Oldwick Historic District

The first historic district in Tewksbury to be listed on the New Jersey and National Registers of Historic Places, Oldwick dates from the early 18th century, when it was founded by English settlers. From 1734 to 1753, the village was known as "Smithfield," named by Ralph Smith, a prominent resident. The beginnings of the village was at the four corners of Church, King, and Main Streets. By the mid-18th century, a large number of German and Dutch immigrants had relocated to Smithfield, and the name of the village was changed to "New Germantown" in 1753/4. It was in this period (in 1749) that the Zion Evangelical Lutheran Church was constructed--in the Gothic/Greek Revival style. The church served as a focal point for the now largely German/Lutheran community.

Most of the buildings were constructed in the early- to mid-19th century, the greatest period of growth the village experienced. Built in 1807, Barnet Hall Academy served as the village school until around 1950 when the Sawmill School was constructed and Mr. J. Seward Johnson, Sr. purchased Barnet Hall and donated it to the people of Oldwick for use as a community Center. Since 1969, the Community Center has housed the Tewksbury Township Public Library on the first floor; the second floor is used for classes, lectures, and various other community activities.

Designed in the Romanesque Revival style, the Oldwick United Methodist Church was erected in 1865. The steeple was originally higher than what we see today. After significant storm damage, it was thought best to make the replacement steeple of a more modest height, but it can still be seen from several miles distance. Ladders in the tower go to the top of the steeple to allow access for bell maintenance and exterior painting. The church was built with a slate roof, but after a century of service, it was replaced with asphalt shingles several years ago.

In 1918, anti-German sentiment during World War I prompted the residents to change the name of the village from New Germantown. After several town meetings, the name "Oldwick," meaning "old village, was chosen.

Pottersville Historic District

The village of Pottersville is located along both sides of the Lamington/Black River, just below the falls. This area along the river is where Tewksbury Township in Hunterdon County borders Washington and Chester Townships in Morris County, and Bedminster Township in Somerset County. This places portions of the village within four townships in three separate counties.

The first pioneer to the area, then known as "Lamington Falls," was William Willet, who arrived in the 1750's and erected the original mills that played such an important role in Pottersville's early development. Willet prospered throughout the Revolution, supplying grain to Washington's Army, but was bankrupted by the devaluation of Continental Currency. He sold his mills and property to Captain Samuel Potter, in 1782.

The Potter family, especially Captain Samuel's grandson, Serring, was responsible for much of the growth and development of the village. The town became known as "Potter's Mills," and was later officially named "Pottersville," in honor of the family.

In its heyday, Pottersville was a thriving and productive center of industry, agriculture, and commerce. At one time, the community could boast two mills, a manufacturing complex with company housing, two general stores, a blacksmith shop, a barber shop, a candy & ice cream shop, a railroad station, a hotel, and "The Glen," a park which was one of the area's most popular tourist destinations.
Today, the sleepy little village is listed on the National Register of Historic Places. It still retains its rural beauty, friendly small-town charm, and many of its landmark buildings, such as the Dutch Reformed Church and the old Wortman Mill.

Historic Home Maintenance

When you own an historic property—as many people in Tewksbury do—spring cleaning or fall maintenance can present you with difficult challenges, a long list of expenses, and opportunities to learn more about just how historic your home is. Fortunately, there are a number of places you can turn for help.

Knowing which features contribute to making your house historically significant can help when it's time to make a decision about repair and/or replacement of various components. The Historic Preservation Commission (HPC) completed an Historic Resources Survey in 1997 that documented the township's historic resources. The information included in the survey can help you learn more about the history and physical development of your property, and assist you in making repair choices. The survey is available at the public library, local schools, and the Municipal Building. (In reviewing the survey, if you see information that needs updating or correcting, please let the Historic Preservation Commission know by contacting Shana Crane, Land Use Administrator, at Tewksbury's Municipal Building: 439-0022, x731.)

For property owners located within one of the township's National Register-listed historic districts (Oldwick, Mountainville, Pottersville, Fairmount, Cokesbury, or Taylor's Mill), each National Register nomination includes a brief discussion of individual properties. These nominations are also available at the public library and at the Municipal Building.

The National Park Service publishes documents called "Preservation Briefs," short articles intended to provide historic property owners with information about professional methods for preserving, improving, restoring, and maintaining their properties. Preservation Briefs cover a range of topics, including repointing mortar joints; roofing; conserving energy; repairing historic wooden windows; painting historic interiors; and repairing historic plaster walls and ceilings. The HPC maintains a file of Preservation Briefs that are available for use by the public.. Heritage Preservation and the National Park Service have recently published a book entitled Caring for Your Historic House that includes essays by 22 leading preservationists on such topics as roofs, exterior masonry, exterior woodwork, wooden windows, heating, cooling, and ventilation systems, and wallpapers. At only $24.50 for paperback, it can be ordered through Heritage Preservation by calling 202/634-1422.

Need to paint the house but want to know more about what colors might have originally graced your walls? Historic Colors of America is a paint chart depicting 149 colors utilized in the 18th and 19th centuries. It is available from the Society for the Preservation of New England Antiquities (SPNEA), 141 Cambridge Street, Boston, MA 02114 for $3.

Finally, all meetings of the Tewksbury Historic Preservation Commission are open to the public and include time on the agenda for public participation. Meetings are held on the fourth Monday of each month at 8:00 PM in the Christie Hoffman Farmhouse. We welcome residents to stop by and bring us any questions about maintaining an historic property.