Freehold Borough Historic Preservation Commission

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Freehold Borough Historic Preservation Commission To promote, protect, and maintain the Downtown Historic District and designated Historic Properties

The Freehold Borough Historic Preservation Commission oversees the exterior architectural appearance of buildings in the Downtown Historic District and designated Historic Properties in Freehold Borough. The Commission also promotes awareness and education about our history and historic structures through public events like Historic House Tours. In addition, the Commission provides funding for historic preservation projects through a grant programs, and presents awards for historic preservation.

🏡 Victorian isn’t a style! 👑Well… not exactly.When we call a house “Victorian,” we’re actually talking about when it was...
08/28/2026

🏡 Victorian isn’t a style! 👑

Well… not exactly.

When we call a house “Victorian,” we’re actually talking about when it was built, not necessarily what architectural style it is.

“Victorian” refers to the reign of Queen Victoria, from 1837–1901. During those 64 years, architecture changed dramatically, and many different styles came and went.

So a Victorian-era house might be:

✨ Italianate

✨ Gothic Revival

✨ Second Empire

✨ Stick Style

✨ Queen Anne

Today we are talking about Queen Anne architecture.

Popular in the United States from roughly the 1880s through the early 1900s, Queen Anne architecture is all about variety, movement, and ornament. Think asymmetrical floor plans, steeply pitched roofs, towers and turrets, projecting bays, patterned shingles, decorative trim, colorful materials, and porches that seem to wrap around half the house.

✨ The best part? No two Queen Anne houses are quite alike. They were designed to show off craftsmanship, personality, and a homeowner’s prosperity.

Here are just a few examples in Freehold Borough!

In historic preservation, objects, buildings, and structures that reach 50 years of age are officially eligible for desi...
07/31/2026

In historic preservation, objects, buildings, and structures that reach 50 years of age are officially eligible for designation as "historic." This is the benchmark to label all manner of things as such.

Congratulations, Olde Freehold Day, you are officially historic!!!!

Pictured below is an Olde Freehold Day t-shirt from 1976. Wear your past years' Olde Freehold Day t-shirts tomorrow if you've got them!

We can't wait to see everyone there!

Like the Italian style in our previous post, the Second Empire style was born from European inspiration, this time from ...
07/24/2026

Like the Italian style in our previous post, the Second Empire style was born from European inspiration, this time from France. The style emerged during the Second French Empire as Emperor Napoleon III and Baron Haussmann rebuilt Paris with grand boulevards and monumental public buildings.

The period is generally dated between the 1860s and the 1880s. The style is characterized by the iconic mansard roof clad in slate, dormers, porticoes, porches, and decorative features such as window hoods and patterning.

We have a handful of examples here in the Borough, namely 37 Court Street and 74 Broadway.

37 Court Street was the home of Charles C. Bowne, the builder responsible for over 50 houses, including 1 and 3 Broad Street. In addition to building homes, he operated a successful lumber business and a furniture shop on the west side of Throckmorton.

74 Broadway was built by George Taylor. His father, John, was the proprietor of Taylors Mills, a grist mill in Manalapan. It was a successful family business that George continued to run in his father’s footsteps.

Italianate architecture is one of the anchoring styles of Freehold Borough’s most historic neighborhoods. 😍 The period i...
07/17/2026

Italianate architecture is one of the anchoring styles of Freehold Borough’s most historic neighborhoods. 😍 The period is generally dated between the 1840s and the 1880s. The style is characterized by lower-pitched or flat roofs, wide overhanging eaves, large brackets under a prominent cornice, tall, narrow windows, window hoods, cupolas, and porches, among other things.

It was inspired by the picturesque Italian Renaissance villas of the 16th century, and initially emerged in Britain in 1802. Two examples are on Broad Street, built by famed local builder Charles C. Bowne.

Do you live in an Italianate house? Do you want to know more about it? Get in touch!

Address

30 Mechanic Street
Freehold, NJ
07728

Opening Hours

Monday 8am - 4pm
Tuesday 8am - 4pm
Wednesday 8am - 4pm
Thursday 8am - 4pm
Friday 8am - 4pm
Saturday 8am - 4pm
Sunday 8am - 11pm

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