(above) The Red Brick Schoolhouse will be evaluated for a Preservation Plan and will be nominated to the state and federal Historic Register thanks to a Morris County Preservation Fund grant.
Chatham Township Historical Society Receives Grant for Red Brick Schoolhouse
Submitted by Martha Wells
On July 10, 2019 the Morris County Freeholders approved a Morris County Preservation Fund grant for the Red Brick Schoolhouse, officially known as Mount Vernon School. The grant was applied for by the Chatham Township Historical Society and will provide $22,800 for a Preservation Plan and Nomination to the state and federal Historic Register. The Preservation Plan will be formulated by Connolly and Hickey Historic Architects. It will identify and prioritize the structural needs of the building and the mechanical systems, and provide recommendations for remediation that preserve its historic integrity. The project will require extensive research into the building’s structural and social history and a detailed examination of the school. This grant covers 80% of the project. The Historical Society will provide the remaining 20% of the funds.
The project is the first step in obtaining grants to make the repairs and mechanical upgrades that the building needs.
The Red Brick Schoolhouse has served the community since its construction in 1860. It has been a school, Sunday school, community center, art club studio, town hall, and is now a museum.
