• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar
  • Skip to footer

Preservation New Jersey

Promoting the economic vitality, sustainability, and heritage of New Jersey’s diverse communities through advocacy and education.

  • About
    • About Us
    • Board of Directors
    • Staff
  • Programs
    • Building Industry Network
      • BIN Resource Directory
      • Renew/Join
    • Educational Programs
    • 10 Most Endangered
    • Awards Celebration
    • Annual Meeting
      • 2020 Annual Meeting Recap
    • 1867 Sanctuary
  • 10 Most
    • About the 10 Most Endangered Places
      • Nominate an Endangered Place
    • 2022
    • 2021
    • 25th Anniversary
    • 2020
    • 2015 – 2019
      • 2019
      • 2018
      • 2017
      • 2016
      • 2015
    • 2010-2014
      • 2014
      • 2013
      • 2012
      • 2011
      • 2010
    • 2005-2009
      • 2009
      • 2008
      • 2007
      • 2006
      • 2005
    • 2000-2004
      • 2004
      • 2003
      • 2002
      • 2001
      • 2000
    • 1995-1999
      • 1999
      • 1998
      • 1997
      • 1996
      • 1995
  • News
    • PNJ Newsletter
    • PNJ in the News
    • Advocacy
      • Historic Tax Credits
    • Events
  • Support Us
    • Membership
      • Individual
      • Business/Organization
    • Donate
    • PNJ Supporters
    • Volunteer
  • Contact

Captain William Tyson House

May 17, 2018 by

Year Listed: 2018
Status: Endangered
City: Township of Rochelle Park
County: Bergen

Additional Features:

 

 

Captain William Tyson House

The Captain William Tyson House is a boldly detailed two-and-one-half-story home built about 1863-64 and is one of the most elaborate of Bergen County’s few remaining grand Italianate houses. Tyson was a captain of sailing ships, who became a ship chandler in New York City. He and his family resided at this country home after 1864. The house was purchased by the Township of Rochelle Park in 2015 and was issued a Certificate of Eligibility for listing on the New Jersey Register of Historic Places in the same year. Since that time, the Rochelle Park Township Committee has changed in composition, and the current majority wants to sell or tear down the structure. The Rochelle Park Historical Society, who has been assisting with upkeep and has interest in offering public programs at the house, is attempting to forestall either of these actions by the Township Committee.

Highlighting the entrance of the home is a porch of robust design with grouped columns, heavy cornice, and balustrade. It is distinguished by further markers of the Italianate style – cube-like shape; tall, narrow windows; and a rooftop cupola. Paired scroll brackets separate the small attic windows. Strong central accents are provided by the ornate entrance porch with its arched spandrels and heavy detailing, the richly treated center bay of the second story and the central cupola. Entering this house today is like taking a step back in time. The interior is amazingly unaltered. It features natural gas brass chandeliers, a grand staircase in the entrance foyer, carved marble mantels unique to each room, large pier infinity mirrors, floor-to-ceiling windows to let in natural light, elaborate, decorative plaster, and original gas sconces.

Although the original clapboard siding of the house was covered with synthetic shingles in the 1950s, this outstanding two-and-one-half-story frame house retains much of its mid-nineteenth-century grandeur. The house is in good shape structurally; however, the ceilings in several rooms were badly damaged by a leaking roof. This grand Italianate house is now a rarity in Northern New Jersey and should be saved.

To date, the Township has repaired the roof, replaced the heating system, and painted the exterior and the garage. The Rochelle Park Mayor and Township Committee received a 2015 Bergen County Historic Preservation Award for “Preservation of a Structure, Object or Site,” and were commended for their commitment to historic preservation. These previous efforts are now at risk under the current administration. The Captain William Tyson House highlights the threat faced by countless municipally-owned historic properties that must weather changing administrations and shifting political whims. PNJ urges the Township to continue their efforts to preserve the building and live up to the precedent they set for themselves in recent years.

Captain William Tyson House
Captain William Tyson House

 

 

 

 

 

 

Contact:
Guy Cirello
Rochelle Park Historical Society
201.747.5333
gcirello(at)aol.com

Primary Sidebar

Footer

STAY UP TO DATE

Sign up to receive free updates.

  • Facebook
  • Flickr
  • Instagram
  • LinkedIn
  • Twitter

Search Our Site!

Tags

10 most 10Most 2021 Accessibility AIA Annual Meeting Architectural Details architecture Awards Brick Camden Cape May celebration Cumberland docomomo events Exterior Envelope Façade Restoration Gala historic Historic Sites Council HTC Hudson Masonry meeting modern Morris Murphy new jersey news Passaic Preservation preservation awards roebling Roofing Slate Structural Repair Sustainability Sustainable Construction tour Traditional Construction trenton Warren Wood Woodstown
  • About Us
  • Membership
  • Volunteer
  • Contact Us

Web Designer © 2023 Preservation New Jersey