The Nathaniel Drake House was constructed in 1746 as a Georgian-style farmhouse. General George Washington used the house to meet with his officers during and after the Battle of Short Hills in June 1777. In 1864, the Drakes sold the property to a well-to-do banker, John Harberger, who spent the following three decades renovating the house in the Gothic Revival and Queen Anne styles. The most notable changes included a rear, three-story tower, a turret on the west side elevation, a mansard roof, dormers with vergeboards, and a second-story ballroom. A sleeping porch was also added to the façade but removed in the 1950s. The house reflects the evolution of architectural styles in the region and illustrates Plainfield’s rural-to-urban development. The Historical Society of Plainfield was established in 1921 to save the Drake House from demolition. It was purchased by the City of Plainfield soon after and has been leased to the Plainfield Historical Society for use as a museum since that time. The house was listed on the New Jersey and National Registers in 1973.

The 2022 Trust grant will help fund partial exterior restoration.

The 2021 Trust grant will help fund a conditions assessment update and construction documents for roof repairs at the Nathaniel Drake House. The 2006 matching grant helped fund construction of an accessible and sympathetically designed entrance ramp, installation of interior storm windows and heating and ventilation equipment upgrades.  The exterior restoration was funded in part by a previous Trust grant. 

For more information, visit: http://drakehouseplainfieldnj.org/