Joseph Read House - Mt. Holly Historic District - Mt. Holly, NJ
N 39° 59.840 W 074° 47.368
18S E 517971 N 4427482
Here is another contributing house on High Street. This structure has been connected to the house to the left, also an NRHP site, to form one long continuous building or compound.
Waymark Code: WMERFC
Location: New Jersey, United States
Date Posted: 07/01/2012
Views: 1
This property shares space with another corner property, both with the same home owner name, Joseph Read. Perhaps they were a father son tandem? Both historical markers on each home have the same name but, whereas the Joseph Read of this house (204 High Street) was a probate judge, his next door neighbor (200 High Street), Joseph Read, was a member of the Provincial Congress. It also seems the houses were connected, probably in the early 20th century by the looks of it. Both dwellings are very similar in appearance, being built in the same year and probably at the same time by the same family.
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:
22. JOSEPH READ HOUSE ....C 1830 ....204 High Street
Two and one-half story L-shaped house with side hall floor plan; constructed of common bond brick; high brick foundation; 1/1 windows flanked by three panel shutters on first and second floor; chimney inside and with carbeled cap; six panel front door under arched fanlight under hood on brackets; gabled roof with box cornice and acanthus carved brackets and dentiled frieze and architrave; Victorian gabled dormer with two Gothic windows side by side.
This historical marker can be found to the right of the front entrance at waist level. The local DAR chapter has been responsible for selling and installing these markers since 1975. This one was installed in 1975. The sign looks very new so either it was repainted or another one was bought to replace the old one. Other neighboring communities use the same markers to designate their historic buildings and/or contributing structures such as Pemberton, Moorestown & Mt. Laurel. The marker reads as follows:
Law Office
OF
JOSEPH READ
PROBATE JUDGE
CIRCA 1770
Col. Thomas A. Reynolds Chapter - NSDAR
1986