Old Kentuck - a Gentleman's Farm
The Structure:
Moving into the house in 1771 when he got married; the home was most noteworthy for the Revolutionary War Hero - Colonel Asher Holmes. It is not clear where the name "Old Kentuck" came from. We only know that old documents suggest the structure was given the name: "Old Kentuck" somewhere along the way. The home is located on Pleasant Valley Road in Marlboro Township, Monmouth County, New Jersey. Built sometime between 1740 and 1770, it was placed on the National Register of Historic Places on November 6, 1973.
Current State:
This national treasure is dangerously dilapidated.
The structure is considered unsafe currently for any type of activity or entry. This home seems to have been abandoned for the last 20-30 years. The house faces south with the back of the structure to the road. There does not appear to be structural changes for the past 150 years. Inside the building are double parlors, a central hall, Dutch doors and four chimneys. The outside has original cypress shingles. The house had an addition connected to it but the smaller section is the original part which dates to the mid 1700's.
Our Goal:
The Friends of Asher Holmes would like to purchase, repair and restore this home to its past glory. This is a historic home worth restoration and preservation!
The Structure Placement:
The landscape architecture is unique - according to documents, architect Frank H. Cole in 1941 suggested the house was carefully situated on the site surrounded on three sides by wooded hills, assuring short days in summer and catching the warmth of the winter sun, and right drafts to the fireplaces. House, alike front and back, originally faced south (house not turned; access changed) overlooking rolling fields down to a brook and up to the woodland atop the south hill. Because the land could not be worked early in the season (one never sees a sunrise or a sunset) or early in the day it earned the appellation "a gentleman's farm".
Structure Details:
Working from the Top down... the current asphalt roof covers a tin roof which appears to be over 100 years old. There are 4 chimneys on the structure. Under the tin appears to be the original cedar shingles. The beams in the structure are made with trepins which can be seen in the attic. The walls were reportedly lined with seaweed, mud and brick prior to the last restoration.
There appears to have been a smoke house in the attic. This was discovered many years ago when it was found there is a smaller squared off space where a fifth chimney may have been at one point that contains meathooks attached to the rafters. There is a basement under the whole house except for room off kitchen. The dining room is of native fieldstone.
One bedroom has exposed beams, it appears they plastered between the beams. The hired help room has exposed beams and attic floor boards while the rest of the house has plastered ceilings from a time of early restoration in 1941. The floors were spruce and pine. The house kitchen had an unusually large fireplace - apparently, at one time, used for cooking and baking.
Dutch construction suggests the builder of the original structure was not English. The first recorded owner of this property was the English Revolutionary war veteran and American politician - Asher Holmes - who brought his new bride to live there. This may mean the person who built this house was not Asher Holmes but somone of Dutch heritage; Asher Holmes likely purchased the home from that person. The house was home to many owners; some of them are the Hendrick P. Conover, Conover Vanderveor, William Vanderveer, Charles Conover, the Jones family, Marz family, the Halloran's and the family of John Connolly. Township records suggest that the building had a permit for destruction but was never carried out in 2000.
Prior Restoration Effort:
After John Connolly's death, the home was sold and a local historian purchased the home and worked on restoration of the home. Alyce Lathrop slowly worked on it from the late 40's to the early 70's. In the early 1980, a local Tax Assessor, Bob Hartman, reported it was in "good shape". Ms. Lathrop frequently invited schools and organizations to come to the home for historical viewing and tours. The home was a recorded stop for the Marlboro Township Historical Commission and Monmouth County Historical Society Home tours. Following Ms. Lathrop's death, the structure has been in decline. The most recent owner Sen. Ellen Karcher has not done any upkeep to the property, those prior restoration efforts were lost, and the house has deteriorated into a distressed condition.