Freehold features historic house tour

[BrianSullivan]

www.bayshorenews.com/publication/show/1391

The Freehold Borough Historic Preservation Commission is conducting its second annual Historic Freehold House Tour Saturday, June 26, from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m.

The Tour will feature ten different homes in the borough, noted for their charm, architecture, and individual qualities that make them interesting and unique, according to Muriel J. Smith, general chairman of the event.

Cochairmen with Mrs. Smith are Tony DiFlumeri and Barbara Wagner, all members of the Commission.

Back by popular demand for a second year on the Tour is the Taylor Farm Homestead at 74 Broadway. "So many residents and visitors who missed last year's tour have asked that this house be included once again," Mrs. Smith said, "and owners Nelson Kuperberg and David Giffler generously agreed. We're grateful to them not only for opening their home once again, but also because of the wealth of knowledge they are so willing to share about the history of the house and the improvements they have made that accent the natural features."

The home was built in 1870, the main house on a 100 acre potato farm. Its kitchen features wooden workbenches remodeled into a center work island and are adjacent to a garden room with French doors and a den with a wood-burning fireplace. Even the unfinished third floor of the house offers unique interest with its exposed beams and large windows offering bird's eye views of the surrounding area.

Also on this year's tour is the Victorian home of Mr. and Mrs. David Loring at 106 Broad St. This architectural wonder was on a house tour several years ago, has won the borough's restoration award and has been fastidiously restored to its turn of the century beauty.

"We will be announcing all the buildings on the tour shortly," the chairman continued, "we really just want people who enjoy history and recognize the unique beauty of Freehold to save the date and plan on having a fascinating day enjoying not only the historic homes but some of the local restaurants and businesses as well."

Tickets for the tour are $25, and are available by calling Mr. DiFlumeri at 732-431-7548, or Mrs. Wagner at 732-462-2222, ext. 113.

[BrianSullivan]

newstranscript.gmnews.com/news/2010-04-14/Front_Page/House_tour_planned_in_Freehold.html

House tour planned in Freehold

FREEHOLD — The borough Historic Preservation Commission will hold its second annual Historic Freehold House Tour from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. June 26.

The tour will feature 10 homes in the borough that are noted for their charm, architecture and individual qualities that make them interesting and unique, according to Muriel J. Smith, general chairwoman of the event.

Back by popular demand for a second year on the tour is the Taylor Farm Homestead at 74 Broadway.

“So many residents and visitors who missed last year’s tour have asked that this house be included once again and owners Nelson Kuperberg and David Giffler generously agreed,” Smith said.

“We are grateful to them not only for opening their home once again, but also because of the wealth of knowledge they are willing to share about the history of the house and the improvements they have made that accent the natural features,” she said.

The Taylor Farm home was built in 1870, originally as part of a 100-acre potato farm. Its kitchen features wooden workbenches remodeled into a center work island and is adjacent to a garden room with French doors and a den with a woodburning fireplace. Even the unfinished third floor of the house offers unique interest with its exposed beams and large windows offering bird’s eye views of the surrounding area.

Also on this year’s tour is the Victorian home of Mr. and Mrs. David Loring at 106 Broad St. This home was featured in a house tour several years ago, has won the Freehold Borough Annual Restoration Award and has been restored to its turn-ofthe( 20th)century origins.

Smith said the Historic Preservation Commission will be announcing all of the buildings on the tour in the near future.

“We really just want people who enjoy history and recognize the unique beauty of Freehold to save the date and plan on having a fascinating day enjoying not only the historic homes, but some of the local restaurants and businesses as well,” she said.




Borough Councilman John Newman, who is the liaison to the Historic Preservation Commission, said, “This tour is in its second year because of how well it promotes the unique historical beauty of Freehold Borough. We are not only the county seat of Monmouth County, but Freehold Borough also contains western Monmouth County’s original downtown, which provides our tour guests with a full day of fun.”

Tickets for the house tour are $25 and are available by calling event co-chairs Anthony DiFlumeri at 732-431-7548, or BarbaraWagner at 732-462-2222, ext. 113.

[admin]

I should have posted this reminder earlier this week, but the tour is today!!!!

Good luck to the HPC in hosting anotehr successful event.

[admin]

AS a follow up I received some good information that the tour did very well with about 70 people using it. For an event of this nature, that is very good. If I recall, the first tour had about 40-45 people so they doubles their number.

I was also informed from my source that the enthusiasm and passion for borough history was very evident and impressive.

Very good job to the HRC!

[admin]

Here is a terrific write up about the tour......

www.bayshorenews.com/publication/show/1507

Historic tour a success at many levels
Courtesy of "the Freehold Historic Preservation Commission"
Posted:07/09/10

Click on picture to Zoom

Freehold - "It accomplished every purpose we set out to accomplish, and then some," said Muriel J. Smith, chairman of the recent Historic House Tour featuring homes, an art studio and a church in the borough dating back to the 19th and 18th centuries.

"The number of visitors was double what we had last year when we offered the first tour," the chairman said, "they represented all age groups as well as both residents and non-residents of the borough."

The Historic House Tour was designed to bring attention to the variety, individuality and beauty of the many types of architecture in Freehold, Mrs. Smith continued, and to show the pride residents take in preserving their own corner of history.

"We accomplished that, in that guests on the tour were amazed at the creativity that went into the décor of each house. Even though the houses were all built in the 1880s, there were no two alike," Mrs. Smith said, "and it was impossible to compare one to another. Each one was totally different."

Houses on the tour included the former Taylor Farm Homestead on Broadway, owned by Interior Designer Nelson Kuperberg and Dr. David Giffler, the Earle and Loring homes on Broad St., the Still and Andres homes on Broadway, the Gil Burgess home on Hudson St., the Daley Carriage House Art Studio on W Main St., and St. Peter's Church, built in 1771. Headquarters for the day was the McDonnell home on W Main St., which also featured refreshments, a collection of antique Freehold post cards, and photography from Freehold over several decades, and memorabilia from the late Dr. McDonnell, who, together with his wife, raised their 14 children in the home.

In addition to accomplishing the original goals for the tour, Mrs. Smith said there were numerous other advantages.

"The tour was sponsored by the borough's Historic Preservation Commission, whose mission is to preserve the historic integrity of buildings in Freehold. Tour-goers who had not heard of the Commission in the past recognized the importance of its work," Mrs. Smith explained.

Tour goers also enjoyed stories and interesting bits of information provided by homeowners as they visited each home. "It's one thing to read the Still house has a slaughter kitchen," the chairman continued, "and quite another to see the slanted floor and hear why that was important 100 years ago. It's nice to appreciate a stained glass window in an art studio, and yet so much more memorable when you hear it was once in a fire station. These are facts that fascinated people who never knew there were such idiosyncrasies here."

Another advantage of the tour was the camaraderie and friendship it generated, not only with tour visitors but with hosts and homeowners as well. "We had an abbreviated tour the night before the event, followed by a wine and cheese party so hosts and homeowners could see all the homes, then meet in a casual setting to talk about different characteristics, " Mrs. Smith said, "and it resulted in a great level of enthusiasm and interest. Just about all of the hostesses asked if they could volunteer for next year's tour, and several of the homeowners have offered to show their homes again in the future."

Funds from the ticket sales go into the borough treasury and will be used to promote historic preservation in the community.