Museum Floor Plans
The Vanderveer House is now the only remaining building from that chapter in Bedminster history, as the artillery park and its academy – a forerunner of West Point – no longer exist. “It is truly a priceless piece of our history,” commented JVH President Jay Petrillo, noting that the house is now listed on the state and national Registers of Historic Places.
The Jacobus Vanderveer House museum represents Dutch colonial life in America similar to the lives of the Vanderveer family as well as the stay by General Knox and his family during the 1778 winter encampment. Artifacts excavated during an archaeological dig at the Pluckemin encampment site will also be on display.
First Floor
Click to enlarge the floorplan view.
Learn more about the Vanderveer House Construction History - Click Here
Kitchen Wing Visitors Center c.2007
Completely reengineered from documentation based on the original kitchen foundation. Known as the "Kitchen Wing", this new area serves as the first welcome room to the Vanderveer/Knox Museum. Also included are a staircase to access the upstairs storage area, a new Hall Exhibit area, and modern bathroom facilities.
Parlor Rooms (Front & Back) , c.1770's
These rooms are considered to be part of the original house, made with wood dating back to 1772, as dendrochronology reports indicate. The house is typical of Dutch frame architecture found in New Jersey during the 1770's and is west Georgian in design. Original fabric in these rooms includes wide plank pine floor boards, barrel back cabinetry, window frames and ceiling beams. The blue delft tile in the main parlor room is indicative of the kind of tile surround found in fireplaces in this area during the 1770's. The door on the fireplace wall leads to what would have been the original 18th century kitchen. The colors used in the rooms were determined by detailed paint analysis conducted through research by the architects.
Entry Hall c.1770's
The main entry hall, with original wide plank pine floor boards, retains the outside wall of the original 1770's house. It became an interior wall when the 1813 addition was constructed. A glass wall panel has been installed during restorations to show the original brick construction, including a window frame.
Main Gallery Room, (Front Exhibits) c. 1813
This room is part of the 1813 Federal period addition to the original Jacobus Vanderveer House and has been outfitted as a main exhibit room. Most of the original pine floor boards remain intact as does a significant Federal style wood carved mantel. All window moldings are original. The ceilings were higher than the west Georgian section and rooms more spacious.
Exhibit Room, (Back Exhibit) c. 1813
This room is part of the more spacious east Federal addition of 1813 and maintains the continuity of design details found in the Main Gallery Room with raised wood paneling above the comer fireplace.
Second Floor
Click to enlarge the floorplan view.
Learn more about the Vanderveer House Construction History - Click Here
Upstairs Rooms - Bed Chambers & Exhibit Room c. 1770's
The upstairs front room retains original pine floor boards and knee high windows. The back chamber room has a glass wall panel under the western window which was installed during restorations to display original insulation. All original insulation was kept throughout the house where possible.
Main Exhibit Room c. 1813
The 1813 upstairs room has been renovated into office space. The two exposed chimneys show how typically Dutch Colonial architecture merged two flues into one.
Museum Update
Several rooms in the 1770 block of the
main house will interpret the residency of
the Artillery Encampment’s brilliant
commander, Gen. Henry Knox, and his
family during 1778 and 1779 when the
Vanderveer family graciously lent them
their home.
The exhibits are being designed by
Steve Feldman Design of Philadelphia,
which started work Jan 2, 2008. The firm is
known as innovative planners and designers
specializing in the creation of
interpretive exhibitions and environments.
Among recent projects the Feldman
firm designed are the Fairmount Water
Works Interpretive Center in Philadelphia,
the Conner Prairie Museum in
Fishers, IN, Historical Speedwell in
Morristown, and the Museum of Early
Trades and Crafts in Madison.
Furnishing the house and addition is
equally as important. A board committee
is hard at work researching the kind of
furniture, textiles, and decorative arts that
may have been in the house during its
occupancy by Knox and his wife Lucy.
Any pieces that Knox may have brought
with him when he moved down from
Boston are especially high on the
committee’s list.
The Friends of JVH have hired noted
antiques consultant Jacquetta Haley of
Ridgefield, CT, to advise them on the
furnishings plan. For research, among
many sources, Haley has used the ledger
from the old Boylan Store in Pluckemin.
The ledger, housed at Dillon Library, lists
purchases made by Jacobus Vanderveer
and his brother Elias and their wives from
1773-1774.
