Happy New Year!

As 2009 comes to a close, the Passaic River Coalition's staff and Board members are fine tuning our three year business plan, which to some degree does contain resolutions (except we call them goals). We're currently up to 5 pages of objectives, but here are some of the highlights for Willow Hall:

• Begin an endowment campaign to raise $3 million in two years
• Start the pilot year of our Advanced Learning Center at Willow Hall for college students
• Take steps to "green" our headquarters so we can practice what we preach

2010 is shaping up to be a busy year with some ambitious projects as we continue to work towards a cleaner Passaic River and preserving Willow Hall's special history. We hope you and yours have a happy and healthy New Year and thank you again for your interest and support.

PS- Staff member Allyson has also made a resolution to make blog posts more frequently, especially since she just found the historical research file.

Seasons Greetings

The Passaic River Coalition would like to wish you a very Merry Christmas and to offer our heartfelt thanks to our friends and members for their loyal and generous support.

You learn something new everyday

That phrase sums up our experience of caring for and working at Willow Hall pretty well. Our most recent learning experience was actually rather anticlimactic.

When we first bought the house, its previous owner Fred pointed out sets of lines on the wood floors that appeared to be burned in. In some places, there were still bits of copper wire still stuck in grooves. Fred said these were where telegraph lines were installed. This was very exciting news, and a rather logical explanation, since the house's original owner, George Vail, financed his brother, Alfred, and Samuel F.B. Morse's development of the telegraph.

Well, it turns out that those grooves in the woods were actually used for an old security system in the house. The lines connected those wire alarms that used to be installed on windows. Needless to say, no one was particularly thrilled to learn this new revelation. But that's ok, because Willow Hall still has plenty of history and surprises to keep us (and this blog) busy for quite some time.

Speedwell Lake

There's a lot of water rushing over Speedwell Lake Dam after yesterday's heavy rain. The waterfall is so loud we can hear it from the house at the top of the hill.

Thankful

This year, the Passaic River Coalition Staff is especially thankful for . . .

Our new home at Willow Hall and all the people who made saving the house possible.

A working furnace.

The Garden State Preservation Trust Fund, the New Jersey Historic Preservation Trust Fund, the Morris County Preservation Trust Fund and the Passaic County Preservation Trust Fund. Without their help, so much of our work wouldn't be possible.

All of our marvelous volunteers, you know who you are!

And, our faithful members whose financial support keeps us going from day to day.

Fall at Willow Hall

Here's one last fall photo to enjoy before winter officially arrives.

Attention Facebook Users!

Help the Passaic River Coalition win $25,000 from Chase through their Community Giving competition. If you use facebook, use the link below to vote for the Passaic River Coalition and then tell all your friends!



Thanks for your help!

An avid collector

One of the newest additions to the Passaic River Coalition library is An Histology of American Gunsmiths, Arms Manufacturers and Patentees With Detailed Description of Their Arms by Stephen Van Rensselaer, a prior owner of Willow Hall. The book was published posthumously in 1947, and according to the introduction, was the result of a lifetime of purposeful and meticulous collecting.

One feature we found interesting about this book is its reference to Miss Pauline C. Stradtman, his personal secretary, in the acknowledgments. We know of her as Aunt Paulie through her nephew Fred Stradtman, Willow Hall's previous owner.

Stephen Van Rensselaer

Today we learned some new facts about Stephen Van Rensselaer, a previous owner of Willow Hall though he was not related to George Vail. The following is an article from the New York Times, published on September 9, 1916, and was found by a local historian and volunteer.

ROMANCE IN ANTIQUE SHOP
Mrs. Minnie B. Curtis, a member of an old New England family, and a collector of antiques, and Stephen Van Rensselaer, who comes from a well-known Knickerbocker family, have returned to town from their honeymoon after a quiet wedding last Saturday in Essex, Conn. Many of their friends did not learn of their marriage until yesterday.

Mrs. Curtis has an antique store in East Thirty-fourth Street. About six months ago Mr. Van Rensselar, who collects firearms, both ancient and modern, joined with her at the store. They had known each other for about five years. Now they are going to branch out, and will shortly open a store in the Fifties.

This is Mr. Van Rensselaer's second marriage. In 1905 he was married to Miss Marion Farlin of West Orange, NJ who obtained a divorce from him in 1912. He was one of Colonel Roosevelt's Rough Riders in the Spanish American war, and later a Wall Street broker, but for the last seven years he has devoted himself entirely to his hobby.

PS- Happy Veterans Day! Thanks to all the men and women who serve and have served our country!

Brrrrrr . . . it's cold in here!

Seriously. The furnace is broken.

Fortunately, Gold Medal Plumbing, Heating, Cooling, & Electric has come to the rescue.

But now we really need help paying some of our bills as Environmental Specialist Allyson demonstrates in the photo below. Any donation you can make would be greatly appreciated!


Your donation is tax-deductible and will make you a member of the Passaic River Coalition - you'll receive our bi-annual newsletter and an invitation to an annual event. You can donate electronically using the blue donate button on this page or mail a donation to:
Passaic River Coalition
330 Speedwell Ave
Morristown, NJ 07960
(Please make checks out to the Passaic River Coalition)
Thanks for your help!

Results!

