Sunday, October 21, 2007

C.A. Nothnagle Log Cabin, Gibbstown, New Jersey

The C.A. Nothnagle Log Cabin, located in Gibbstown, Gloucester County, New Jersey was built about 1638, and is possibly the best existing example of early log cabin construction. In the back corner of the cabin is a brick fireplace believed to have been built of imported Swedish bricks by the original builder. The original earthen floor was covered with pine boards about 1730.

This structure is listed on the National Register of Historic Sites. The house is attached to a private home owned by Doris and Harry Rink, who will sometimes allow private tours. SEE HERE for additional information (scroll down).

Also see: Art & Architecture of New Jersey

Cedarville Methodist Church, Cedarville, New Jersey

The Cedarville Methodist Church is located on Main Street in Cedarville, Cumberland County, New Jersey. It is a two-story, gable-front frame church with classical Italianate vernacular styling. It sits on a masonry foundation, and is three bays wide and four bays deep.

As early as 1800 a Methodist Society was present in Cumberland County NJ. Methodists organized in Cedarville before 1820 held meetings at the local wheelwright shop. The present church was built in 1863 [or 1868 per a second source]. Situated on both sides of Cedar Creek, a tributary of the Delaware River, Cedarville (first called Cedar Creek) is eight miles from Bridgeton. The location of Cedar Creek was renamed Cedarville in 1806 with the establishment of a post office.

For additional history of Methodism, and of Cedarville NJ, see "Built in America" data pages for this building.

New Jersey Churchscape has a current day photograph of this building, and more history.

Photograph above from "Made in America" HABS (Historic American Buildings Survey), Library of Congress

Tuesday, October 2, 2007

The Indian King Tavern, Haddonfield New Jersey

The Indian King Tavern is located at 223 Kings Highway East, in Haddonfield, Camden County, New Jersey. It was believed to have been built about 1750 by Matthias Aspden, a merchant and ship owner.

It is a three-story structure, with a stone foundation inside brick chimneys, and 24 rooms with five cellars. The Indian King was not the first tavern in Haddonfield, and there was at least one other building in Haddonfield that was used as a tavern before the American Revolution.

Colonel Timothy Matlack, a Free Quaker and Commisary General of the Army, and Master of the Rolls of Pennsylvania was born on the site of the present building. Some historians give Timothy Matlack credit for building the tavern, called the American House, and that he sold it soon after to Matthias Aspden.

The first assembly of the State of New Jersey was held here from January 29, 1777 to March 18, 1777 and several other times in 1777. On March 15, 1777 the Council of Safety for the State of New Jersey was created by the Legislature while it was in session here. The Council itself met in this tavern.

In 1902 the Legislature appointed a committee to purchase this property, and an appropriation was made in 1908 to restore the building.

See how this building looks today and take a virtual tour.

SEE "American Memory" for more information, drawings and photographs of this house.

Tavern Museum Visiting House.