Springside Farm

The 90 acre Springside Farm tract was originally owned and operated by Archibald Taylor, son of Robert Taylor who immigrated from Ireland in the 1750's. Beginning with Robert, the Taylor family came to manage the nearby iron works and live at Solitude House for five generations. It is recorded that Archibald built a home and carriage house on the "Old Road", now known as Nassau Road for his family in 1803. The farmstead came to be known as Springside Farm with the construction of the springhouse and pond in the early 20th century. History is unclear if Archibald actually constructed the original Springside home and carriage house or purchased the structures, as some records place the date of construction into the mid 18th century.

With good soil for agriculture, the Archibald family began cultivating the Springside land and growing orchards. At the request of his father, Archibald started to produce select fruits and vegetables for purchase of the employees of the Taylor Iron and Steel Company. For the next 200 years, Springside Farm's use has changed uses from crops and orchards to dairy and equestrian. However, with all its changes of use and ownership, Springside has always been known as the most fertile, picturesque and historic farmstead in Hunterdon County. Until recent times, the property was a working dairy farm.

The Springside home is a classic example of an early Germanic style stone farm house who's style and construction type closely resembles the original 18th century Solitude House and nearby Vought House in Clinton Township. The original stone portion of the home retains its authentic colonial Germanic center stairwell layout, random width floor plans, Jersey winder stair, recessed paneling and fireplaces. A wood framed addition was added to the home in the early 20th Century. The second oldest structure on the property is the adjacent Wagon House that dates to the early 19th Century. The other structures include a late 19th Century General Barn and Horse Barn, an early 20th Century cow barn, and Springhouse/pond. Springside Farm contains state and nationally recognized historic structures.

This property was jointly purchased in 2000 by the Borough of High Bridge and adjacent Clinton Township with funding through Green Acres and Grants through the County Cultural and Heritage Commission. High Bridge is the owner of 29.27 acres of the farm, and is now part of the borough's permanent open space. In 2005 the Union Forge Heritage Association launched a public awareness campaign to save these structures. The current proposal is for conversion Dairy Barn and house into a performing arts theatre and reception space.