VII. HISTORIC PRESERVATION PLAN

(Adopted 10/1/01, revised 4/1/02)

The law that governs municipal planning in New Jersey, the Municipal Land Use Law (MLUL), has among its purposes "to promote the conservation of historic sites and districts". The municipal master plan is a tool for accomplishing this purpose. The MLUL defines the roll of the Historic Preservation Plan element of the master plan:

1. To indicate the location and significance of historic site and historic districts;
2. identify the standards used to assess worthiness for historic site and district identification; and
3. analyze the impact of each component and element of the master plan on the preservation of historic sites and districts.

INTRODUCTION

Mendham Township contains a rich historic heritage that is still vivid in the many existing historic sites, buildings, structures, roads, and trees located throughout the Township. An unusually large portion of the Township is located within six National and State Registered Historic Districts and within a Multiple Properties Listing. These historic resources taken together are among the defining characteristics of the Township contributing greatly to its sense of place, high quality of life, and exceptional property values.

There are three foundations for historic preservation in Mendham Township:

1. The active participation of the Historic Preservation Committee (HPC) as an advisor in the development review process, and
2. The identification and designation of historic districts in the State and National Registers of Historic Places.
3. A resident population that is aware of, and concerned about, historic preservation.

The six existing historic districts and a proposed Multiple Properties Listing are described below with their historic significance. Registered districts form a solid foundation for historic preservation because registration requires detailed documentation of historic resources in accordance with specific accepted national standards of historic significance. The six districts and the Multiple Properties Listing contain all known historic resources within the Township.

HISTORIC PRESERVATION

OVERVIEW AND BACKGROUND

Following are the major events affecting historic preservation in Mendham Township leading up to this point.

• The Morristown National Historical Park was established in the 1930s highlighting the significance of the region to important events and sites in the American Revolutionary War.
• After World War II, Mendham Township became recognized as a relatively inexpensive enclave for ex-urbanites seeking a quiet pastoral and historic setting. These new homebuyers were attracted by the colonial architecture, farmland and orchards, pristine streams, and country roads. This resulted in a core of residents concerned with preserving the historic character of the community during a period of rapid suburbanization in the region after World War II.
• In 1973, the Ralston Historic District was created as the first Registered Historic District in the Township.
• In 1990, the Morris County Freeholders proposed the construction of a major correctional facility in the Washington Valley area. This focused public attention on the historic resources in the area leading to the formation of a Historic Preservation Committee and historic district registration for the Valley.
• In 1991, the Township Committee established the Mendham Township Historic Preservation Committee.
• In 1992, the Washington Valley District, a historic district within both Mendham and Morris Township’s was created as the second historic district in the Township. It received registration from the State and National Registers of Historic Places and was the first historic district created in cooperation with an adjacent municipality.
• In 1993, Morris County began a policy of consulting the Mendham Township Historic Preservation Committee regarding design issues concerning the refurbishment and/or replacement of bridges in the Township.
• In 2000, a new Township Master Plan was adopted putting emphasis for the first time on the importance of historic preservation to the Township’s overall planning goals. This led to the adoption of this Historic Plan element, the Township’s first.

A CONCISE HISTORY

OF MENDHAM TOWNSHIP

Mendham Township was incorporated in 1749 encompassing a much larger area than today. At that time Mendham Township included modern day Randolph Township, part of Chester Township and Mendham Borough. Mendham Township’s early settlement in the late 1700s and early 1800s was directly related to exploitation of natural resources. The headwaters of three major rivers (Whippany, Passaic and Raritan) easily provided waterpower. The abundance of timber for charcoal, lumber, iron and other ores, rich soil and limestone created an early industrial area. Waterpower encouraged other industries such as grist mills, saw mills, woolen mills, distilleries, cotton mills, forges, and turning shops. The many millponds also created an ice industry.

From the end of the Civil War through to the Great Depression, the industries declined. They could not compete with large steam-powered factories increasingly common after the Civil War. Gradually, the clank of mill wheels and the thud of forge hammers disappeared. During this period of industrial decline, family farming became a relatively important economic activity, taking advantage of the open fields that resulted from clear-cut forests and the native rich soil characteristics. The Rockaway Valley Railroad, which passed through the middle of the Township, ceased operation in 1913 and the tracks were torn up for scrap during World War I.

