From Ruin to Resurrection: The New Life of the Joseph Turner House

Preservation is rarely a straight line. Sometimes, you have to lose a battle to win the war.

In 2012, the Union Forge Heritage Association (UFHA) faced a nightmare scenario. After ten years of meticulously restoring Solitude House (a 1712 stone mansion in High Bridge), a lease dispute with the borough forced them to vacate. They lost their museum, their headquarters, and the fruit of a decade of labor.

But they didn’t give up. Instead, they looked a few miles down the road to Union Township and found a forgotten gem that was facing the wrecking ball. Today, that building is rising from the ashes as the Solitude Heritage Museum.

A Tale of Two Houses

The Joseph Turner House is fascinating because it is actually two houses stitched together, representing two completely different eras of American life.

1. The Colonial Core (c. 1760) The smaller, right side of the structure dates back to the pre-Revolutionary era.

• Construction: Built of stone walls and hand-hewn timbers.
• Purpose: It likely served as a tenant house or manager’s dwelling for the massive Union Iron Works.
• Interior: This section features low ceilings and a massive cooking hearth, typical of a working-class colonial home.

2. The Greek Revival Addition (c. 1830s) Seventy years later, the house grew up.

• The Upgrade: When Charles Carhart acquired the farm in the 1830s, he built a grand addition on the left side.
• The Style: This section features high ceilings, a grand parlor, and a recessed front door framed by pilasters—classic elements of the Greek Revival style popular in the early republic.
• The Unification: Carhart cleverly cut doorways through the thick stone walls of the original house to connect it to the new wing, creating a single residence.

The Iron Works Connection

To understand why this house matters, you have to look at the land beneath it.

In the mid-1700s, this area was the heart of the Union Iron Works, a massive industrial complex owned by Philadelphia businessmen William Allen and Joseph Turner.

• Joseph Turner (1701–1783): A former sea captain and politician, Turner was a powerhouse in colonial Pennsylvania. Along with Allen, he combined land holdings to mine and manufacture iron, which was vital for the colonies.
• The Chew Connection: After the Iron Works closed in 1781, the land passed to the Chew family. Benjamin Chew, a close friend of Turner and a Chief Justice of the Supreme Court of Pennsylvania, was actually held as a political prisoner at the Union Farm during the Revolutionary War!

Saved by the State (Eventually)

In 1961, the property was purchased by the State of New Jersey for the construction of the Spruce Run Reservoir. For decades, it was used as employee housing, but eventually, it was vacated.

By 2012, the house was empty, rotting, and on the state’s demolition list.

Enter the Union Forge Heritage Association. Fresh off the loss of Solitude House, they saw potential in the derelict Turner House. They struck a deal with the state: a 25-year lease in exchange for restoring the property.

The Restoration

Since taking over, volunteers have cleared the brush, repaired the plaster, and fixed the electrical systems. Their goal is ambitious: restore the exterior to its 1830s appearance.

• Siding: Removing modern vinyl siding to reveal the historic structure.
• Roof: Replacing asphalt shingles with historically appropriate slate.
• Porch: Reconstructing the original Greek Revival porch based on historical photos.

They are also working to restore the early 19th-century barn on the property, which will serve as the Solitude Cultural and Environmental Center.

The story of the Turner House is a reminder that in history, as in life, when one door closes, another opens—sometimes you just have to cut through a stone wall to find it.

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If You Visit

• Location: 117 Van Syckles Road, Hampton, NJ (Union Township).
• Access: The site is open for special events and volunteer days. Check their Facebook page for the latest schedule.