OLDEST --- House in Haddonfield, NJ
N 39° 54.037 W 075° 01.642
18S E 497660 N 4416727
According to the historical society & the Dept. of the Interior, this is the oldest residence in Haddonfield, NJ. Listed May 21, 1975, this Register site has the distinction of having had three addresses, being moved twice in the last century.
Waymark Code: WM608C
Location: New Jersey, United States
Date Posted: 03/10/2009
Views: 5
The Mickle House is an early 18th century saddler's shop which was moved to the grounds of Greenfield Hall in the early 1960's. Several years ago it was pressed into service to house the extensive and growing collections of the Historical Society Library. The library is open to both members and the public at no cost, although a donation for use of the collections is requested. The wrongly named Hip Roof House, which dates to the early 1700s, is the oldest residence in Haddonfield. It was built at a time when early settlers and local Leni Lenape Indians lived together in this wilderness area.
According to Don Wallace, this building originally stood on East Kings Highway, on the northwest side of the road about a 1/2 mile or so from the present site. When it moved the first time it was placed in the parking lot of what is now the Acme which was a former Hicksite meeting house. After a time there, it was moved to its current location today. Don is the curator/director of tool collections for the Historical Society of Haddonfield. He also informed me renovations and restorations will begin again on the house this year.
There is a brick shed in the back with two garage doors (obvious additions for this century) where tools and other supplies are kept. It is here the tools are. Today, Don and a group of volunteers, are moving the tools top inside this house. Incidentally, Don mentioned this house, being also known as the Hip Roof House (on the register house and to local residents) is an erroneous nick name. The roof is in fact NOT a hip roof but a gambrel roof (similar to what one would see on a bar). Check out wikipedia and after looking at the pictures and you will understand. The roof has mold and the wooden shingles are badly in need of replacement.
The following narrative comes from the Haddonfield NRHP District nomination form, created March 16, 1979, evaluated April 18, 1980 and finally approved on July 21, 1982.
"Historic Samuel Mickel [spelled incorrectly] house, oldest house extant in Haddonfield. Built in early 1700's, now on the National Register of Historic Places. Wood shed in rear built in 1836. Exterior front portion has been restored to original vertical beaded New Jersey cedar boards. Heavy batten door. Windows, 6 over 6 lights. Wood shingled roof, heavy butts. Small formers on the front in the gambrel roof which is a very early 18th century style. Was owned by Elizabeth Haddon Estaugh, founder of Haddonfield, for 12 years. Moved from another section of town in 1965 by Historical Society to the site of its headquarters at #343. Purchased and restored by Historical Society. Interior now being restored."
Incidentally, the National Register page has the address incorrectly listed as 345. It is actually 343. The nomination form and subsequent narrative also misspells the name of Samuel Mickle, spelling it Mickel.
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