This resulted in a period of "somnolence" with no railroad to transport produce or to attract new residents, in contrast to neighboring communities. With little to entice new year-round residents, Mendham Township became relatively isolated and unaffected by the suburbanization occurring in the region in the early to middle 1900s. This is a primary reason for the preservation of the Township’s historic landscape.

Schools were very important to early settlers in Mendham Township. Six one-room schoolhouses have survived. Four are located at crossroads: Union Schoolhouse Road and Pleasant Valley (Ralston Historic District), Washington Corners (Tempe Wick Historic District), and the corner of Water Street and Cherry Lane (Brookside Historic District). The remaining two are located on Roxiticus Road (Ralston Historic District) and Mountainside Road (India Brook Historic District). In addition, on the outskirts of the Township, there were joint school districts with Randolph Township, and Morris Township (Washington Valley Historic District). Some of the schools continued in operation well into the 20^th Century, the last reportedly closed in 1940.

Throughout the Township, there are many older houses that date from the 1700’s to the early 1900s. Areas containing small cottage-style residences (many now expanded), dating from the Township’s industrial era, reflect housing built as boarding and workers houses. Other older houses are associated with small family farms. Some of these houses did not have electricity until after World War II. Larger homes, used as country summer retreats for well to do families from urban centers, date from the early 1900s.

ASSUMPTIONS AND OBJECTIVES CONCERNING

HISTORIC PRESERVATION IN MENDHAM TOWNSHIP

• Abundance of historic resources. Mendham Township contains abundant historic resources including sites, buildings, structures, landscape features, roads, and trees that together define its character and contribute importantly to its sense of place, high quality of life, and high property values. These historic resources should be preserved.
• Historic roads. The public roads in Mendham Township were improved slowly and gradually from their beginnings as narrow paths and horse trails centuries ago. Their evolutionary, curvilinear, and organic character is central to the historic significance of the historic districts through which they pass. Their historic width and design characteristics should be preserved to the extent possible.
• Bridges. Many bridges are located in historic districts and, as visually prominent structures, are important to the historic integrity and significance of those districts. The portion of the superstructure that is visible from the public road should be maintained, or replaced when necessary, consistent with the historic character of the districts.
• Historic buildings. There are many historic buildings throughout the Township; many are especially visible because of their location close to public roads. They contribute significantly to the integrity of historic districts, and to the character of the Township as a whole, and should be preserved.
• Ancient trees. There are many very old trees throughout the Township; many are especially visible because of their location close to public roads. They contribute significantly to the integrity of historic districts, and to the character of the Township as a whole, and should be preserved.
• Historic development patterns. The pattern of historic development in Mendham Township was established in an era before zoning. Historic structures are typically located in accordance with topographic/geographic features and are often located close to roadways and other property lines. Properties are typically of random and widely varying size, with boundaries that often follow natural features. These characteristics are important contributors to the historic integrity of historic districts, and to the Township as a whole, and should be continued.
• Historic artifacts (remains of foundations, mills, dams, millraces, forges, etc.). The Township contains many artifacts which contain historic significance in and outside of historic districts. Where possible they should be preserved.

ADDRESSING STATUTORY REQUIREMENTS

FOR IDENTIFICATION OF HISTORIC SITES AND DISTRICTS

The MLUL requires that the location and significance of historic sites and districts be identified together with the standards used to assess their historic worthiness. These statutory requirements were satisfied in Mendham Township’s designated historic districts and sites as follows:

• Identification of the location and boundaries of historic sites and districts. The boundaries of the historic districts in Mendham Township are summarized in the next section below and were established in accordance with National and/or State Historic Register criterion. The Mendham Township Historic Preservation Committee (HPC) maintains two maps showing the boundaries of the historic districts and the location and type of all known historic sites and resources in the Township. They are available in the Municipal Building and provide important companion documents to this plan. The map following this section is based upon these maps.
• Identification of historic significance. This has been satisfied through the State and Federal historic nomination and registration process for the six historic districts and the proposed Multiple Properties Listing. To qualify for registration, the State and National Registers of Historic Places require a detailed survey and documentation of the historic resources in the district. The following sections provide a summary of identified historic resources in each district.
• Identification of the standards used to assess the worthiness of historic district designation. The standards used by the State and National Registers of Historic Places have been used to assess the worthiness of historic district and sites designation in all designated historic districts and the Multiple Properties Listing in Mendham Township. These standards are summarized as follows:

Criterion A. Property associated with events that have made a significant contribution to the broad patterns of our history.

