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Originally published in 1939
Some of this information may no longer be current and in that case is presented for historical interest only.
Edited by GET NJ, COPYRIGHT 2003
SOMERVILLE, 25.5 miles (82 alt., 8,255 pop.), Somerset County seat,
is a small, well-appointed modern town, trading center for a large farming
area. The county buildings are at the town square. Its broad main street,
now lined with stores and offices, was used nearly 300 years ago by Dutch
traders, and, before that, by Indians. In 1846 the first telegraph line be-
tween New York and Philadelphia was built along this route.
Somerville was the western terminus of the Elizabethtown and Somer-ville R.R. In 1842 the first train was put into operation with much pomp
and ceremony, including a luncheon of cake and lemonade for the distinguished passengers who hazarded the trip from faraway Elizabethtown at
4 miles an hour. This line later became part of the Jersey Central R.R.
The PARSONAGE of an old Dutch Reformed Church (open daily 9-5,
contributions), Washington Pl. nr. Jersey Central R.R., a severe brick
dwelling built in 1751, is known as the cradle of Rutgers University. The
Rev. John Frelinghuysen here established the first Dutch Reformed theo-
logical seminary in America, which grew into Queen's College and later
Rutgers (see NEW BRUNSWICK). The parsonage was moved to this
site from the banks of Raritan River. Opposite is the WALLACE HOUSE
(open weekdays 9-5, summer 9-6; contributions), occupied as headquarters by General and Mrs. Washington in 1778 and 1779. A fieldstone
foundation supports a large main building and a smaller kitchen wing.
The intense whiteness of the clapboards is accentuated by the solid, dark
green shutters. The house has typical "witches' doors," with panels in the
form of a double cross to keep out witches. The H-L wrought-iron hinges
are variously supposed to stand for "Home and Love," "Heavenly Love"
and "Holy Lord," but were probably functional in design. The larger
wing contains all of the original woodwork and hardware; a fireplace in
an upstairs room is framed by pictorial blue and white Dutch tiles. The
kitchen wing has the original crane in the huge fireplace, and numerous
utensils. What is said to be Washington's campaign trunk lies in the upper
hall. Built of wood, it is about 10 feet long with a curved, sheet-iron top
banded with iron straps and studded with rough-headed rivets.
The COURTHOUSE, Courthouse Sq., was the scene of the Hall-Mills
murder trial (see NEW BRUNSWICK). Opposite is the SOMERVILLE
HOTEL, which includes the Tunison Tavern built 1770 by Cornelius
Tunison.
At 26.5 miles is the junction with US 22 (see Tour 2) and with US 206
(see Tour 6).
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