While some local politicians and administrators really don't care, it's also fair to say that, as fiduciaries for their towns, they have to weigh the relatively clear (economic) benefits of redevelopment to the less tangible benefits of historic preservation. In this case, though, with such a large piece of land and a clearly historic property, I'm surprised a compromise hasn't been reached. An example of such compromise is the "Van Riper House" (aka the Bradbury-Van Riper House): http://www.oldnutley.org/vanriper.html. 50+-years ago, ITT carved out the acre or so on which the historic building sits and gave it to the town, which later contributed it to a non-profit. Thus the land, which had high market value, was put to use economically, and the house, which had concentrated historic value, was saved. As a footnote, the non-profit has struggled over the years to raise the funds necessary to meaningfully restore the house. If I recall correctly, a similar thing happened in Fairfield, NJ with the Simon Van Ness house. Chris On 3/25/07, Peter Wilde <pvdwilde@cox.net> wrote: > > Ed, you almost nailed it, or maybe you were too nice to say it directly. > But the bold truth is: many of those gaining local power today couldn't > care less about Dutch colonial times, European cultures, or even founding > fathers. In fact, they quietly resent them, and will seize opportunities > to > erase them. They will change America to reflect their culture, not ours. > The irony is that there are so many of us that want to do the PC thing, > and > help them! > > Peter Van Dyke Wilde > > ----- Original Message ----- > From: "Edward Otte" <edotte@optonline.net> > To: <dutch-colonies@rootsweb.com> > Sent: Sunday, March 25, 2007 10:19 AM > Subject: Re: [DUTCH-COLONIES] Van Dyke House, South Brunswick,N.J. to be > Demolished > > > > To all, > > > > This is typical of the short sightedness of New Jersey government local > or > > state. If there is no profit in it for them they will do nothing. Swaths > of > > historical buildings are demolished all the time. I blame the local town > of > > South Brunswick and it planning board. But then agin the people on these > > boards generally have little education in history. The schools do not > teach > > much of it anymore in lieu of alternative history and multicultural > history > > while our history is going away. > > > > Ed > > > > -----Original Message----- > > From: dutch-colonies-bounces@rootsweb.com > > [mailto:dutch-colonies-bounces@rootsweb.com] On Behalf Of > > Jacassidy22@aol.com > > Sent: Sunday, March 25, 2007 10:59 AM > > To: Dutch-Colonies@rootsweb.com > > Subject: [DUTCH-COLONIES] Van Dyke House, South Brunswick, N.J. to be > > Demolished > > > > The New York Times Metro Section pg. 3, has a large article on the Van > Dyke > > > > Home build ca. 1713, which had slave quarters over the kitchen which are > > still > > intact and a Revolutionary spinning wheel and bill of sale for a young > > black > > girl were found in the basement. For the past two years residents have > > been trying to save this house located near Davison Mill Road near the > N.J. > > > > turnpike. This 229 acres property was deeded by the Van Dykes in the > > 1690's. > > Behind the farm house sits an original carriage house, a 19th century > barn > > and > > a slave cemetery. The current owner is a man named William Puida who > bought > > > > the house in the 1950's from the Van Dyke family. Two years ago Mr. > Puida > > agreed to sell the land to a developer, Joseph Morris who immediately > > announced > > a plan to demolish the existing buildings and put up a warehouse. In > Feb. > > of > > 2005, he appeared to the zoning board to instead put up condo's and it > was > > approved. > > The Van Dyke farm is a rare remnant of a time when N.J. was a major > > agricultural center largely because of the thousands of slaves who > worked > > this land. > > In 1800, there were 12.000 to 13,000 slaves in the state which might > > account > > for why NY and NJ were the only Northern slaves that did not move to end > > slavery during the Revolutionary War. A local historian James > Shackleford, > > says > > that when he was researching slavery in South Brunswick, at Rutgers > > Archives, > > he found documents about a young slave named Amy and other slaves who > lived > > o > > the Van Dyke Farm. An organization Eastern Villages apparently has > been > > trying to save this farm because of its historical value because the > slave > > quarters and cemetery are still intact, members Elaine Livingston, Bill > > Klimowicz, > > Jean Dvorak. and others. The author of the article is J. Courtney > > Sullivan, and it is located on page 33, March 25, 2007. If any one is > > interested. > > > > One Note from me, It appears from the photograph with the article, that > the > > > > original early Dutch house with the windows at the roof line, later > became > > the kitchen with the slave quarters located over the kitchen in what was > > probably the original second story of the origional Dutch part of the > > house. The > > main house was then attached. The description of the slave quarters > over > > the > > kitchen would probably apply to many of those houses in Somerset > County, > > not > > necessarily as slave quarters, but simply the second story of the > origional > > > > Dutch Home. I have seen many of this design near Harlingen. > > > > Judy Cassidy > > > > This area consisted of two bare wooden rooms, each about the size of a > walk > > > > in closet with the original tiny windows and doors still in tact, as > well > as > > a > > trap door leading to the kitchen. > > > > > > > > ************************************** AOL now offers free email to > > everyone. > > Find out more about what's free from AOL at http://www.aol.com. > > > > ------------------------------- > > To unsubscribe from the list, please send an email to > > DUTCH-COLONIES-request@rootsweb.com with the word 'unsubscribe' without > the > > quotes in the subject and the body of the message > > > > > > ------------------------------- > > To unsubscribe from the list, please send an email to > DUTCH-COLONIES-request@rootsweb.com with the word 'unsubscribe' without > the > quotes in the subject and the body of the message > > > > ------------------------------- > To unsubscribe from the list, please send an email to > DUTCH-COLONIES-request@rootsweb.com with the word 'unsubscribe' without > the quotes in the subject and the body of the message >