Criterion B. Property associated with the lives of persons significant in our past.

Criterion C. Property that embodies the distinctive characteristics of a type, period, or method of construction, or represents the work of a master, or possesses high artistic values, or represents a significant and distinguishable entity whose components lack individual distinction.

Criterion D. Property that has yielded, or is likely to yield, information important in prehistory or history.

 

HISTORIC DISTRICTS AND MULTIPLE PROPERTIES LISTING,

THEIR SIGNIFICANCE AND WORTHINESS FOR DESIGNATION

Following is a summary of the six registered historic districts in the Township, their location and boundaries, their historic significance, and their worthiness for historic designation. In addition, there is a description of a Multiple Properties Listing currently proposed for formal designation by the State and National Registers of Historic Places (# 7 below).

1. Brookside Historic District

This district is located within Mendham Township along Tingley Road, East and West Main Streets, Cold Hill Road, Cherry Lane and Woodland Road. The District retains the scale, character and artifacts of a rural village and small-scale industrial center of the 18^th and 19^th centuries. The District contains 131 documented historic resources that contribute to its historic significance. Most notable are numerous existing single-family dwellings, outbuildings, and artifacts of water-powered industry relating to the period of historic significance (1780-1942). The artifacts of industry include the remains of water-powered, grist mills, woolen mill, saw mills, forge, tanning and shoe making, glass and chair manufactory, wagon shops, blacksmith shops, iron mines, turning shops lime kilns, and distilleries. The Rockaway Valley Railroad went through the district providing rail access to some of the industries until World War I. The entire R-O-W of this railroad is now Patriots Path in this district.

Prominent unspoiled natural features, particularly the Whippany River, ancient trees along roadways, and the undeveloped steep hill to the south of the village, also contribute to the historic integrity of the District. The historic community development pattern and architecture of the district is characterized by relatively small lot sizes and shallow setbacks of the oldest structures distinguishing the old village from the modern suburban development on larger lots with deeper setbacks that surrounds it.

The following description is taken from the nomination forms of the National Register of Historic Places for the District.

"The village is laced with the headraces, tailraces, tunnel and culverts of a long-lived and complex water distribution system which fed the various industrial mills that operated in Brookside in the 18^th and 19^th centuries….(Today) the tree-shaded roads and babbling brooks offer pastoral beauty, giving no hint of the noisy, bustling village of the 19^th century which used the brooks to power large mills".

The District is registered in both the State (1995) and National (1996) Registers of Historic Places. The district boundaries were established to encompass groupings of historic resources, roads, railroad R.O.W., and natural features, most notably the Whippany River and parkland to the north. The numerous historic resources dating from the 18^th and 19^th centuries provide information illustrating the architecture, industry and community development pattern of early America and is thus historically significant in accordance with National Register Criteria A.

2. Combs Hollow Historic District

This district is primarily located within Randolph Township with a small portion in Mendham Township. The Mendham Township portion is made up of parts of three lots located along India Brook near, and west of, Combs Hollow Road. The character of the District in Mendham Township is of a currently undeveloped area in a low-density rural and natural setting. It is registered in both the State (1995) and National (1996) Registers of Historic Places.

The district boundary was established to encompass the grouping of significant historic resources as well as natural historic features. The historic resources located in Mendham Township are the site of an iron mine and the remains of a breached rubble dam and forge. The historic significance of the area relates to the information it contains about the early iron mining and manufacturing industry beginning from 1735. In accordance with National Register Criteria A, the district is associated with events that have made a significant contribution to the broad pattern of our history.

