Notice:
The Clara Barton Schoolhouse is open by appointment only.
Please call 609-298-1740 or email us at bordentownhistoricalsociety@gmail.com.
CLARA BARTON SCHOOLHOUSE RESTORATION UPDATE:
You may have noticed that our beloved Schoolhouse is looking pretty cute lately! Its new look is the result of a lot of hard work by a number of skilled contractors and committed volunteers. Not surprisingly, a lot of funds have been expended as well.
The BHS obtained a New Jersey Historic Trust Preserve New Jersey Grant in November of 2021. It was a matching grant with $109,034.00 supplied by the State; the amount that the BHS had to raise as our matching share was $72,690.00!
The focus of this Grant has been to restore the Schoolhouse to its appearance in 1921 after it was restored following an historic schoolchildren/teacher funded restoration. (Insufficient documentation existed to restore the Schoolhouse to the 1852 time frame when Clara Barton taught there.)
The scope of work that has been undertaken to stabilize and restore the Schoolhouse includes:
*Archeology (required)
*New wood shingle roof and recommended protective treatment
*Exterior woodwork repair, priming and painting and repair of well cover
*Paint analysis that was done to determine original paint colors
*Barrier free access to Schoolhouse including replacement of the front door with a wider door matching the historic configuration shown in the 1936 Historic American Buildings Survey and 1942 interior photo
*New brick grade ramp for barrier free entry
*Interior painting of walls, beams, ceiling, windows and woodwork
*Interpretive sign
*Masonry Stabilization
Of note is that the original grant scope proposed a barrier free restroom in the footprint of a previous addition (shown in the 1892 Sanborn map but removed in 1921). Due to the unanticipated construction costs of the restroom, the NHT allowed us to substitute masonry repair as part of this grant. Masonry was severely damaged in the 1950’s due to sandblasting. It was spot repointed, caulked, window wells were rebuilt, shutter hardware was repaired, a plaque was relocated and the brick was painted as it was during the 1920 restoration.
The restroom installation, HVAC and lighting issues are the subject of a Historic Site Management Grant which we applied for on 4/18/24. It seeks funding for the professional services necessary to address the construction of the restroom, HVAC and lighting installation. It requires reports and estimates from a mechanical engineer, civil engineer, archaeologist, and construction documents from our architect. Once all of that has been completed, we plan to apply for one more significant grant in 2025 to accomplish all of the needed construction and upgrades. If we obtain the Historic Site Management Grant, the BHS match will approximate $15,000. That said, obviously we must seek donations to help us support this future restoration.
Over 350 children and approximately 50 adults visit the Schoolhouse each year. We invite students from our local school district and we focus on the amazing accomplishments of our beloved American Icon Clara Barton, hoping to inspire our young (and old) guests! Students come from all over the state, from other states and other countries. Our historic Clara Barton Schoolhouse is a gem and we ask that you help us restore and maintain it for generations to come!