The Jersey City Historic Preservation Commissioners are very pleased with the strides that the current administration has made to preserve the Apple Tree House, also known as the Van Wagenen Homestead.
As you know, the Apple Tree House is situated on land which falls within the original palisaded town of Bergen, established by order of Governor Stuyvesant in 1660.The Van Wagenen Family assumed ownership of the lot on which the present house stands in 1688, and it is quite possible that the current house, built by the family over several generations, has important architectural remains of the 17th century as well as portions of a mid-18th century building within the present mid-19th century ensemble. The Apple Tree House is an important survivor of the Dutch Vernacular stone and timber construction that was once prevalent in New Amsterdam and is an important part of the historic record of Jersey City.
It is important to future generations that the building be secured from theft and the elements, and we are very pleased with the City's efforts in this regard. We are especially encouraged by the progress the City has made in procuring a Historic preservation Master Plan so that the building may be properly restored and rehabilitated for public access in accordance with the Secretary of the Interior's Standards for the Treatment of Historic Properties. We look forward to the day when the house can be opened to the public as a museum interpreting four centuries of Jersey City history. With your support we hope that day will not be far off.
Cecilia DeLeon, Chair
JC Historic Preservation Commission
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