3. India Brook Historic District

This district straddles the municipal boundary between Mendham Borough and Mendham Township. Most of the District, however, is located within the Township along Mountainside Road (mainly north side), Ironia Road (west side), Roxiticus Road (north side) and Combs Hollow Road (both sides). The district is centered on India Brook and adjoins and connects to preexisting registered Districts to the north (Combs Hollow) and to the south (Ralston). A nomination for State and Federal historic registration has been filed by the Mendham Township Historic Committee and a determination on registration is currently pending.

There are 63 documented historic resources located within the District that contribute to its historic significance. The period of historic significance is 1750 to 1940 encompassing the early settlement period, the 19^th century period of farming and industrial activity, and the early 20^th century Morris County estate era. The District boundary was established to encompass historic resources (mostly dwellings) concentrated along historic roadways and archaeological sites connected with the former industries along India Brook. As stated in the nomination forms for the National Register:

"The India Brook Historic District is eligible for the National Register of Historic Places under Criterion A, association with events that have made a significant contribution to the broad patterns of our history, for its role in eighteenth century settlement, and nineteenth century development of the area from a farming-industrial community to a country retreat and villa site."

"The development of the India Brook area sounds a familiar theme for many areas of Morris County, and the surviving architectural resources constitute a notable collection of building types, so that the district is also eligible for the National Register under Criterion C. The buildings in the district share a location rather than a particular building type; in fact, most of the contributing buildings are distinctive in the style and period of architecture they represent. Thus, the entire district encompasses a virtual catalog of American architecture, from early stone and wood structures to twentieth century pre-cut houses."

"Under Criterion D: There are sites within this district, most notably along the stream, which are likely to yield significant archaeological evidence relating to the industrial activity and development of the area. The most readily apparent relates to the ironworks of the forge and the mining industry. Pieces of slag in various sizes, which were discarded by the forge, are abundant and easily visible in and along the stream. Mining related evidence, such as charcoal hearths and the foundation of a charcoal house, still remain along the stream."

4. Ralston Historic District

This large district was first registered in a smaller form in 1973. It is centered on the North Branch of the Raritan River and now contains 90 documented historic resources that contribute to its historic significance relating to the period of 1786-1934. It is registered in both the State (1997) and National (1999) Registers of Historic Places. The following description of the District is excerpted from the National Register nomination forms.

"The district has as its focus the water-powered industries which grew up on the North Branch of the Raritan, and the related houses, outbuildings, and schoolhouses. The residents of the area carried out their business and public lives in neighboring towns like Chester and Mendham. But Ralston, first known as Roxiticus, was recognized as a separate place, not a town or even a village, but a locale of distinct character. It was a place of mills, whose pounding or silence marked local economic prosperity. It was a place of highly visible hierarchy, with the manor house on the north end, the master’s mill house within sight of his house, and small houses for laborers and farmers further downstream."

The District is historically significant in accordance with National Registration Criterion A, B, and C as follows:

• Criterion A (association with events that have made a significant contribution to the broad patterns of our history) because of its association with the development and subsequent decline of water-powered industry in the 18^th and 19^th centuries.
• Criterion B (association with the lives of persons significant in our past) because of its association with John Rolston (sic.), an early American industrialist whose woolen mill along the river was one of the earliest of New Jersey’s successful textile industries.
• Criterion C (properties that embody the distinctive characteristics of a type period, or method of construction) for the well-preserved domestic architecture which characterizes the river valley.

The District boundary was designed to encompass historic resources centered on historic roads (Route 510 previously known as William Penn Highway and Washington Turnpike, Roxiticus Road, Union Schoolhouse Road, and Pleasant Valley Road). It also encompasses historic resources associated with and adjacent to Burnett Brook, the North Branch of the Raritan River and McVicker’s Brook. Finally, it encompasses landscape features associated with the history of the area such as Schiff Reservation.

1. Tempe Wick Historic District

This 353-acre District straddles the municipal boundary between Mendham and Harding Townships encompassing substantial historic resources in each township. There are 36 historically significant resources in the Mendham Township portion of the district, most of which are dwellings and other structures and sites. The District is oriented to Tempe Wick Road which is itself one of the district’s most important historic resources dating from the 18^th century and is the gateway to Jockey Hollow, the Revolutionary War Continental Army encampment. The District is registered in both the State (2000) and the National (2000) Registers of Historic Places.

