Welcome to the 1761 Brearley House

Welcome to the 1761 Brearley House. . , This Georgian brick farmhouse was constructed for James Brearley, a member of one of the founding families of old Maidenhead (now Lawrence). Its size, style, and materials speak to the prosperity of the Brearley family. , Archaeological evidence indicates that two other houses existed on the site previously, one near the location of this sign and one on the opposite side, near the front porch. Thus it is likely that this site was occupied by Brearley family members during the earliest days of Maidenhead, which was founded in 1697. , Generations of Brearleys were active in township affairs for more than 150 years. Benjamin Brearley operated a tavern on Main Street and David Brearley, who was born nearby, was one of New Jersey's signers of the United States Constitution and the first Chief Justice of the New Jersey Supreme Court. The Brearley Oak, one of the largest black oaks in New Jersey, dates to the 18th century and can be seen at Princeton Pike and Lenox Drive. , During colonial times, this area was known as the Great Meadow. Each spring it would be flooded by the waters of Stony Brook, which over the years laid down a rich, peaty soil. There is ample archaeological evidence that the Great Meadow was used by Native Americans for thousands of years prior to European settlement. Over time, local farmers drained the wetlands, and the eventual construction of the Delaware and Raritan Canal in the 1830s permanently changed the flow of local streams. , The interior of the house includes four rooms on the first floor, each with its own fireplace. The second floor includes a large room in the front and two more fireplaces. There is a basement and an attic, with the latter known as a home for bats. The modern addition to your right was constructed on the ruins of what had previously been a kitchen wing, which housed slaves on the second floor. , By the beginning of the 20th century, the last Brearley descendants had sold the house and farm, but the property continued in use as a working farm through mid-century. As Lawrence suburbanized after the Second World War the property was acquired for development of an office park and the house fell into disrepair. , The 1761 Brearley House and 40 surrounding acres were acquired by Lawrence Township in 1978, and the house was placed on the New Jersey and National Registers of Historic Places in 1979. With funding from the New Jersey Historic Trust, Lawrence Township, and the Lawrence Historical Society, the house was restored in 2000. It serves as headquarters of the Lawrence Historical Society. , Captions: 1. How the Brearley House looked around 1930. 2. Signature of James Brearley. 3. This 1828 map of New Jersey by Thomas Gordon shows the Great Meadow as a large swampy area along Shipetaukin Creek and Stony Brook.