Stephen Girard House (1777) - Mount Holly, NJ
N 39° 59.705 W 074° 46.959
18S E 518554 N 4427233
This house is perhaps the most famous of any home in this town for the notoriety and fame of its former owner. Stephen Girard was the 4th richest man in the country (ever!) and even saved the U.S. gov't from going broke during the war of 1812.
Waymark Code: WMGVQN
Location: New Jersey, United States
Date Posted: 04/13/2013
Views: 2
This 18th century home is large but constricted to a small lot. It looks run down and not at all resembling its former glory of a hundred years ago or even further. The house and its history have found their way on many sites. The house is typical of homes built in the late 18th century. I was able to find a decent description written more than a hundred years ago:
History :Built before 1799 probably by Isaac Haxelhurst and William Calvert; present owner, Mrs. Charles Roger.
Description: frame construction, siding; inside brick chimneys; roof pitch; two stories.
Historic American Buildings Survey, March 11, 1937.
W. Jay Mills in 1902 wrote a personal piece on Girard and the house based on information received from town folk handed down to them from the previous generation. In other words, they heard first hand accounts of Girard and the house. The account is a most unusual and personal one and can be found HERE. Additionally, a fellow who lived in my neck of the woods a hundred years ago went around with his camera and documented all the homes which were considered old back them. Many of them survive today. He captured a terrific pic of the Girard house in the thirties. Nathaniel R. Ewan's picture can be found HERE.
There are two local historic markers located at the house. One smaller one is attached to the house and a larger one are the typical, blue unofficial ones local historical societies erect to call attention to their older and more historic homes. This one is out front, standing in front of the house.
The smaller historic marker attached to the house reads:
GIRARD HOUSE
_______
Stephen and Mary Lum Girard
resided and operated a retail
store here during the
American Revolution
The second, more standard historic marker reads:
GIRARD HOUSE
_______
Stephen Girard Lived Here,
1777-78. He Later Became
Prominent as a Merchant
Shipowner, Financier And
Philanthropist.
Naturally, a building this old and unique is also a contributing structure to the Mount Holly Historic District. In my never ending quest to document all things contributing, I visited the town library to retrieve the nomination form and narratives for the historic district. The reference desk rewarded me with a very old, crumbling NRHP packet from 1969. Despite what on-line sources would have you believe, there are actually 39 contributing structures and not 36.
From the Nomination Form:
2. STEPHEN GIRARD HOUSE ....1773 ....211 Mill Street
Two and one-half story rectangular English frame; foundation of stone and brick; inside end chimneys and one interior; 6/6 windows with plain trim flanked by paneled shutters first floor and louvered shutters second floor; two bay porch; paneled door; gabled roof with box cornice (H.A.B.S. NJ 316) [H.A.B.S. is an acronym for Historic American Buildings Survey of which this house is listed].
Address
211 Mill Street
Mount Holly, NJ 08060