The District boundary was established to follow the historic alignment of Tempe Wick Road and expanded where appropriate to encompass adjacent historically significant resources including those on Corey Lane and Kennaday Road. The period of historic significance is 1750 (settlement period) through 1936 (Morris County Estate Era). It is historically significant under Criterion A and B in the areas of military history (Revolutionary War encampment) and architecture (mostly 19^th century New Jersey Rural Vernacular and Colonial Rival eras). Notably, the historic significance also relates to the spatial arrangement of buildings exemplifying siting characteristics of buildings in an earlier pre-zoning rural era.

2. Washington Valley Historic District

This large 1,883-acre historic district was the largest in the state at the time of its registration. It straddles the municipal boundary between Mendham and Morris Townships with substantial areas in each. In Mendham Township, the district is located along Schoolhouse Road, Washington Valley Road, Tingley Road, and Mendham Road (Route 510). It retains its low-density rural character with prominent unspoiled natural features. The District is registered in both the State (1992) and National (1992) Registers of Historic Places. The following description is from the National Register of Historic Places Registration Form.

"It (the District) is also very much an environment fashioned by human use, for the preservation of the valley’s landscape and its scattered 18^th century farms was made possible by wealthy estate builders of the late 19^th and early 20^th centuries. The landscape of small houses, barns, cultivated fields and orchards that these newcomers found was a resource which they maintained and improved. They were motivated, in part, by their view of Washington Valley as a romantic artifact of colonial days, with hallowed Revolutionary War associations."

Washington Valley Road was laid out in 1757 and is one of the most important historic resources in the District in its form. Mendham Road (Route 510) is also a historically significant road within the District. It may have begun as an Indian trail and was used by early settlers. Later it was improved and maintained as one of the early "turnpikes" (Washington Turnpike) stretching from Morristown to the Delaware River, chartered in 1806.

The boundaries of the District were established to encompass groupings of historic resources, natural features, and historic roadways. The historic resources in the District are numerous but can be summarized as single-family residences, agricultural fields, and outbuildings relating to the periods of historic significance; 1776-1863 encompassed the early settlement and development period, and 1881-1932 encompassed the estate era.

In accordance with National Register Criteria A, the District is associated with events that have made a significant contribution to the broad pattern of our history. In addition, in accordance with Criteria B, it contains property that embodies the distinctive characteristics of a type, period, or method of construction or represents the work of a master, or possesses high artistic values, or represents a significant and distinguishable entity whose components lack individual distinction.

7. Multiple Properties Listing

There are many historically significant sites throughout the Township currently proposed for formal designation which are worthy of preservation efforts. The National Register criteria should be used as a guide in identifying the specific significance of the individual sites contained in the Listing. The Historic Preservation Committee has listed all known historically significant sites within the Listing. The HPC should encourage their preservation through recognition and educational efforts. Three such individual sites serve as examples: Pitney Farm, Franklin Farms (mansion residence of former New Jersey Governor Franklin Murphy), and the Nesbitt Mills/Loughlin Distillery (a.k.a. Sammy’s Cider Mill). Every effort should be made to preserve the important historic resources contained in the Listing.

ANALYSIS OF THE IMPACT OF TOWNSHIP

POLICIES ON HISTORIC PRESERVATION

The MLUL requires the Historic Preservation Plan to analyze the impact of each component and element of the master plan on the preservation of historic sites and districts. Most elements of this Master Plan have either a generally positive impact or no negative impact on historic preservation. However, the policies contained in two elements of this Master Plan have potentially important implications for historic preservation. They are discussed below.

Public roadways and bridges are prominent historic resources in all of the Township’s historic districts. Their design, improvement, and maintenance can have an important impact on the integrity of historic districts and their significance. The following road and bridge improvement and maintenance policies are recommended for roadways in historic districts.

Road design and width. Road design standards are an area of public policy that can have a profound effect on historic preservation. Historic roadways are visually distinguishable from those designed to modern standards. They have an organic quality dictated and shaped by natural features of the land (topographic and geographic). In Mendham Township they are narrow, uncurbed, curvilinear, and closely following the contours of the land, with open swales for drainage.

