In 1900, a house stood where the tennis/pickleball courts now are on West Oak Street in Basking Ridge, NJ. This vintage photo looks east along West Oak and up the hill toward what is now Brownlee Place. On the 1873 Beers map of Somerset County, the house was shown as the property of Dr. Whitnall (Horatio Goodell Whitnall, c.1839-1920) who also owned the adjacent farm that became Oak Street School.
The “Tennis Court” house was occupied by the Tester family when it caught fire and burned down sometime before 1920. The house on the left with the balcony was owned by Harrison Wright (1877-1961).
So sad that it burned down. It looks really early 19 th century or possibly earlier?
Any clues to the houses age?
Hi Dan, Haven’t traced it back further than that 1873 map, but it definitely looks earlier.
My family and I lived in West Oak St. for 32 years and never knew any of this . Thank you so much for sharing it.