“Mendham  Township  contains  abundant  historic  resources  including  sites,  buildings,  structures, landscape features, roads and trees that together define its character and contribute importantly to its sense  of  place,  high  quality  of  life,  and  high  property  values.  These  historic  resources  should  be protected.” (MT Master Plan, p. VII‐3 or p. 70)

“In 2009, the 1700s homestead and remaining 12 acres of Pitney Farm were purchased by the Township of Mendham from Mrs. Kathleen T. Pitney. This was funded using a combination of Morris County Open Space funds, Mendham Township Open Space funds and a bond to Mendham Township. The use of the county and township open space funds resulted in the designation of 7 acres of the property as open space  and  use  of  that  parcel  covered  by  deed  restriction  from  Morris  County.  The remaining 5 acres, which contains all of the site’s principle structures and most of the ancillary ones, has no additional restrictions on its use as a result of the purchase. Mrs. Pitney continued to reside at the farm and be responsible for its maintenance after the purchase and through the transition period (2009‐2013). . . The transfer of management responsibilities to the Township occurred following Mrs. Pitney’s death in August 2013.” (Pitney Farm Public Purpose Study Committee Report, 2014, 4) At this time, the property is not listed on either the NJ State or National Registers of Historic Places.  The 5 acre Pitney Farm Historic District parcel containing the major buildings was awarded a Certification of Eligibility for registration on the NJ State and National Registers in February 2015 from the NJ Department of Environmental Protection, Historic Preservation Office.

“Pitney  Farm  offers  a  unique  opportunity  to  celebrate  and  promote  a  strong  sense  of  place  through  a variety of community based activities that both educate and allow the sense of community to flourish and strengthen residents’ ties to each other and to their location. How we, as a community, respond to that  opportunity  and  the  decisions  we  make,  will  inevitably  impact  the  legacy  we  leave  for  future generations. The acquisition of the Pitney Farm property provides Mendham Township with the ability to  satisfy  and  enhance  a  variety  of  community  needs  while  preserving  a  location  that  exemplifies  the rich historic legacy of the community and its residents. ” (Pitney Farm Public Purpose Study Committee Report, 2014, 7)