Roads designed to typical modern engineering standards, which ignore the historic integrity of an area, can unalterably damage this historic character. Today’s engineers can, however, when encouraged to do so, design roads that achieve engineering goals without sacrificing historic qualities. The historic integrity of roads in historic districts should be preserved, in particular their historic widths.

Bridges. Public bridges are also important to historic preservation, within or without historic districts. They contribute substantially to the scenic quality of Mendham Township. Many bridges in the Township have historic significance in themselves because they are connected with an historic event or personality, or representative of an era of engineering history. Even if a bridge is not in itself "historic", it may be worthy of preservation.

It must be recognized that bridges must function safely and that the main focus of historic preservation should be that which is visible from the public road. If a bridge is in an otherwise historic area and it is in harmony with, and contributes to, the historic significance of the area, the portion of the superstructure that is visible from the public road should be preserved. There are a number of such examples in the historic districts. Indeed these bridges are particularly important elements of historic landscapes. They are by their nature visually prominent focal points, having more of an effect than most other single elements on the character of historic districts.

Bridges in historic areas should be preserved where possible and, where not possible, replacement bridges should be designed and sized reflective of the historic nature of the area. Portions of these bridges not visible from the public road may be replaced where necessary for public safety. It must be recognized that the Township is not the master of its own fate on the issue of bridge maintenance and design. Bridges in the Township are under the jurisdiction of the County. The County has recently been asking as a first step in the design process for suggestions from the HPC on all proposed projects for rebuilding or refurbishment of bridges in the Township. This should continue in order to assure that decisions regarding bridge refurbishment and replacement are made consistent with the integrity of historic districts.

Ancient trees. There are numerous examples of very old trees dating back to the early 19^th and even 18^th centuries along public roadways in the Township. Within historic districts, they contribute significantly to the historic integrity of the District. Outside of historic districts, ancient trees often have historic significance in of themselves. In some cases, existing ancient trees are reflected in historic property deed records. In all cases, they are living reminders of times long past, contributing significantly to the historic character of the community. They should be preserved wherever possible.

The Land Use Plan contains goals and policies that are intended to guide the Township’s zoning and subdivision regulations, which in turn can have implications on historic preservation. These are discussed below.

Zoning. Strong municipal land development regulations are a necessity. However, they can sometimes pose difficulties for historic preservation. Historic structures often do not conform to such standards because they were constructed in an era with different needs and concerns and the limitations imposed by nature were the primary considerations for their location. In contrast to modern patterns, historic structures are typically located close to roadways and/or other property lines and the distance between structures is much more varied than those built to modern standards.

Zoning use limitations can sometimes discourage historic preservation. Some historic structures are not readily adapted to modern needs and tastes or they were constructed for uses no longer economically viable. Modern zoning regulations can pose an extra and significant obstacle for their adaptive reuse. In historic districts, variances from zoning regulations, which promote the preservation of historic structures and/or historic character, should be considered to be consistent with the Township’s zone plan. In addition, developments in historic areas should be configured to preserve historic sites, structures, landscape features and the historic pattern of development.

Development outside historic districts. Development in areas outside of historic districts can have detrimental impacts on the historic character and integrity of the districts. In Mendham Township, historic districts are closely associated with a rural landscape of small crossroad villages surrounded by a very low-density countryside. Development that changes this context, even outside historic districts, will be detrimental to the historic character, integrity and significance of the districts. The "up-zoning" recommended in the Land Use Plan will substantially reduce the Township’s ultimate build-out density, greatly beneficial to the preservation goals of this element.

Institutional and public utility uses. The Land Use Plan has been crafted to only permit uses that are generally compatible with historic preservation goals. However, other uses that generally benefit the public welfare have received special legal status such as institutional and public utility uses. Such uses can be visually prominent and incompatible with historic integrity and if so should be located in areas that minimize their visual impact on historic districts.

Subdivision requirements. Subdivision and zoning regulations over time alter the historic pattern of development to a more regularized and uniform model. Historic landscapes are characterized by great variability in lot sizes and building setbacks. The innate characteristics of the land itself, rather than uniform zone standards, were the standard by which decisions were made about property subdivision and building placement. The uniformity and regularity of development built in conformance with subdivision and zoning regulation can be at odds with historic integrity. In historic districts, variances from zoning standards and subdivision regulations which promote the preservation of historic structures and/or historic character should be considered to be consistent with the Township’s zone plan.

