Quakertown, New Jersey
History
In 1828, local wheelwright, John Deats (1769–1841), invented an iron plow, the Deats plow. In 1831, his son, Hiram Deats (1810–1887), started to make these plows. In 1836, Hiram built a foundry here for plow and stove castings. He later expanded his manufacturing business at Pittstown and Stockton and became the first millionaire in Hunterdon County.
In 1836, a commercial tannery was built here by John Allen. The millstone used for crushing tree bark and extracting tannin is now in front of the Potter/Allen house.
Historic district
Quakertown Historic District | |
![]() William Probasco House, built c. 1814 | |
Location | Roughly bounded by Quakertown, Cherryville Roads, Quaker Lane, and Locust Grove Road |
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Area | 78 acres (32 ha) |
Architectural style | Bungalow/craftsman, Greek Revival, Italianate |
NRHP reference No. | 90001242 |
NJRHP No. | 1590 |
Significant dates | |
Added to NRHP | August 23, 1990 |
Designated NJRHP | February 20, 1990 |
The Quakertown Historic District is a historic district along Quakertown Road, encompassing the village. It was added to the National Register of Historic Places on August 23, 1990 for its significance in architecture and community development. It includes 74 contributing buildings.
The district includes the Quaker Meeting House, a Friends meeting house, that was reconstructed in 1862 using the stones from the original 1754 building. The Potter/Allen House is a stone house built in 1765. The Federal style William Probasco House was built c. 1814. The Henry Cliffton House is one of the earliest erected buildings in the community. The William Cronce House has an oculus and decorative shingles. The Quakertown Methodist Episcopal Church, built in 1878, features an ornate 3-stage steeple. It is the tenth oldest Methodist Church in the county.
Notable people
People who were born in, residents of, or otherwise closely associated with Quakertown include:
- Hiram Deats (1810–1887), businessman, agricultural manufacturing
- Toshiko Takaezu (1922–2011), ceramic artist and painter
Gallery
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Potter/Allen House
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Henry Cliffton House
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William Cronce House