Morris County’s Top Ten Most-Endangered Historic Sites List Released

Morristown, NJ – Local preservationists have announced their annual “Morris County’s Ten Most-Endangered Historic Sites” for 2012. Nominated properties are threatened by a number of conditions such as neglect, are in need of maintenance, prone to vandalism, or suffer from a lack of recognition. Patterned after efforts to shine a light on deteriorating historic properties in the state or in the country, the Morris County list encourages public and private involvement in the maintenance, preservation, and interpretation of structures located in Morris County only.

Additionally, the committee selects a Category of the Year to highlight a broad category of historic resources which are endangered and under pressure as a group. This year the committee chose to highlight the effects of natural disasters like superstorm Sandy on historic properties. 

Two properties were added to the list this year:  the Samuel Alward home in Morris Township and a former car dealership in Morristown. The Alward home dates from the Revolutionary War-era and is threatened with demolition because a zoning variance which would have subdivided the property was denied to the owner. The car dealership is threatened by demolition by a potential tenant who favors razing the structure to re-adapting a sound and distinctive commercial property.

The sites new to the roll are listed first, followed by those remaining from previous years, which appear in the order in which they were first nominated. This year two properties were moved to the Watch List: the Parrott Mill Inn of Chatham Borough and the David Douglas House in East Hanover. 

The public is invited to nominate properties each year for consideration to the list. The selection committee consists of representatives from the Morris County Historical Society and the Morris County Trust for Historic Preservation.

The 2012 list may be viewed on the Highlands Tourism Partnership website. For more information, please contact Marion Harris, 973-267-4717.

Contact Information

Marion Harris

973-267-4717

Morris County Trust for Historic Preservation

(1) 973-267-4717

giulia51@verizon.net