The Asylum for the Mentally Ill

Washington Township historic site loses county support
By CAMILLA SOMERS, Contributing Writer | Posted Aug 14, 2009

WASHINGTON TWP. - Legal complications are clouding the possibility of saving an 18th century home and ‘Asylum for the Mentally Ill” in the Middle Valley section of the township.

As a result of the difficulties, the so-called Andrew Dufford House and "Asylum" have been removed from an annual list of Morris County's 10 most endangered historic sites.

The "asylum" is much older, circa 1780. The stone house garnered its unusual name by way of former owner Ebenezer Sherwood, who in the early 1800s used the building's basement to treat the mentally insane.

Eileen Stokes, a member of the Washington Township Historical Society, said the West Mill Road property, one of the few unpreserved farms in the area, is tied up in a complicated estate plan with no clear heir, making preservation next to impossible.

The two buildings as well as an original stone barn are slowly deteriorating, and Stokes said she is concerned they will collapse completely if the roofs are allowed to disintegrate.

"It's so empty and so desolate. It's hard," Stokes said, but added with some optimism "you can always save something if you put in enough effort."

After two years on the active list, however, this year the property was moved to the watch list because of a lack of movement on the preservation of the buildings and to make way for newly threatened sites, according to a statement.

Carrie Fellows, spokeswoman for the Morris County Endangered Sites Committee, said in a phone interview that the list aims to draw attention to the county's historic resources and encourage public and private involvement in their preservation.

"It's unfortunate that the public doesn't realize (the sites) are in danger before they're gone," she said, adding that the committee hopes to help change that trend.

Since 2001, the annual list has been compiled by the Morris County Endangered Sites Committee, which includes representatives from the Morris County Heritage Commission, the Morris County Historical Society, the Morris County Trust for Historic Preservation and the Morris County Tourism Bureau.

Tags:   Abandoned Abandoned Asylum Abandoned Building Abandoned New Jersey Andrew Dufford House Asylum Asylum for the Mentally Ill Ebenezer Sherwood Middle Valley Nikon 18-105mm f/3.5-5.6 VR Nikon D7000 Weird NJ Washington Township New Jersey United States

© All Rights Reserved

The Asylum for the Mentally Ill

Washington Township historic site loses county support
By CAMILLA SOMERS, Contributing Writer | Posted Aug 14, 2009

WASHINGTON TWP. - Legal complications are clouding the possibility of saving an 18th century home and ‘Asylum for the Mentally Ill” in the Middle Valley section of the township.

As a result of the difficulties, the so-called Andrew Dufford House and "Asylum" have been removed from an annual list of Morris County's 10 most endangered historic sites.

The "asylum" is much older, circa 1780. The stone house garnered its unusual name by way of former owner Ebenezer Sherwood, who in the early 1800s used the building's basement to treat the mentally insane.

Eileen Stokes, a member of the Washington Township Historical Society, said the West Mill Road property, one of the few unpreserved farms in the area, is tied up in a complicated estate plan with no clear heir, making preservation next to impossible.

The two buildings as well as an original stone barn are slowly deteriorating, and Stokes said she is concerned they will collapse completely if the roofs are allowed to disintegrate.

"It's so empty and so desolate. It's hard," Stokes said, but added with some optimism "you can always save something if you put in enough effort."

After two years on the active list, however, this year the property was moved to the watch list because of a lack of movement on the preservation of the buildings and to make way for newly threatened sites, according to a statement.

Carrie Fellows, spokeswoman for the Morris County Endangered Sites Committee, said in a phone interview that the list aims to draw attention to the county's historic resources and encourage public and private involvement in their preservation.

"It's unfortunate that the public doesn't realize (the sites) are in danger before they're gone," she said, adding that the committee hopes to help change that trend.

Since 2001, the annual list has been compiled by the Morris County Endangered Sites Committee, which includes representatives from the Morris County Heritage Commission, the Morris County Historical Society, the Morris County Trust for Historic Preservation and the Morris County Tourism Bureau.

Tags:   Abandoned Abandoned Asylum Abandoned Building Abandoned New Jersey Andrew Dufford House Asylum Asylum for the Mentally Ill Ebenezer Sherwood Middle Valley Nikon 18-105mm f/3.5-5.6 VR Nikon D7000 Weird NJ Washington Township New Jersey United States

© All Rights Reserved

The Asylum for the Mentally Ill

Washington Township historic site loses county support
By CAMILLA SOMERS, Contributing Writer | Posted Aug 14, 2009

WASHINGTON TWP. - Legal complications are clouding the possibility of saving an 18th century home and ‘Asylum for the Mentally Ill” in the Middle Valley section of the township.

As a result of the difficulties, the so-called Andrew Dufford House and "Asylum" have been removed from an annual list of Morris County's 10 most endangered historic sites.

The "asylum" is much older, circa 1780. The stone house garnered its unusual name by way of former owner Ebenezer Sherwood, who in the early 1800s used the building's basement to treat the mentally insane.

Eileen Stokes, a member of the Washington Township Historical Society, said the West Mill Road property, one of the few unpreserved farms in the area, is tied up in a complicated estate plan with no clear heir, making preservation next to impossible.

The two buildings as well as an original stone barn are slowly deteriorating, and Stokes said she is concerned they will collapse completely if the roofs are allowed to disintegrate.

"It's so empty and so desolate. It's hard," Stokes said, but added with some optimism "you can always save something if you put in enough effort."

