An oasis away from the city 

The Levi Cory House was built circa 1818. Prior to its move to its current location in Constitution Plaza, the Levi Cory House was most recently the home of Patterson Interiors, preceded by Barrett & Crain Realtors.

The property was originally owned by the Miller & Cory families who were prominent members of the “Westfields” of the Elizabethtown and Mountainside communities. Levi Cory once owned the house and rented it to the founders of the “Children’s Country Home” as a summer retreat for inner city children. This was the beginning of what is now the Children’s Specialized Hospital located in Mountainside, New Jersey.

The Mountainside Restoration Committee, Inc. saved the historically significant home from destruction by raising enough funds to have the home moved to its current location on November 2, 2013. The Borough of Mountainside provided borough-owned property located in Constitution Plaza between the Mountainside Fire Department and the Mountainside Public Library to situate the Levi Cory House. Both the Deacon Andrew Hetfield House and Levi Cory House are located in the plaza.

After its move on November 2, 2013, the house was finally situated on its permanent lot on November 9, 2013. By September 5th, 2014, a foundation and 4-foot crawl space were completed. The house was then lowered onto its new foundation and soil was backfilled around the house.

Additional restoration work has included replacing two chimneys, a new roof, removal of the “modern add-on” bow window, addition of cedar siding where window was, addition of staircase to access basement crawlspace, floor repairs/refinishing in needed areas, interior and exterior painting, heat and electricity.

Future restoration plans include additional interior repairs and painting, rebuilding the original exterior porches, and the running of other utilities, including water, gas and sewer to the house.

What’s inside

The Levi Cory House currently houses The Village Shop on the first floor of the restored building. The shop was established as a resale business to raise funds for the preservation and restoration of the Hetfield and Levi Cory Houses. Hours of operation and donation days can be found on the Calendar of Events page.

Upstairs, the home serves as a Children’s Museum, which includes a play area, a school room and a bedroom. Historical items donated by members of the community or found when excavating local properties are on display. Throughout the home plaques are displayed that identify the room and the donors who made restoration possible.

The preservation of the Levi Cory House was a significant undertaking for The Mountainside Restoration Committee. Significant time, effort, and resources were required to research, analyze, plan, secure financing for, and ultimately move the Levi Cory House to its new home in Constitution Plaza. The Committee had done it before; in 1985 the Deacon Andrew Hetfield House had been moved from its original location, on what is now U.S. Route 22, to Constitution Plaza as well. “Saving the Levi Cory House” is a document created by The Mountainside Restoration Committee to give the community a look into what it takes to preserve a historical home and successfully save it from destruction.

In preparation for the actual move of The Levi Cory House, excavation work was completed in September 2013. Watch this video to learn more about what went into this preparatory phase leading up to the big day, as explained by Mountainside Restoration Committee Chairman, Scott Daniels.

The physical movement of the Levi Cory House from its original location on the corner of Mountain Avenue and New Providence Road was a sight to behold! After years of planning by The Mountainside Restoration Committee, members of the Mountainside Borough, the owner of the property, the police and fire departments, the excavation company and numerous utility companies, the house was successfully moved to its current location on November 2, 2013. Traffic on U.S. Route 22 came to a halt as the house slowly made its way to its final resting spot in Constitution Plaza. Community members came out in large numbers to witness this historical event, as it was truly a once in a lifetime event for many. If you couldn’t be there in person this video is the next best thing!