Thanks to everyone who helped us pass this year's Green Acres bond act by voting yes!

To Know a Vail, Part 2

Today we’ll delve a bit more into George’s personal life. George had three different marriages, all to women named Mary; so pay attention, this may get confusing.

George’s first wife was Mary Ann Wilson. They had four children together; the first two died in infancy but their daughters Frances Georgiana and Mary Louise survived to adulthood. This first marriage lasted 25 years until Mary Ann died.

A year later George married his second wife, Mary Lewis Lightfoot. The couple had no children together and the marriage ended in divorce a year later. According to George’s father, George believed Mary Lewis was insane.

George’s married his third wife, Mary Tichenor Lyman, five years after the divorce to Mary Lewis. Mary Lewis outlived George but left Willow Hall after his death because the manor was left to George’s daughter Frances Georgiana.

More on the Vail family tree later this week.

Find of the Week

This week's Willow Hall Find is brought to you by one of several dump sites in the back of our property. It's an old bracket from one of the house's window lintels which are made of iron. You can compare it to a bracket that is still on the house. While we're not 100% sure, it's possible these decorative pieces were made at Speedwell Ironworks.

Public Question #1: Vote Yes

In the early 1990’s, the Passaic River Coalition (PRC) Board of Trustees established a Land Trust, and began acquiring land that contributed to the better management of the water resources in the Passaic River Watershed, protected endangered species, and preserved historic sites. Our first purchase was a 3.5 acres site in Rockaway Township by the Hibernia Bat Cave, which was the second largest hibernaculum on the East Coast. Since our establishment of the PRC’s Land Trust, we have acquired over 1,020 acres. Most of our properties were made possible by a 50 percent contribution from the Green Acres Program.

While we value each and every property we acquire, perhaps the most important was the purchase of historic Willow Hall in Morristown. This magnificent property had been under contract for the development of condominiums along Speedwell Lake. After local citizens opposed the development in Superior Court and won, the PRC made an offer and was able to purchase the entire property and dedicate it as an historic site and open space in perpetuity. Many people have told us how pleased they are that we were able to save Willow Hall in its historic setting. This acquisition could not have been made without the support of the New Jersey Green Acres Program and the Morris County Historic Trust and Open Space and Recreation Trust.

This November Ballot Question #1 asks the citizens of New Jersey to renew this valuable program. The preservation of open space, deed restricted, establishes a legacy for the future that will increase in both economic and ecological value. We will find a way to have a sustainable source to finance this program, but now is not the time to stop funding Green Acres. Vote “YES” on Ballot Question #1 --- it’s your future too!

Fall Foliage

Willow Hall's backyard.

Photo Courtesy of Dana, volunteer librarian.

Getting the Dirt on Willow Hall

No, not the gossip kind of dirt. We're talking about actual dirt and the historic artifacts that might be hiding in it.

As part of the PRC's grant through the New Jersey Historic Trust, we have contracted Hunter Research Inc. to conduct an archaeological survey of the grounds surrounding Willow Hall.

The archaeologists are looking to answer many questions, including:
-Where was the previous house located?
-How were the historic gardens configured?
-Was there a fountain ever built near the house (as historic pictures show)?
-Where did people use the bathroom and dump their garbage?

The results of the survey will also help us make sure future activities on the property won't damage archaeological resources.

Glenn and Josh sift through dirt in the backyard.

To Know a Vail, Part 1

The original owner of Willow Hall was a self-described “blacksmith, engineer, and manufacturer”, but George Vail was also a businessman, politician, diplomat and judge. George seems to have inherited these traits from his industrious father Stephen Vail, founder of the Speedwell Iron Works. Stephen passed on the Iron Works business to George in 1844 who continued his father’s tradition of hardworking and innovative industrialism.

George’s life extended far beyond his home in Speedwell as he became a member of the New Jersey Legislature in 1843 and a U.S. Congressman in 1852. He was also a New Jersey Delegate to the World’s Fair in London, a member of the U.S. Consulate in 1858, a Judge in the Court of Errors and Appeals and a founder of the Greystone Park Psychiatric Hospital.

To give credit where credit is due, this clever title was borrowed from an article run in the Star Ledger several years ago.

Gusty day

We lost an attic window on Wednesday with the all the wind. The window was on a door leading to the Juliet balcony and the latch wasn't strong enough to keep the door shut.

Fortunately House Manager Joe Filippone came to the rescue and has already repaired and secured the window and door. This is good because the last thing this house needs is another drafty window.

The Fast Facts

Willow Hall
Circa 1848
330 Speedwell Ave, Morristown, NJ

Original Owner: George Vail
Property: 6.2 acres
Also has a guest cottage and 4 bay garage
Height: Two floors plus full attic
Rooms: 23
Current Owner: Passaic River Coalition
Purchased: January 15, 2009
Funding sources: New Jersey Garden State Preservation Trust Fund
Morris County Open Space Preservation Fund
Morris County Historic Preservation Fund

Discover Historic Willow Hall

Welcome to the digital home of Historic Willow Hall in Morristown, New Jersey.

Built in 1848 by George Vail, financier of the telegraph, Willow Hall is the new headquarters of the Passaic River Coalition.

Explore and follow our blog to learn about Willow Hall's fascinating past, our present activities, and future plans.