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The Witness in the Fields: The Struggle to Save the Craig House

Situated in the middle of farm fields, within earshot of the bustling traffic on Route 9, sits a colonial-era farmhouse that has stood since well before the American Revolution.

This is the Craig House. On a sweltering June day in 1778, this home witnessed the Battle of Monmouth—the longest sustained battle of the Revolutionary War. It survived musket fire, cannon blasts, and occupation by British troops. But today, it faces a slower, quieter enemy: time, weather, and the constant battle for preservation funding.

A Tale of Two Houses

To look at the Craig House is to see a timeline of New Jersey architecture. It is not one single structure, but two joined together.

• The Dutch Section (1746): The original section (the lower kitchen wing) was built by Samuel Craig. It is a classic one-and-a-half-story Dutch frame home, typical of the early 18th century.
• The Georgian Addition (c. 1770): When Samuel’s son, John Craig Jr., took ownership, he expanded the home to reflect his growing status. He added the taller, two-story section on the western end. This “side-hall” Georgian style was the height of fashion just before the war.

The Day the War Came Home

On June 28, 1778, the war arrived on John Craig’s doorstep.

General George Washington’s Continental Army—freshly trained by Baron von Steuben at Valley Forge—intercepted the British Army as they retreated across New Jersey. The clash involved over 20,000 soldiers and temperatures that soared to 100 degrees Fahrenheit.

The Legend of the Silver: John Craig was away fighting with the local militia, leaving his wife, Ann Craig, alone with their three children. Realizing the armies were converging on her land, Ann made a desperate decision.

• The Escape: She packed her children and fled toward Upper Freehold.
• The Silver: Legend holds that before she left, Ann took the family’s prized silver and dropped it to the bottom of the well.
• The Aftermath: British troops, parched from the heat, drained the well dry. They found the silver at the bottom and looted it. Finding the house vacant, the British turned the Craig home into a makeshift field hospital, treating their wounded in the Craigs’ bedrooms.

From Farm to Migrant Housing

The Craig family returned after the battle and held the property until the late 19th century. However, the 20th century was not kind to the home.

In 1943, the property was sold to Ernest Tark, who used the historic structure to house migrant workers. During this period, the house suffered severe damage. The occupants, struggling to stay warm in the drafty old house, reportedly ripped out original 18th-century wood paneling and trim to burn as firewood.

The Struggle for Preservation

In 1965, the State of New Jersey acquired the property as part of Monmouth Battlefield State Park.

By then, the house was a shell. It took decades of advocacy by the Friends of Monmouth Battlefield to restore the home. It finally opened as a museum in 1993, allowing visitors to see the kitchen where Ann Craig cooked and the rooms where British soldiers recovered from their wounds.

The Current State: Today, the Craig House remains a “preservation challenge.” While the main visitor center of the park is modern, this outlying farmhouse often suffers from deferred maintenance. Peeling paint, rotting sills, and budget shortages have led to sporadic closures over the years.

Despite this, it remains a vital piece of the battlefield’s story. It stands as a reminder that the war wasn’t just fought by soldiers in fields, but by families in their kitchens and backyards.

If You Visit

The Battlefield: Even if the house is closed, you can walk the grounds, view the exterior, and hike the same fields where the Continental Army proved they could stand toe-to-toe with the British.

Location: 232 Schibanoff Rd, Freehold, NJ 07728 (Inside Monmouth Battlefield State Park).

Hours: The house has seasonal hours (typically open on Sundays during the warmer months) and is staffed by volunteers. It is best to check the park’s schedule before trekking out to the house specifically.