---

New Brunswick’s “White House”: The Story of Buccleuch Mansion

In the middle of a bustling public park in New Brunswick, overlooking the Raritan River, sits a house that has witnessed the entire history of the United States.

It has been a home for the wealthy elite, a target for property confiscation, a barracks for rowdy soldiers, and a museum for over a century. This is Buccleuch Mansion, a Georgian masterpiece that bears the physical scars of the American Revolution.

The “White House” on the Hill

Long before it was a public park, this land was the estate of Anthony White. Between 1735 and 1739, White (a wealthy Englishman) and his wife Elizabeth (daughter of Royal Governor Lewis Morris) constructed a massive estate on a rise overlooking the river.

Because of the owner’s name and the bright appearance of the home, it became known locally as “The White House” or “White House Farm.”

The Architecture: The house was built to impress.

• The Style: It is a classic Georgian structure with a gambrel roof.
• The Trick: The front facade is made of brick, but it was stuccoed and scored to look like expensive dressed stone—an 18th-century “life hack” to display wealth.
• The View: In the 1740s, White could look across the river and see the thriving port of Raritan Landing and the home of his peer, Cornelius Low (the Low House still stands in Piscataway today).

A House Divided: The Revolutionary War

The history of Buccleuch is a microcosm of the Civil War that was the American Revolution.

Anthony White’s son, Anthony Walton White, broke with family tradition to become a Patriot, serving as a Lieutenant Colonel in the Continental Army. However, in 1774, the house was sold to General William Burton, a British officer.

When the war broke out, the house was confiscated by the Patriot government as enemy property. But before that happened, the house was occupied by the British.

• The Unwanted Guests: The Ennis Killen Dragoons (a British regiment) were quartered in the house during the occupation of New Brunswick (1776–1777).
• The Scars: The soldiers were not careful houseguests. According to local lore and physical evidence, they hacked at the banisters and floors with their weapons. Sabre cuts and musket butt marks are still visible on the floorboards of the third floor today!

Throughout the war, the house also hosted famous Patriot visitors, including George Washington, Alexander Hamilton, and Thaddeus Kosciuszko.

The French Wallpaper and the Scottish Name

After the war, the house passed through several owners, each leaving their mark.

• John Garnett (Owner 1798–1820): An English mathematician, Garnett added one of the house’s most stunning features: rare French wallpaper manufactured by Dufour of Paris. The downstairs hall depicts scenes from the banks of the Seine, while the upstairs features a tiger hunt in India. This wallpaper survives to this day.
• Colonel Joseph Warren Scott (Owner 1821): A prominent lawyer, Scott bought the house and renamed it “Buccleuch” (pronounced buck-loo) to honor his Scottish ancestry. The name stuck.

A Gift to the City

In 1911, Scott’s grandson, Anthony Dey, deeded the estate to the City of New Brunswick to be used as a public park and memorial.

Since 1915, the mansion has operated under a unique partnership:

• The City of New Brunswick owns the building and maintains the exterior.
• The Jersey Blue Chapter of the DAR (Daughters of the American Revolution) cares for the interior, the artifacts, and the tours.

While the exterior has suffered from weathering over the years (the front porch has faced significant deterioration requiring shoring), the house remains one of the few surviving pre-Revolutionary estates along the Raritan River.

If You Visit

• Location: 200 College Avenue, New Brunswick, NJ (Located inside Buccleuch Park).
• The Park: The surrounding park is open daily and features a cross-country course, rock gardens, and a gazebo.
• The Mansion: Tours are generally offered on Sunday afternoons seasonally (June through October), but it is best to check the schedule before going.

---

For More Information

Jersey Blue Chapter, NSDAR (www.jerseybluedar.org)