After two years on the active list, however, this year the property was moved to the watch list because of a lack of movement on the preservation of the buildings and to make way for newly threatened sites, according to a statement.

Carrie Fellows, spokeswoman for the Morris County Endangered Sites Committee, said in a phone interview that the list aims to draw attention to the county's historic resources and encourage public and private involvement in their preservation.

"It's unfortunate that the public doesn't realize (the sites) are in danger before they're gone," she said, adding that the committee hopes to help change that trend.

Since 2001, the annual list has been compiled by the Morris County Endangered Sites Committee, which includes representatives from the Morris County Heritage Commission, the Morris County Historical Society, the Morris County Trust for Historic Preservation and the Morris County Tourism Bureau.

Tags:   Abandoned Abandoned Asylum Abandoned Building Abandoned New Jersey Andrew Dufford House Asylum Asylum for the Mentally Ill Ebenezer Sherwood Middle Valley Nikon 18-105mm f/3.5-5.6 VR Nikon D7000 Weird NJ Washington Township New Jersey United States

© All Rights Reserved

The Asylum for the Mentally Ill

Washington Township historic site loses county support
By CAMILLA SOMERS, Contributing Writer | Posted Aug 14, 2009

WASHINGTON TWP. - Legal complications are clouding the possibility of saving an 18th century home and ‘Asylum for the Mentally Ill” in the Middle Valley section of the township.

As a result of the difficulties, the so-called Andrew Dufford House and "Asylum" have been removed from an annual list of Morris County's 10 most endangered historic sites.

The "asylum" is much older, circa 1780. The stone house garnered its unusual name by way of former owner Ebenezer Sherwood, who in the early 1800s used the building's basement to treat the mentally insane.

Eileen Stokes, a member of the Washington Township Historical Society, said the West Mill Road property, one of the few unpreserved farms in the area, is tied up in a complicated estate plan with no clear heir, making preservation next to impossible.

The two buildings as well as an original stone barn are slowly deteriorating, and Stokes said she is concerned they will collapse completely if the roofs are allowed to disintegrate.

"It's so empty and so desolate. It's hard," Stokes said, but added with some optimism "you can always save something if you put in enough effort."

After two years on the active list, however, this year the property was moved to the watch list because of a lack of movement on the preservation of the buildings and to make way for newly threatened sites, according to a statement.

Carrie Fellows, spokeswoman for the Morris County Endangered Sites Committee, said in a phone interview that the list aims to draw attention to the county's historic resources and encourage public and private involvement in their preservation.

"It's unfortunate that the public doesn't realize (the sites) are in danger before they're gone," she said, adding that the committee hopes to help change that trend.

Since 2001, the annual list has been compiled by the Morris County Endangered Sites Committee, which includes representatives from the Morris County Heritage Commission, the Morris County Historical Society, the Morris County Trust for Historic Preservation and the Morris County Tourism Bureau.

Tags:   Abandoned Abandoned Asylum Abandoned Building Abandoned New Jersey Andrew Dufford House Asylum Asylum for the Mentally Ill Ebenezer Sherwood Middle Valley Nikon 18-105mm f/3.5-5.6 VR Nikon D7000 Weird NJ Washington Township New Jersey United States

© All Rights Reserved

The Asylum for the Mentally Ill

Washington Township historic site loses county support
By CAMILLA SOMERS, Contributing Writer | Posted Aug 14, 2009

WASHINGTON TWP. - Legal complications are clouding the possibility of saving an 18th century home and ‘Asylum for the Mentally Ill” in the Middle Valley section of the township.

As a result of the difficulties, the so-called Andrew Dufford House and "Asylum" have been removed from an annual list of Morris County's 10 most endangered historic sites.

The "asylum" is much older, circa 1780. The stone house garnered its unusual name by way of former owner Ebenezer Sherwood, who in the early 1800s used the building's basement to treat the mentally insane.

Eileen Stokes, a member of the Washington Township Historical Society, said the West Mill Road property, one of the few unpreserved farms in the area, is tied up in a complicated estate plan with no clear heir, making preservation next to impossible.

The two buildings as well as an original stone barn are slowly deteriorating, and Stokes said she is concerned they will collapse completely if the roofs are allowed to disintegrate.

"It's so empty and so desolate. It's hard," Stokes said, but added with some optimism "you can always save something if you put in enough effort."

After two years on the active list, however, this year the property was moved to the watch list because of a lack of movement on the preservation of the buildings and to make way for newly threatened sites, according to a statement.

Carrie Fellows, spokeswoman for the Morris County Endangered Sites Committee, said in a phone interview that the list aims to draw attention to the county's historic resources and encourage public and private involvement in their preservation.

"It's unfortunate that the public doesn't realize (the sites) are in danger before they're gone," she said, adding that the committee hopes to help change that trend.

Since 2001, the annual list has been compiled by the Morris County Endangered Sites Committee, which includes representatives from the Morris County Heritage Commission, the Morris County Historical Society, the Morris County Trust for Historic Preservation and the Morris County Tourism Bureau.

Tags:   Abandoned Abandoned Asylum Abandoned Building Abandoned New Jersey Andrew Dufford House Asylum Asylum for the Mentally Ill Ebenezer Sherwood Middle Valley Nikon 18-105mm f/3.5-5.6 VR Nikon D7000 Weird NJ Washington Township New Jersey United States

© All Rights Reserved