The Historic Grover House at 930 West Front Street, Red Bank, NJ 07701 is the Home of
Navesink Maritime Heritage Association
NMHA obtained a 10-year lease from the owners, Middletown Township, in 2014, which has been renewed for another 10 years. Grover House has a sound exterior with new roof and sound exterior walls, but the interior is dilapidated and in need of renovations. NMHA has a planned program to provide water, sewage and utilities and then update key rooms in the house. For details and picture of the progress, go HERE.
ABOUT GROVER HOUSE
1664-1665: Settlement of the Eastern Shore of New Jersey Commences
The "land rush" to settle New Jersey started with the first English Governor of New Amsterdam, Richard Nicolls, who changed the name of New Amsterdam to New York and issued a Proclamation in the fall of 1664 to encourage settlers, both Dutch and English, to sail to New Jersey and buy land from the local Indian chiefs.
Circa 1730: Grover House, An Excellent and Rare Example of an early Monmouth County farmhouse.
On April 8, 1665, James Grover (who had emigrated from England and settled in Gravesend, Brooklyn), became one of the original Monmouth County Patentees in New Jersey when he received lot #16 in Middletown, Monmouth County, New Jersey.
His descendant, also James Grover, built the 2-story Grover House in circa 1730. The picture at right, the oldest part of the house, was built using Dutch framing techniques, and was clad in round-butt shingles, an early local building tradition. It was enlarged around 1820-1840 in keeping with the original construction method and style. The picture left above shows the house in its present location, having been moved from the Parkway Exit 109 area, its original location, to Lincroft, and finally to a Green Acres site adjacent to Stevenson Park in Middletown.
The house remained in the Grover family until the death of the last descendant, Anna Lum, in 1983, and is now located on West Front Street, Middletown. Grover House is a significant example of the few remaining early farmhouses left in Monmouth County.
In August 2014, Navesink Maritime Heritage Association signed a ten year lease with Middletown Township for the use of Grover House as its headquarters. Between 2015 and 2017 gas, water, electric and sewer were connected. From 2018 to the present, NMHA volunteers renovated the exterior and interior as can be viewed HERE.
Directions to Grover House from the Garden State Parkway southbound
Take exit 109 toward CR-520 for Red Bank/Lincroft.
Turn left onto Newman Springs Rd (CR-520). Go for 0.3 miles, moving to the left lane to turn at the light.
Turn left onto Half Mile Road. Go for 1/2 mile to stop light.
Turn left onto W Front Street. Go for 0.4 miles.
Grover House will be on the right.
Directions from GSP northbound
Take exit 109 toward CR-520 E/Red Bank/Half Mile Rd onto Half Mile Road. While on the exit ramp first go right then left to the light.
Go 1/2 mile on Half Mile Road to stop light.
Turn left onto W Front St. Go for 0.4 miles.
Grover House will be on the right.