The Hightstown-East Windsor Historical Society was founded in 1971, on the initiative of the Junior Friday Club.
The Ely House
This Greek revival style house dates from ca. 1850. Three different families lived in the house before the Elys purchased it in 1917. After that, at least two generations of the Ely family lived there.
On June 21, 1974, the Society purchased this house for $40,000 to be used as its headquarters. Many of the Society members volunteered to rehabilitate the house and spent the next 5 years scraping, painting, and plastering. Several local families purchased furniture from the Huldah Ely estate for the Society to display in its new headquarters. The house was formally dedicated on June 29, 1976, but it wasn’t until the fall of 1979 that much of the work was done downstairs and ready for the open house.
The Freight Station
The freight station was built in 1869 on Railroad Avenue for the Camden & Amboy Railroad line. In 1910, the Pennsylvania Railroad purchased 6 acres of land south of Summit Street, and it was in this area that the freight station was moved and lengthened to 130 feet. The freight station was moved by locomotive to this property and sat on Summit Street near Mercer Street in 1917.
On October 3, 1990, the Society had the freight station moved from what was then the Coca Cola property (corner of Summit Street and Mercer Street), through the middle of Hightstown to the back of the Ely House property. Coca-Cola paid $40,000 to have it moved because the company needed the property on which the freight station stood.
Only the old original section of 80 feet was moved to the site. In 1991, it was put into place with a permanent foundation. The Society received a donation of $276,000 from the executors of the Sara Hutchinson West estate which allowed the first substantial construction work on the freight station to begin in April 1995. This sum of money made it possible for the Society to refurbish the freight station, build a deck, attach an enclosed exhibit area to the Ely House (the station foyer), add rest rooms and a small kitchenette, and put new wood siding on the exterior of the Ely House. It took 9 years to renovate the freight station into what has become the Society’s museum and library which is all wheel chair accessible. When all the work was completed, the freight station was dedicated and named the Sara Hutchinson West Educational Center. This celebration took place October 3, 1999.
The building is now used by children for programs, for school tours, and by several community organizations for meetings. Outside the building is an original iron railroad crossing sign refurbished for the Society by the Lions Club. Also, on the site are several “sleeper” stones, which supported the rails, upon which the famous “John Bull” engine ran.
The mission of the Hightstown-East Windsor Historic Society is to:
- Preserve and share photos, objects, publications, and the Historical Ely House.
- Educate the public about the history of Hightstown and East Windsor Township.
You can help! There are many ways to support the Society.