| As a native Midwesterner, the first thing I noticed | | | | surviving structures in Sergeantsville.Then, on to the |
| when moving to the Delaware Valley was the | | | | stone walls. It is commonly thought that the raw |
| enormous number of fieldstone houses. Frankly, I'd | | | | stone exteriors were exposed, but in reality, unless |
| never seen such a thing. What people in the East | | | | the builder was using "dressed stone" these walls |
| take for granted is a matter of wonder for the rest | | | | were considered unsightly rubble, and only the |
| of us who grew up in much younger cities.This house | | | | poorest homeowner would refrain from covering |
| is currently offered for sale, and it's a delight to visit | | | | them with plaster. Charles decided to at least stucco |
| a residence that has been restored with every | | | | the front wall to make the house look more |
| attention to detail. But the transformation didn't come | | | | appropriate to the period. But in order to please the |
| easy! The depth of knowledge (and pockets) to pull | | | | modern eye, he left the sides of the house |
| off such a project can be daunting. However, this | | | | exposed.As one might expect from a 200 year-old |
| magnificent stone house in the small town of | | | | roof, the rafters needed to be shored up. Indeed, |
| Sergeantsville, NJ proves that such a renovation can | | | | they were actually splayed from the weight, and |
| have tremendous rewards, and it is waiting for a | | | | Charles decided to remove the roof altogether. Once |
| new owner who will carry on the tradition.The | | | | the old roof was off, the carpenters actually winched |
| current owner, Charles Frischmann, was just the man | | | | the rafters back into place, then added additional |
| to take on the project. Organist, music professor, | | | | rafters that cannot be seen when coming up the |
| historian, antique collector, Charles had already | | | | steps. He also decided to add a new pent roof to |
| restored two stone houses and was ready to take | | | | replace the small porch that formerly shaded the two |
| on the third. He had learned much from the previous | | | | front doors; all that was left of this porch was an |
| undertaking, and this one didn't even give him | | | | oddly-placed cornice above the doors. Both the pent |
| pause.The previous owner had already begun some | | | | roof and house roof were shingled with cedar |
| of the restoration. The 10-foot wide stone fireplace | | | | shakes, cut thicker than is usually done with today's |
| had been turned into a closet; the panels needed to | | | | materials. A molded cornice has been added to the |
| be removed, and the wood stove was installed. An | | | | eaves, matching the details of the doorways.As with |
| expansive kitchen/dining area was added on to the | | | | many houses from the 19th century, this house has |
| rear of the house, using antique barnwood beams in | | | | two front doors. There's a very logical reason for |
| the ceiling and exposing the stone on the interior wall. | | | | this. One door leads into the "keeping room", where |
| Because the only entrance to the basement was | | | | the family keeps house. The keeping room contains |
| originally an exterior entrance, it has now become a | | | | the large fireplace for cooking, and of course a table |
| trap door in the kitchen floor.But that was only a first | | | | and chairs for the family to relax. This is not the |
| step. All the old doorways and window frames | | | | room you want to introduce your guests into! So a |
| needed replacement. "The new windows are all | | | | second door would lead into the living room, which |
| hand-built in the 18th-century style, and have early | | | | was probably only used for special occasions.Jersey |
| glass in them," Charles explained. He found period | | | | Winder - or pie-shaped - stairs lead up to the two |
| hardware for the doors and windows, and added | | | | second-story bedrooms. These stairs are stenciled, |
| working shutters that are so tight they practically | | | | as are the floors in the master bedroom and bath. |
| create a vacuum seal when closed. He also fitted | | | | The upstairs hallway still shows the exposed stone |
| removable custom storm windows to the inside of | | | | wall. The upstairs closet and bathroom doors are |
| the frames, to make this period house more | | | | finished with faux graining, and you have to touch |
| energy-efficient.Although probably original, the front | | | | them to know the difference.Sergeantsville is located |
| doors had been cut and fitted with windows, which | | | | just down the road from Green Sergeant's Bridge, |
| didn't really work for the house. To improve this look, | | | | the last surviving covered bridge in New Jersey. The |
| Charles commissioned new doors and period-style | | | | bridge was built around 1750, and it is thought the |
| paneled doorways to take the place of the | | | | town was established around 1830. Route 523, which |
| weathered jambs.When removing the old door | | | | passes through Sergeantsville, was the original Old |
| frames, they discovered that early on - probably in | | | | York Road which linked Trenton to Flemington, then |
| the 1830's - someone had done a significant | | | | on to New York. This village is located in Delaware |
| renovation to the house. The floor had been raised | | | | Township, Hunterdon County, not far from New |
| about nine inches, apparently to make more | | | | Hope PA and just a few miles east of the |
| headroom in the cellar. Although the owner has not | | | | river.Mercedes Hayes is a Realtor licensed in New |
| been able to trace the house sales back farther than | | | | Jersey and Pennsylvania. I specialize in Log Homes |
| 1857, this renovation dates the house closer to the | | | | and Specialty Homes. This house is offered by Weidel |
| turn of the century, making it one of the oldest | | | | Realtors. |