The 2026 grants will support 35 projects in 20 municipalities, including construction, preservation planning, property acquisition and efforts to document sites for historic recognition.
MORRIS COUNTY, NJ — The Morris County Board of County Commissioners has approved $4.92 million in grants for 35 historic preservation projects across 20 municipalities, directing county Preservation Trust Fund revenue toward the restoration, planning, acquisition and long-term protection of historic sites.
The grants, approved Thursday night, were recommended last month by the Morris County Historic Preservation Trust Fund Review Board following its annual evaluation process. About 86 percent of the funding will support construction work at 16 projects, while the remaining funds will go toward 19 non-construction initiatives, including preservation planning, preparation of construction documents and one property acquisition.
The 2026 awards continue a county program that has provided more than $61 million to help preserve 142 historic sites since 2003. The program is funded through Morris County’s Preservation Trust Fund, which county voters supported as a mechanism for protecting historic resources.
“Morris County has now awarded more than $61 million from our Preservation Trust Fund to restore and preserve 142 historic sites since 2003, when voters overwhelmingly supported dedicating a fund to protect our important historical resources,” said Commissioner Thomas J. Mastrangelo, liaison to the Office of Planning & Preservation. “We thank the members of the Preservation Trust Fund Review Board and our Office of Planning and Preservation staff for their hard work in selecting the most worthy projects for support and providing this important benefit to county residents.”
The awards come during the 250th anniversary year of American independence, a milestone with particular relevance in Morris County because of the county’s Revolutionary War history and the role local communities have played in later periods of regional and national development.
“As Morris County celebrates the 250th Anniversary of our nation’s independence this year, we are reminded of the importance of preserving our heritage, not only because of Morris County’s deep roots in the American Revolution, but also because of the local people and places that played significant roles in our great nation’s evolution throughout history,” he added.
County officials say the Historic Preservation Trust Fund is intended not only to protect buildings, landscapes and other historic resources, but also to expand opportunities for heritage tourism, support economic activity and increase public awareness of Morris County’s historic character.
Among the projects receiving 2026 funding are Camp Jefferson in Jefferson Township, the New Jersey Merci Train boxcar in Boonton and a historic church and burial ground property in East Hanover Township.
Camp Jefferson to Receive Planning and Historic-Designation Support
Camp Jefferson, formerly known as Camp Ranger and Camp Clifton, will receive a $101,800 grant to support preparation of a preservation plan and a nomination to the National Register of Historic Places.
The property traces its history to 1926, when the Boy Rangers of Montclair and Glen Ridge purchased 33 acres and established Camp Ranger. The Boy Rangers organization was a predecessor to the Cub Scouts.
The Boys’ Club of Clifton later owned the property from 1962 to 1994, during which time it was known as Camp Clifton. The grant-funded work is expected to provide a framework for preserving the site and documenting its historic significance.
Boonton’s Merci Train Boxcar Awarded $18,560
The New Jersey Merci Train boxcar in the Town of Boonton will receive $18,560 for the completion of construction documents covering interior and exterior preservation work.
The railcar is a surviving example of a French “40 & 8” military boxcar, a type designed to carry either 40 soldiers or eight horses. It was one of 49 boxcars distributed across the United States in 1949 as part of the Merci Train, a post-World War II gesture from France recognizing American assistance provided through the Friendship Train.
According to the county’s project description, the boxcar requires steel bracing and other preservation work. The applicant is the United Railroad Historical Society of New Jersey.
East Hanover Grant Supports Historic Church Acquisition
East Hanover Township will receive a $330,000 grant connected to the acquisition of the First Presbyterian Church of Hanover and its burial ground, a property associated with the development of Hanover Village and the region’s Revolutionary-era history.
The site represents one of the early centers of settlement in Morris County. The church building, dating to 1835, includes Greek Revival architectural elements, while the broader property is significant to the cultural and historical development of the community during the 18th and 19th centuries.
East Hanover Township purchased the property in August 2025. The county grant will assist with the acquisition, and the township plans to use the property for senior community activities and municipal programming.
The three highlighted sites are among 35 projects approved through the county’s 2026 historic preservation grant cycle. Together, the awards span 20 Morris County municipalities and include both physical restoration work and preparatory projects intended to guide future preservation, document historic significance and establish plans for long-term stewardship.