The Red Brick Schoolhouse Museum was restored with more than $305,000 from the Morris County Historic Preservation Trust Fund.
MORRIS COUNTY, NJ – Morris County officials announced May 8, 2026, that restoration work has been completed at the historic Mount Vernon School, also known as the Red Brick Schoolhouse Museum, in Chatham Township. The project was supported by more than $305,000 through the Morris County Historic Preservation Trust Fund, according to the county.
The circa-1860 building was originally used as a local school and Sunday school until 1928. It later housed community organizations and Chatham Township Hall before being repurposed as a local history museum.
Morris County Commissioner Director Stephen Shaw recently visited the site to present a county historic preservation plaque to Chatham Township Mayor Jen Rowland and the Chatham Township Historical Society, marking completion of the multi-year restoration project. The visit followed Morris County’s annual Pathways of History weekend, held May 2 and 3, when the museum welcomed visitors from across the region.
“Preserving our history is always a priority in Morris County, and this year it carries even greater significance as we celebrate America’s 250th anniversary,” said Director Shaw. “The Mount Vernon School is a wonderful example of the historic places we are proud to protect for future generations.”
Since 2019, county historic preservation grants totaling $305,450 have supported a National Register nomination, a preservation plan, construction documents and exterior restoration work at the site. The county said the 2022 and 2023 grants helped fund repairs to deteriorated brick and mortar, reconstruction of the northwest vestibule corner, restoration of stone window lintels and sills, and installation of interior storm windows.
Mayor Rowland said the schoolhouse remains an important local site for residents and students.
“We’re so grateful for all the support and all the funding. The Red Brick Schoolhouse is a beloved site in town — not only because it holds so much history for us and our residents — but it is the destination for field trips for our students. This is a field trip that they remember and they continue to come back with their grandparents and parents,” said Mayor Rowland.
Martha Wells, president of the Chatham Township Historical Society, said the county helped support the project from planning through restoration.
“Morris County has been with us since the beginning of the process. From the preservation plan and National Register nomination to the construction documents and restoration work, we could not have completed this project without the county’s support,” said Wells.
The county said the project is part of a broader preservation program. Since 2003, the Morris County Board of County Commissioners has approved more than $56 million in Historic Preservation Trust Fund grants to help preserve and restore 136 historic sites across the county.
As part of the county’s commemoration of America’s 250th anniversary, the Chatham Township Historical Society also featured the RevolutionNJ “Revolutionary Lives” exhibit during Pathways of History weekend.