by Anne Motto, F.M. Kirby Curator of Collections
September 10, 2024
Morris County’s 39 municipalities are home to a fascinating tapestry of historic sites recognized on the state and national level for their significance. Some famous, some little known, together they preserve the story of the people, industries, and culture that shaped our community. In this blog series, MCHS highlights the sites to be found in each town and how they contributed to the diverse and multifaceted county we live in today.
Benjamin Howell Homestead: In the 1760s, Benjamin Howell, an early settler of Troy (then part of Hanover), purchased 160 acres from Gershom Mott and soon after built his residence on the property. Active in the community, Howell was a member of the Hanover Township Committee of Correspondence and Justice of the Peace in the first years of the American Revolution. In 1793, he expanded the residence, which was afterwards passed down through six generations of the family. The homestead, today located on South Beverwyck Road, was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1978.
Smith/Baldwin House: First built in 1811 and purchased by Hiram Smith, Jr. in 1833, the residence remained in the family for 180 years. A successful dairy farmer who also bought and sold real estate, Smith expanded the house two decades later, adding east and west wings. When he died in 1865, it sat on more than 200 acres along what is today South Beverwyck Road. His son, Richard, expanded the house further sometime after 1872, possibly in part to accommodate their dairy business. In 2013, the house, then owned alongside 3.5 acres by Hiram Smith’s great-great-granddaughters, was acquired by the township and is today a museum operated by the Parsippany Historical and Preservation Society.
Troy Historic District: 15 historic residences dating from 1720 to 1920, including the Smith/Baldwin House, form the district which lies where Troy Brook crosses South Beverwyck Road. The district also includes an archeological site and the Troy Hills Annex, a two-room “little red schoolhouse” built in 1908 replacing one of the area’s earliest private schools, Troy Academy. Illustrating vernacular architecture and early commerce, the district epitomizes the development of an industrial hamlet.
For more historic sites, check out these blogs:
Mine Hill and Wharton
Madison, Part 1
Long Hill
Boonton, Part 1
Chester Township
Hanover Township, Part 1
Mendham Township
Florham Park, Part 1
Dover, Part 1
Did you enjoy this blog? MCHS is an independent nonprofit. Please consider supporting our mission at morriscountyhistory.org/donate or become a member at morriscountyhistory.org/get-involved/ to help us continue to preserve and promote Morris County history through programs, exhibits, and blogs like this.
