Oakley Farm Venue Rental

THE CLARK * WALKER * COMBS * HARTSHORNE * OAKLEY FARMSTEAD

1686-1995

  300 YEARS OF HISTORY

 WEDDINGS AND PRIVATE EVENTS

(ADULT BIRTHDAYS, CHRISTNENINGS, BABY AND WEDDING SHOWERS/CORPORATE AND NON PROFIT EVENTS)

Click here for the current Fee Schedule

THE FARM ENCOMPASSES 6 PICTURESQUE ACRES OF ROLLING LAWNS AND FIELDS WITH A LOVELY GAZEBO, ORIGINAL BARNS AND OUTBUILDINGS AND IS ONE OF THE EARLIEST REMAINING FARMSTEADS IN THE FREEHOLD AREA.

WE CAN ACCOMMODATE EVENTS RANGING FROM A SNALL WEDDING OR PARTY IN THE HOUSE OF UP TO 50 GUESTS.  LARGER EVENTS OF UP TO 200 GUESTS UNDER A TENT ON THE LAWN CAN ALSO BE ACCOMODATED.

THE STRUCTURE INCORPORATES AN EARLY 18^TH CENTURY CABIN (ca. 1706) ENLARGED FIRST TO A 20’X25’ HOUSE IN 1713 THEN TO A 20’X30’ HOUSE IN 1731.  THE HOUSE TYPIFIES ONE WAY 18^TH CENTURY DWELLINGS WERE EXPANDED SO THAT THE OLDEST PORTIONS ARE NOT EXTERNALLY VISIBLE.

THE WEST SIDE OF THE HOUSE WAS ADDED IN 1812 DOUBLING ITS SIZE, THE HOUSE WAS PURE FEDERAL IN STYLE.  THE ITALIANATE PORCH WAS ADDED IN 1850 AS WAS THE EAST WING WHICH IS A (ca. 1780) DWELLING THAT WAS MOVED FROM ONE OF THE ORCHARDS AND ATTACHED TO THE MAIN HOUSE AT THAT TIME.

THE WALKER FAMILY OWNED THE PROPERTY FROM 1720-1781, A TOTAL OF 81 YEARS.  THEY WERE PROMINENT PATRIOTS DURING THE REVOLUTIONARY WAR ERA.  GEORGE WALKER II AND TWO OF HIS SONS, GEORGE III(A LIEUTENANT, AARON (A DRAGOON) AND HIS THREE NEPHEWS DR. GEORGE WALKER (A PRIVATE IN THE MILITIA) AND WILLAM (A DRUM MAJOR IN THE MONMOUTH COUNTY MILITIA).  ALL FOUGHT AT THE BATTLE OF MONMOUTH-TWO WERE WOUNDED.  THIS PROPERTY EXTENDED NORTH INTO THE BATTLEFIELD TO THE PARSONAGE FARM.

DURING THE 31 YEARS OF ELIJA COMBS’ OWNERSHIP THIS PROPERTY WAS ADDED TO HIS OTHER PROPERTIES MAKING 1000 CONTIGUOUS ACRES WITH OVER 200 APPLE AND OTHER FRUIT TREES.  HE HAD A LARGE DISTILLERY NEARBY SUPPLYING THE AREA WITH “SPIRIT”.  IS CIDER AND STILL HOUSES WERE “AMONGST THE BEST IN THE COUNTY OF MONMOUTH”.  ALSO MR. COMBS HELD A MAJORITY OF VARIOUS HOUSE AND FARM MORTGAGES IN THE AREA