The same team responsible for the restoration of the Cedar Bridge Tavern in western Barnegat Township has begun the long overdue restoration process of the historic Cox House in downtown Barnegat.

“It’s been a long time coming,” said Ocean County historian Tim Hart, who oversees a team that includes historic building architect Annabelle Radcliffe-Trenner, preservation designer Matthew McCarty and structural engineer Elizabeth Crawford.

County Parks and Recreation docent Renee Kennedy shared, “I jumped on as soon as I heard they were taking the Cox House.” She contributed a major effort to the Cedar Bridge Tavern, which, she said, was the site of the last documented land engagement of the American Revolution.

“That building went through remarkable steps in its transformation,” said Hart, who hopes to see the same revitalization of the Cox House.

According to Parks and Recreation director Mike Mangum, part of the house dates all the way back to 1810. Mary Etta Cox finished the home in 1904 with her husband, Captain Billy Cox. Hart said Barnegat was the center of commerce during that era, and very vibrant, with two trains.

The restoration serendipitously coincides with the centennial anniversary of the Women’s Suffrage Movement, as the house was a women’s literary hub. However, Hart pointed out women could vote in New Jersey from 1776 to 1807 if they owned 25 pounds’ worth of property. “New Jersey was the first state in the U.S. to recognize women’s right to vote,” he said.

According to Hart, Maryann Cox, who was one of the few women publishers in New Jersey, owned the Times Beacon newspaper, and made the home a literary and cultural center. “She brought various artists and poets in,” explained Hart. She held court downstairs, and encouraged a celebration of the arts. “She really was a dynamo,” said Hart, “remarkably ahead of her time.” She had an annual Independence Day party, and receiving an invitation was considered a big deal, recounted Hart.

Maryann’s wish was for her home to be used as a public library following her death. However, by the time the idea was revisited, the county had already decided to build a library on West Bay Avenue. The home was donated to the township, and utilized throughout the years for various community and historical functions. In recent years, it was largely abandoned, and fell into disrepair.

“The good news is the town had paid to do a historic preservation plan back in 2000,” explained Hart. “That was a good thing because now it’s just a matter of updating it.”

Much of the home has deteriorated since then, according to Mangum, so a lot of work needs to be done in order to apply for the proper grants. While some work was done in 2000, much of it was not historically accurate, Hart explained.

Radcliffe-Trenner’s job is to make assessments and ensure the property is restored to maintain its historical integrity. Before restoring, they have to strip back what has already been done. Mangum jokingly referred to the process as “building archaeology.”

Behind the Cox House are two large structures; one was used as a barn and the other as a carriage house. Hart described those two buildings as the oldest and most historically significant. The buildings, according to Mangum, are on both the state and national historic registers, “so there are very strict rules on what we can and can’t do.” He explained the property will be restored for adaptive reuse in conjunction with the Barnegat Branch Trail. As it sits just around the corner from the trailhead on Railroad Avenue, they envision it becoming a public space, “as it had been in the past,” and an information center with public restrooms.

Residents and business owners adjacent to the Cox House gathered recently for a meeting at the Railhouse, an Airbnb run by Historical Society members Devin Fouch and Alex Bolen, to voice their concerns regarding the restoration project. In attendance were Fouch, Bolen, Jon Szalay of First National Antique Restoration, and residents Bonnie and Russel Harris, Christine Blake and Brett Middaugh. They unanimously vocalized support of the Cox House restoration, but with varying reservations.

“We’re all really excited they are saving the Cox House, but we want to make sure we have some input and have our voices heard,” explained Fouch. He elaborated, “For example, last year, they had some pruning work done on the trail. A lot of trees were just hacked down, and many residents were upset with how hastily it was done. That’s where the urgency comes from. We want to stay ahead of hastiness this time.”

Szalay hopes the Cox House will become a living exhibit that honors Maryann Cox’s desire for it to be used as a library.

“I knew Maryann, and she was great. She was a really dynamic, creative person.” He and others in attendance share an appreciation for Cox’s contributions to the community, and want to see the home celebrated.

Middaugh shared, “We moved here a few years ago because Barnegat has potential to become like New Hope or Lambertville. We want to see the county directing people into our downtown, and turn this place back into small town America.”

Residents are concerned with the barns being converted into restrooms specifically for the trail, considering the property is not along the trail, but around the block. Between the Cox property and the trail lie residential homes and businesses.

“My concern is how will people on the trail utilize the restroom?” Szalay shared. “There is no clear line of sight to it from the trail.” Because the property faces Route 9, residents fear it will more likely attract traffic coming in from the NJ Transit bus stop across Route 9. While several members strongly clarified they have no discrimination toward people traveling by bus, they all agreed it cannot be overlooked that the transit line has always made the area an access point for crime.

Another worry is those on the trail who are looking for the restroom will wind up wandering onto residential property. “I have enough of a problem with people cutting through my business property, which is also my home, and is strictly not open to the public,” said Szalay, who explained people have walked right into his home, despite explicit signage that prohibits public entry.

Szalay said one proposal the county made to him was possibly acquiring land to create an access trail from the trailhead to the Cox House, which residents fear would only exacerbate issues they already have with crime coming in off the bus stop.

“We do not want to herd people from the bus stop between our homes and the (Greenthumb) daycare,” said Szalay. Even with regards to people strictly using the trail, Fouch added, “We’re OK with being the historical center of town, but that comes with limited privacy. We do not want to forfeit our back properties as well.”

Blake expressed, “What guarantee do we have that the bathrooms will be kept clean and secure?”

Residents looked over the original Barnegat Branch Trail conceptual plan prepared in 2007, and wondered why a restroom was never placed at the trailhead, as was reflected.

“It’s a beautiful plan. They spent a lot of money before they even broke ground,” explained Szalay. The rendering reflected a picnic shelter and a restroom, and Szalay wonders if they already have a fleshed-out plan, why not revisit it?

“They did all this in Waretown, and it’s great,” Szalay continued. “But we didn’t get anything at the head of our trail in Barnegat.”

Bolen shared, “We want them (the county) to be interested in the Cox House, and I understand wanting to utilize grant money wherever possible, but what they do needs to make sense.”

Russ Harris added, “It makes better sense to have bathrooms where people are actually parking and using the trail.”

“We understand change happens, and we can’t fight change,” he continued, “but this is the heart of Ocean County, and we want to preserve it.”

Middaugh added, “We all take pride in our homes and in this trail. We have a vision, and we want that vision to jive with the county’s vision.”

Szalay expressed gratitude and faith in the restoration project. “I’m certain they will meet with us to come to a mindful compromise.”

monique@thesandpaper.net