West Freehold Village Area

1. West Freehold District –
Situated along County Route 537, and stretching from Stillwell Corner Road to Route 9. In its heyday, the district was characteristic of 19th century rural villages, which contained private residences along with commercial and public enterprises. The village blacksmith shop which was started by William Furman, and passed along to the Vanderveer family, stood where the Vanderveer Auto Body Shop is today on Route 537. The contents of the Blacksmith Shop are now housed at the Oakley Farm Museum. The Wheelwright Shop that also stood on Rt. 537 across from Vanderveer’s is now gone. However, the Solomon Farm (located in Mount’s Corner Shopping Center) and Moore’s Restaurant (originally Mount’s Tavern) still remain today on their original lands

2. Moore’s Inn/Restaurant –
Originally known as Mount’s Tavern, perhaps one of the best-known historical properties in the Township. Originally used as a stagecoach stop for the Burlington Path we find an actual petition for renewal of license dating 1798. However, it is documented that the Tavern was well used before that date as a stop over for travelers needing food and lodging. The first tavern keeper on record is believed to be Moses Mount, who served as a Private in the Revolutionary War.

3. The Solomon Farm –
Until recently the residence of Jim Carney who succeeded his father-in-law Colonel Moore as the operator of Moore’s Inn. This 18th century dwelling is said to have suffered damage as the British marched into Freehold and burned all houses, farms, etc. At the time of the Battle of Monmouth. Widow Hannah Solomon and her two sons were at home at the time and were able to save the house after it was set on fire.

4. West Freehold Schoolhouse on Wemrock Road –
Located at what was once known as Mount’s Corner the school was built in 1848 on land purchased for $25.00; once part of the Rulif R. Schanck Farmstead, now the Elizabeth Oakley Farm (Museum). It operated until 1937 when schools in Freehold Township were consolidated and moved into the West Freehold School on Route 537(now Administration Building).

5. Walker, Combs, Hartshorne, Oakley Farm –
Now the Oakley Farm Museum, it was operated by the Oakley family since 1911. The original house, located on corner of Wemrock Road and Oakley Drive, dates back to 1686. It is one of the few houses in that were left standing after the Battle of Monmouth, as its owners at the time were loyalists. Renovations in the house during the 1920’s revealed several hidden spaces that would have been able to conceal persons or valuables. It is said that the house was a stopping off point for the Underground Railroad. There is also evidence of a shackle hold in one of the upstairs rooms. Perhaps this was used during the American Revolution to detain persons who were not loyal to the King. The house was accepted for inclusion on the state of New Jersey and the National Registers of Historic Places in 1990.

6. Marl Storage Site –
Marl, the remains of sea life when the ocean covered Monmouth County, was the miracle fertilizer of former times. In the 1800’s marl deposits were discovered in the area and used by farmers and others across the State to increase the yield of soil otherwise depleted from overuse. Marl was stored at a site located just east of the West Freehold Schoolhouse 100 years ago. It is also suggested that the majority of this fertilizer was found in the Marlboro area, hence the name.

7. Van Derveer’s Garage –
The former building on this site was one of several blacksmith shops once located in the Township. It was owned and operated by several generations of Vanderveer’s until the late J. Elmer Van Derveer converted the business into a garage when the automobile made its entry in the early 1900’s. The contents of the blacksmith shop are now housed at the Oakley Farm Museum on Wemrock Rd. Howard Vanderveer and his family donated the shop to the Freehold Township Historic Preservation Commission in 2002. Before that time he had made a replica of the building and built a forge and continued to operate as a blacksmith from time to time. The replica still stands today across the street from the garage on property now owned by Applegate Farms. The
Vanderveer’s House has been demolished along with the Jewell House that stood next door and operated as the wheelwright shop for the village. The Jewell House was demolished in 2003.

8. Beadleston Way –
Named for Alfred Beadleston this little street would be non-descript save for one major part of history. At the end of the only driveway on this street stood one of the most important houses in Freehold Township history. It was named “Cincinnati Hall” and was owned by Dr. Thomas Henderson. When the British came marching down the Burlington Path on their way to the Battle of Monmouth in 1778, this was the first house that was burned to the ground. Dr. Henderson, a true patriot and statesman, rebuilt the house on its original foundation and name it after the “Society of Cincinnati,” the first veteran’s organization formed in the United States by the officers of the American Revolution. Cincinnati Hall stood until age had taken its toll and it was demolished in 1990.