Michael Earnest House - Mt. Holly Historic District - Mount Holly, NJ
N 39° 59.539 W 074° 47.285
18S E 518091 N 4426925
This beautiful house today is part of the Mill Race village of stores. The home and the other surrounding structure represents the oldest neighborhood in the Mount Holly Historic District.
Waymark Code: WMGT8V
Location: New Jersey, United States
Date Posted: 04/07/2013
Views: 5
This is probably one of the largest lots and homes in this 18th century neighborhood. The house and all the other homes in this immediate neighborhood were dilapidated and in ruin at one point but today they have been transformed, renovated and now are part of a beautiful, eclectic shopping experience. The Mill Race Village is part of a large historic restoration/neighborhood preservation project and a haven for entrepreneurs, artisans and professionals alike.
The house is part of the historic district. This home is made of brick, and is two and a half stories. It most resembles Colonial construction. There are three window up top, 2 over 2, shuttered, four on the bottom, 2 over 2, unshuttered. The brick is patterned, red blue and tan and is really quite beautiful. There is a porch but it appears the left and right are leaning in and sinking. The house also features a single chimney and not the dueling chimney's of the Federal period.
There is a local historic marker located to the left of the front entrance of this beautiful home. The sign is similar to the signs in Moorestown, NJ which serve the same purpose and whose wooden template is probably produced by the same company. I believe the local DAR chapter sells these signs to interested homeowners or at least this is my understanding based on what I read at the town's library located on High Street. These signs in Mount Holly were erected in commemoration of the country's bicentennial celebration. They began hanging them in '75 with many concluded in '76.
The historic marker reads:
House
of
Michael Ernest
Husbandman
Circa 1775
Col. Thomas A. Reynolds Chapter - NSDAR
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:
6. MICHAEL ERNEST HOUSE ....1775 ....14 White Street
Two and one-half story L-shaped house of Flemish bond brick with glazed headers; stone foundation; three bay front porch (added); 2/1 late Victorian windows; inside end chimneys, gabled roof with box cornice; center hall entrance.
An oval, historical marker on the front attached to the brick states the property was recognized in 2001 by the Mount Holly Historical Society for beautification.
Address
14 White Street
Mill Race Village
Mount Holly, NJ 08060