Passaic County wants to turn its oldest home into a military museum
By: David M. Zimmer
NorthJersey.com
USA Today Network - New Jersey
..... Passaic County officials are seeking a $500,000 state grant to help restore the grounds of the Schuyler-Colfax House, thought to be the oldest building in Passaic County.
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As part of the effort, county officials are soliciting public input through a survey aimed at shaping the property's future as the Passaic County Military Heritage Museum.
..... With its oldest portion dating to about 1694, Wayne's Schuyler-Colfax House stands as a testament to New Jersey's colonial past. Now, county officials are aiming to make it a cultural destination as the nation's 250th anniversary approaches.
..... The oldest part of the dwelling reportedly was built by Arent Schuyler, a fur trader and early settler who negotiate land rights with Indigenous people, county records show. The structure began as a modest Dutch Colonial fieldstone home overlooking the Ramapo River but was expanded and transformed over eras.
..... By 1793, it has passed to Esther Schuyer, who married Revolutionary War veteran Captain William Colfax, once a member of George Washington's Life Guard. together, they examined the house into a Georgian-style residence that became a profitable farm and a family hub.
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Generations of Colfax's followed. Some played pivoted roles in local governance, with a few attending Wayne's first township meeting. Others contributed to the region's history, including Colfax's grandson Schuyler Colfax Jr., who served as the 17th vice president of the United Stats
..... The proposed project, led by Friends of Passaic County Park Incorporated, seek to restore the surrounding landscape with native planting, to better reflect its colinial-era origins, suing New Jersey Green Acres grant funding. Plans also call for practical upgrades, including ADA-compliant pathways, new parking facilities, public restrooms and new signage similar to the kind at the Passaic County Art Center at the John W. Rea House.
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Passaic County took full control of the property in 2023, 50 years after federal officials added it to the National Register of Historic Places, Wayne officials cited the increased funding opportunities available under county ownership for the transfer. Mayor Christopher Vergano at the time described the move as critical to ensuring the house's preservation, saying it was s"really the only chance they the house will have to be restored."
..... The building received state funding for capitol repairs early this century, [2000] but it has been largely inactive for years due in part to its condition. In 2020, county officials took over as property stewards.
..... Three years later, they agreed to accept the deed and move forward with a full restoration with the idea of re-purposing the home as a museum or other pubic-use structure.
..... The survey seeks to gauge public interest in the site and prospective new amenities s county officials push to reincorporate the Schuyler-Colfax House into the community. Site plans for the property's restoration were developed by Clarke Caton Hintz last summer. [2024] The Trenton-based architectural firm has also been involved with work at the John W Rea House and the Lambert Castle and Carriage house projects.
..... Beyond its war history, the house holds a unique legacy in the medical field. The Colfaxes' youngest son Dr. William Washington Colfax, established a long line of family physicians. Colfax, became the first female OB-GYN at St. Joseph's Medical Center in Paterson. She also practiced medicine from the home before selling the property to Wayne Township in the early 1990s.