Thomas Cowperthwait House (1742) - Moorestown, NJ - Pre-Victorian Historic Homes on Waymarking.com

The historical marker is pretty high up on the house so it is kind of hard to see. High atop on the right side is 1742 emblazoned on the bricks. On the opposite side is some weird initials, the first letter incomprehensible. It appears to be a backwards J. perhaps it is a weird-shaped L? The next initial is unmistakable; it is a W.

Although I was not able to obtain documentation, this house was undoubtedly part of a larger private farming complex. These houses were built very stoically and without fanfare. There is nothing special about this house except it is built like a fort! Compare this to the ornate houses in downtown Moorestown (.25 mile away) and the differences are distinct. With one look, it is easy to determine who was a farmer and who was a mid 18th century "professional". It is also kind of weird to see the electrical wiring coming out of the left side of the house, like some kind of necessary malignancy. Such is progress.

UPDATE: March 25, 2008
I found the following excerpt on the Historical Society of Moorestown website:
"The old homestead on the northeast corner of King's Highway and Lenola Road was constructed in 1742 by John Cowperthwaite. Because of its excellent example of an 18th century home, record of its construction was made in 1937 by the U.S. Department of Interior and is now recorded in the Library of Congress."

Earliest Recorded Date of Construction: 01/01/1742 Additional Dates of Construction: 2007-2008 Architectural Period/Style: Colonial Type of Building e.g. Country House, Stately Home, Manor: Home Interesting Historical Facts or Connections: -None- Listed Building Status (if applicable): -None- Main Material of Construction: Brick Private/Public Access: Private Related Website: [Web Link] Rating: Architect (if known): Not listed Landscape Designer (if known): Not listed Admission Fee (if applicable): Not Listed Opening Hours (if applicable): Not listed

Visit Instructions:
Tell us about your visit with any details of interest about the property. Please supply at least one original photograph from a different aspect taken on your current visit.

Recent Visits/Logs:

There are no logs for this waymark yet.