We forget today just what an impact World War One had on the lives of its participants and their families. On 22 November 2014 the Webmaster talked about Argonne Farm in Bridgewater, NJ. To view that full article, please click on this link: https://meuse-argonne.com/?p=567.
To paraphrase the story, the farm was purchased by Samuel Wishnowitz, a Polish-born immigrant who had fought in the 1st Division during WW1 and who never rose above the rank of private. He and his father bought the property some time shortly after his discharge. Samuel and his wife lived there; and they raised a son and a daughter. Samuel worked for the Somerset County Road Department; leaving his wife and son to do most of the farm work. The family also rented out much of the land to a neighbor farmer. Samuel died in 1969, but his wife, Frieda, lived in the house until early 1997. After studying real estate and construction at college, the son convinced his family to sub-divided the farm property in the early 1990s; keeping only the original house and a bit more than an acre of land. Ultimately, the sale of the property was was the veteran’s legacy to his family.
Today, the Webmaster and his wife drove past the property and found that it is now for sale. The listing price for this 4,700 square foot house with 1.15 acres of land, now situated in suburban, New Jersey, is $898,000. The original house was built around 1900(?). There have been numerous additions over the years, and the listing states that it was renovated in 2005. The Webmaster is NOT in the market for a house right now; being happy that the mortgage on his Gillette, NJ property is paid off. But he just might arrange a visit with the realtor to see this house that has captivated him since his first drive past in the early 1990s. Then again, looking at the real estate photos, very little “character” remains of the early 1900s house that Samuel Wishnow purchased.
For interested readers, here is a link to the real estate listing: https://www.realtor.com/realestateandhomes-detail/1340-Washington-Valley-Rd_Bridgewater_NJ_08807_M52783-08912.
