenen House, also known as Apple Tree House, is located near Bergen Square in Jersey City, Hudson County, New Jersey, United States. The house was added to the National Register of Historic Places on August 16, 2006.

Van Wagenen House
Van Wagenen House in 2020
Location298 Academy Street, Jersey City, New Jersey
Coordinates40°43′48″N 74°3′59″W
Area0.5 acres (0.20 ha)
Built1750[1][2]
Architectural styleGreek Revival, Bergen County Dutch Stone
NRHP reference No.05000884[3]
NJRHP No.3696[4]
Significant dates
Added to NRHPAugust 16, 2006
Designated NJRHPJune 20, 2005

History

The house was built in 1750;[1][2] there was an addition added in the 1820s.[5] The house may have been the site of a meeting between George Washington and the Marquis de Lafayette in 1779.[6][7][8] The name Apple Tree House is given to the home because of a former apple orchard and cider press that were located on the property.[9] The house was purchased by the Quinn family and used as a funeral parlor for a number of years.

In 1996, the house was on Preservation New Jersey's 10 Most Endangered Historic Sites list.[10] The city of Jersey City purchased the building in 1999 for $450,000 and has been working to improve the condition of the building.[1] The New Jersey Historic Trust gave Jersey City a grant in 2006 for interior restoration and accessibility improvements.[11] Jersey City plans to use the house as a museum.[10][12] Interior renovations were completed in 2014.[13]

An annual wreath-laying ceremony occurs at the house every President's Day that is hosted by the George Washington Society.[2]

  • Side view
  • Rear view
  • First-floor hallway
  • Front parlor

See also

References
  1. "New Jersey Historic Trust-". www.NJ.gov. Retrieved October 27, 2017.
  2. "11-year restoration of historic Jersey City building may end soon". NJ.com. Retrieved October 27, 2017.
  3. "National Register of Historic Places Listings". Retrieved February 25, 2010.
  4. "New Jersey and National Registers of Historic Places - Hudson County" (PDF). New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection - Historic Preservation Office. July 7, 2009. p. 7. Retrieved February 25, 2010.
  5. "Apple Tree House/ Van Wagenen Homestead Farm". www.NJCU.edu. Retrieved October 27, 2017.
  6. "Jersey City History - Apple-Tree House - Jersey City". www.CityOfJerseyCity.org. Retrieved October 27, 2017.
  7. "Jersey City History - Jersey City's Oldest House". www.CityOfJerseyCity.org. Retrieved October 27, 2017.
  8. Harriet Phillips Eaton, Jersey City And Its Historic Sites, 1899: On August 24th, 1779, General Lafayette and his troops marched on a foraging expedition from near Fort Lee to Bergen. On the morning of the 25th they arrived at the brow of the Hill and encamped about the large, old tulip tree, known as "oude Boom" to the early settlers and as the "King of the Woods" to those of later date. The locality is now known as Waldo avenue, between Henry street and Magnolia avenue. The tree was cut down December 20th, 1871 Lafayette's headquarters were at the Van Wagenen place on the northwest corner of Academy street and Bergen square. Mr. Taylor states, "in the orchard on the old parsonage site on northwest side of Square," where he entertained at dinner General Washington who came over from Hackensack. The dinner was cooked in the Van Wagenen weave-house and eaten under an apple tree. This tree was blown down in a gale on September 3d, 1821, and from a portion of it was made a very handsome cane, gold mounted and with this inscription, "Shaded the hero and his friend Washington in 1779; presented by the Corporation of Bergen in 1824." When Lafayette visited America in 1824, when he was on his way from Jersey City to Newark, there was a gathering of all the people of this vicinity to meet him at Riker's Tavern, Five Corners, which is still standing on the southwest corner of Newark and Summit avenues. Upon this occasion Domine Cornelison presented him with the cane, making a very appropriate address.
  9. Jersey City. Google Books. Retrieved July 9, 2010.
  10. "The Apple Tree House". Preservation New Jersey. Retrieved October 13, 2010.
  11. "Apple Tree". New Jersey Historic Trust. Retrieved October 13, 2010.
  12. "Revolutionary War Sites in Hudson: The Apple Tree House in Jersey City". NJ.com. Retrieved October 27, 2017.
  13. "Revolutionary War won in less time than historic Jersey City Apple Tree House renovation". NJ.com. Retrieved October 27, 2017.
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