Controlling the scale of buildings. Research of Township building records has illustrated that there is a traditional pattern of building size in relation to property size in the Township. Pursuant to recommendations in the Land Use Plan, floor area ratio (FAR) standards have been adopted by the Township to promote the traditional scale of buildings by balancing the size of structures in relation to the size of the property they are on. The main purpose is to discourage new structures that are substantially larger in scale than has been traditional in the Township. This is particularly important in historic districts and for historic structures.

Size and design of signs. Signs by their very nature are visually prominent features of the landscape. Signs within historic districts should be sized and designed to be consistent with the historic integrity of the district.

Preservation of historic artifacts. A variety of Township development-related regulations can impact the preservation of historic artifacts (foundations, mines, wells, millraces, and other man-made structures). Wherever appropriate, Township regulations should be flexibly administered in a manner that promotes the preservation of such artifacts as designated on the HPC historic resources maps.

ROLE OF THE HISTORIC

PRESERVATION COMMITTEE

Historic Preservation Committee – advocate and educator. The HPC plays an important advisory role to the Planning Board and Township Committee and to the departments under their jurisdiction. It is an advocate for preservation and generally coordinates preservation activities in the Township. In addition, it performs informational and educational functions, including completion of the comprehensive Historic Resources Map and the review of projects affecting the historic resources in the Township. An important part of this educational function is to provide clear guidance to applicants, Planning Board and Board of Adjustment about how developments can be designed consistent with the Township’s historic heritage.

Continuing historic research. Educating citizens about what is historically significant in the Township must be an important part of any effective strategy for historic preservation. To accomplish this, the HPC should continue its study of historic properties. Writing history is an evolutionary process. A number of excellent histories, documents, journals and letters exist as excellent reference materials on Township history. This information provides a basis for informing citizens and owners of historic properties and, most importantly, those who plan to develop in historic areas, about what is historically significant.

Design guidelines. Another educational task for the HPC is to suggest specific guidelines for the design and development/redevelopment in historic districts and of individual historic buildings and properties outside of historic districts in the Township. The guidelines should assist prospective developers to understand how they can accomplish their development goals in a manner compatible with historic architectural and landscape patterns.

SUMMARY AND RECOMMENDATIONS

Mendham Township contains areas which are still clearly representative of the Township’s, and early America’s, rural past. The historic sites and districts described in this plan, and delineated on the HPC industrial and buildings, structures and sites maps, possess historic integrity and significance; they give a historic identity worthy of preservation. Historic significance in the Township lies not so much in individual sites as in entire landscapes that are representative of early American rural life.

The primary vehicle of a strategy for historic preservation is for the Historic Preservation Committee to participate in the development review process as an advisor to individual citizens, prospective developers, Planning Board, Board of Adjustment and the Township Committee on preservation matters. The creation of the Historic Preservation Committee and the historic districts, well accepted by the community at large, have given official recognition and sanction to the importance of historic preservation in the Township and will continue to provide a framework for the provision of information and education in the future. The continuous updating of the HPC industrial and buildings, structures and sites maps is an important task that will assist those interested in developing/redeveloping historic properties to do it in a manner consistent with historic preservation goals.

Finally, the Planning Board and Township Committee should continue to reexamine Township policies that affect historic districts and sites, especially land use ordinances and public road standards, to ensure that they are consistent with the goals of this plan.

LANDS RECOMMENDED TO BE RESERVED

FOR HISTORIC PRESERVATION PURPOSES

In order to fulfill the goals of this plan element, and of the Master Plan as a whole, the acquisition of property must be a major part of the Township’s overall planning strategy. Depending upon the specific circumstances of the specific property, acquisition may be by fee simple acquisition, easements, or development restrictions. The Appendix at the end of this Master Plan contains a list of properties that are recommended to be reserved for historic preservation purposes. They should be reserved in accordance with C.40:55D-44.

INSERT MAP

HISTORIC PRESERVATION