Goshen School Nominated as ‘Historic Place’

GOSHEN- Goshen School in Middle Township was one of seven historic properties that were nominated to be on the New Jersey Register of Historic Places at the Nov. 14 meeting of the State Review Board. The seven were also recommended for inclusion on the National Registry.
The road to being placed on the list has been a long one. The schoolhouse was built in 1872, shortly after the New Jersey State Board of Education passed an act to establish a system of free public schools. It was used as a classroom until 1961, serving generations of “Goshenites.” In 1967, the Middle Township Board of Education sold the old property to the Goshen Fire Company. It was used as collateral by the Company to buy its first new fire truck. They used it for 20 years.
Almost two years ago local residents formed the Save the Goshen School House Committee. It was under the direction of Middle Township Fire District No. 4 and Commissioners David Ennis and Cindy Gorman. They organized everything including a Facebook page. The group’s goal is to restore the schoolhouse.
Being listed on the New Jersey Register of Historic should help raise the funds needed for such an undertaking.
According to Bob Craig of the N.J. Department of Environmental Protection, which oversees the protected Historic sites, “The New Jersey State Review Board for Historic Sites voted yesterday to recommend the Goshen School for listing in the New Jersey and National Register of Historic Places. Their recommendation will be forwarded over the next several weeks to the DEP Assistant Commissioner for Natural and Historic Resources. A favorable decision by the Assistant Commissioner would enter the property in the New Jersey Register of Historic Places and recommend to the National Park Service that it be added to the National Register.”
Craig explained that there are numerous benefits that go with that designation, including grants. The Fire Department had applied for a grant of $338,000 through the New Jersey Historic Trust and another from the Department of Cultural Affairs for $350,000. Craig also said there were other benefits. “The designation protects the house or property from public projects that might harm them, such as public encroachment” he said. For example this would keep a government agency from tearing down a historic site to make a parking lot. Individuals may also take advantage of the 20 percent Federal income tax credit. He also said that municipalities could also get grants for rehabilitation projects and so can private income producing enterprises.
The process for certification as an historic site is somewhat involved but anyone can apply. Every municipality in New Jersey has properties that could be important in architecture, history, archaeology, engineering and/or culture that are eligible for the New Jersey and National Registers.
Once the application process is complete, the New Jersey State Review Board for Historic Sites reviews it and they then decide if the property passes. The board is made up of professionals in architecture, history, archaeology and landscape architecture. Once the board passes the property it is signed by the SHPO and then is listed on the New Jersey Register as well as being recommended for the National Registry and sent to Washington D.C.
The good news for Goshen School House is that it is well on its way.
To contact Helen McCaffrey, email hmccaffrey@cmcherald.com.