Business Roots: Taverns, Farms and a Distillery

Having grown up in Franklin Township, I've seen a lot of changes along Route 27 in Franklin Park and Kendall Park. What was mostly farmland has morphed into strip malls and housing. But what originally formed these two communities? What businesses sprang up along this thoroughfare in its early days?

A native American path on Franklin's border eventually became King's Highway, a well-traveled road between New York and Philadelphia, according to Images of America: Franklin Township written by William Brahms and commissioned by the Franklin Township Public Library (copyright 1997).

Six Mile Run Reformed Church, the first congregation in Franklin Township, was formed in 1710.

Six Mile Run Is Not a Race

Franklin Park, originally called Six Mile Run, formed first. In 1710, the Six Mile Run Reformed Church was established, the oldest congregation in Franklin Township. The road is also the site of Somerset County's first courthouse. The courthouse, built in 1716, burned down in 1737. After that the county seat was moved to Millstone.

Plaque commemorating the site of Somerset County's first courthouse 1716 to 1737.

Several taverns and inns were on King's Highway in Franklin Park, including Wood's Tavern and Gifford's Tavern during the American Revolution, says Brahms. By the late 19th century, Gifford's Tavern became Beekman's Hotel, which burned down in 1929. Other area businesses included Manley's Hotel, a wagon factory, blacksmith, hay scales, a wheelwright, icehouse, butcher, and a general store named Hullfish's Store. Miles Smith's whiskey distillery was located near where Ten Mile Run crosses Route 27, according to the Brahms book.

The separation between what's Franklin Park and what's Kendall Park isn't all that simple. I always thought that Kendall Park is on the east side of 27, part of South Brunswick and Middlesex County. Likewise, the west side of the road is Franklin Park because it's in Franklin Township, part of Somerset County. Earlier in the towns' histories, much of what was on the South Brunswick side was also considered Franklin Park, much like further south in Kingston, where part of the town lies in South Brunswick and part lies in Franklin Township.

Spirit of 1745

Precious little remains of the buildings that figured in the area's history.  Perhaps the oldest building is 3060 Highway 27, what's now a Barrood real estate office and law office. The house was built in 1745 and was once a tavern and inn. The building, though, is not on the register of historic landmarks because the owners added vinyl siding to the building to preserve it. 

Barrood offices in building originally constructed in 1745.

Today's Six Mile Run Church is the third structure since the congregation started. The latest replaced the building that burned down in 1879. Many of the town's early structures were eventually destroyed in fires.

In February 2009, Chauncey's Pub, considered a historic site, was accidentally demolished after an incorrect address was entered on the application to demolish the site. That building may have started as a barn on the Beekman property that survived the 1929 hotel fire, according to Brahms.

Site formerly occupied by Chauncey's Pub

The original Franklin Park Volunteer Fire Co. firehouse was itself destroyed by a fire in 1946. 

Kendall Park Constructed

Kendall Park didn't get its name until much more recently when Herbert Kendall, a builder,  a planned community of 1,500 houses between 1956 and 1961, according to the entry for Kendall Park in Wikipedia. The houses were built in three stages. The initial development was built between New Road and Sand Hill Road, the second Constable development was built south of New Road, and the last development, known as Greenbrook, was constructed last north of Sand Hill Road.

How do we honor the history of the place while being relevant to the Franklin Park and Kendall Park of today?
How about a microbrewery or whiskey distillery in the space now occupied by Stein Mart?

"This Stretch of 27" covers business on Route 27 between Finnegan's Lane and Route 518. What's your story? Email me at lkiesche@gmail.com

Liz Kiesche
Liz, a business journalist, formerly worked for Bloomberg News in Princeton and New York.