Department of Military and Veterans Affairs

New Jersey Historic Trust Affiliated with the Department of Community Affairs

Metlar House

Garden State Historic Preservation Trust Fund
Preserve New Jersey Historic Preservation Fund
Historic Site Management Grant
Capital Level I Grant
Grant Award: $50,000 (1992); $37,388 (2002); $157,383 (2002); $150,000 (2010); $175,000 (2019); $138,000 (2022)
Grant Recipient: Township of Piscataway
County: Middlesex
Municipality: Piscataway

The first portion of the house was constructed in 1728 for Peter Bodine with later additions by Samuel Knapp around 1850 and 1870. George Metlar purchased the house and property in 1894 along with neighboring properties. The house is a very good example of vernacular design with Colonial and Greek Revival influences. The Metlar-Bodine House is one of only two houses remaining from the important settlement period at Raritan Landing, the furthest point of navigation of the Raritan River. In the 1970s, the house was acquired by the NJ Department of Transportation (DOT), who planned to demolish the house and construct an interchange in its place. The Fellowship for Metlar House was established and successfully saved the property in 1979. In March 2021, Piscataway Township purchased the site from the DOT. Today the house serves as a local museum with a large collection of artifacts. Provenance for all items in their collection can be traced within Piscataway Township’s eighteenth-century boundaries. The museum completed their permanent exhibit, entitled “From Indian Trail to Interstate,” in 2017. The exhibit interprets the history of the Raritan River Valley in terms of transportation.

The 2022 Trust grant will help fund exterior and interior restoration.

The 2019 Trust grant helped fund archaeological investigations, grading, construction of pathways and lighting, and installation of interpretive signage. The 2010 Trust grant is helping fund accessibility improvements. Previous grants supported preservation planning and restoration work after a damaging fire in 2003. 

For more information, visit: https://www.metlarbodinehousemuseum.org/history


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