Wills Farm House c. 1724
In 1713, the West Jersey Proprietors granted their clerk, John Wills, 862 acres of land west of India Brook and north of
the Raritan River. With this grant, Wills became the first recorded landowner in the region. Although he
never lived on his land, his son, James built the area's first home here in 1724, Over the years this home has
had numerous additions and in the late 1950s was moved 1,800 feet back from Rt. 24 to its present location on Valley
View Drive. At the turn of the last century, a lady spiritualist held seances in a small rear room. Still
later, when the property was known as Knox Farm, it operated as an American Legion convalescent home for World War 1
soldiers.
Tenant House c. 1760
This house was built to house the workers at Samuel Ledell's mill. It exhibits Georgian architecture
of the late 18th and 19th centuries and retains most of its original doors and hardware. This home also has a
fieldstone foundation, original ceilings with hand-hewn beams, a first floor fireplace and two basement fireplaces.
Ledell House c. 1841
Was
designed by local architect Aaron Hudson who also designed the Phoenix house in Mendham. It was a wedding gift to Samuel
Ledell and his bride from his father, Dr. John Wick Ledell, then owner of the former Ralston estate. Architecturally,
the house is styled after the French villas of the era with its eyebrow windows, square shape and shallow pyramidal roofs.
This house has a twin on New Street in Mendham Borough.