National Register of Historic Places

Hankinson-Moreau-Covenhoven House

Freehold, Monmouth County, New Jersey
Listed
April 30, 1974
Type
Building
Period
Industrial
Ref No.
74001175

About this property

Covenhoven House, also known as General Clinton's Headquarters, is located at 150 West Main Street in Freehold Borough of Monmouth County, New Jersey, United States. The house was built around 1752–1753 by William and Elizabeth Covenhoven. The builder of the historic Old Tennent Church was retained for the job, and began work right after the completion of the church. In 1778, General Henry Clinton occupied this house as his headquarters from June 26 to the morning of June 28, prior to the Battle of Monmouth that day. Clinton chose the house because it was clearly the finest home in the area. When he arrived there, he realized that Mrs. Covenhoven had already prepared for their visit. The house was devoid of the fine furnishings one would expect in such a home. The valuables had been hidden away in the woods, and the silver and china had been buried in the yard under some rose bushes. Clinton convinced Mrs. Covenhoven that her fine things would not be safe in the woods. If she returned them to the home, he said, they would be under the protection of the British army. She finally acquiesced, and the hidden wagon load was brought back to the house. According to a complaint she filed with the courthouse, she stated that once the wagon arrived, she was not allowed to bring anything inside the home. By morning, the entire wagon had been thoroughly ransacked, and virtually everything was pilfered except for a few insignificant items. One small act of mercy from Clinton was that he refrained from destroying the home; unlike the army, which had burned down several homes in the immediate area. Covenhoven House, listed as the Hankinson–Moreau–Covenhoven House, was added to the National Register of Historic Places on May 1, 1974, for its significance in architecture, art, and military history. The house is one of several houses owned and operated as a historic house museum by the Monmouth County Historical Association.

Location

150 W. Main St.
Freehold, Monmouth County, New Jersey
40.25193, -74.28811

Categories

ARTMILITARYARCHITECTURE
Sources

Property data from the National Register of Historic Places, National Park Service (public domain).

Description adapted from Wikipedia under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International License.

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Nearby Historic Sites

St. Peter's Episcopal Church
Industrial
0.8 mi
Walker-Combs-Hartshorne Farmstead
Industrial
1 mi
Church Street School
Industrial
1 mi
Court Street School
Industrial
1 mi
Taylor, George, House
Industrial
1.6 mi

Nearby Battles

Battle of Monmouth
1778Revolutionary War
1.1 mi
Battle of Freehold (Monmouth Second Phase)
1778Revolutionary War
2 mi
Battle of Monmouth Jun 28 1778
1778Revolutionary War
2 mi
Battle of Monmouth (approach actions, 1778)
1778Revolutionary War
2.4 mi
Battle of Monmouth Courthouse
1778Revolutionary War
2.5 mi

Questions about this property

When was Hankinson-Moreau-Covenhoven House listed on the National Register?

Hankinson-Moreau-Covenhoven House was listed on the National Register of Historic Places on April 30, 1974.

What type of historic resource is Hankinson-Moreau-Covenhoven House?

Hankinson-Moreau-Covenhoven House is classified as a building in the National Register of Historic Places.

What is the period of significance for Hankinson-Moreau-Covenhoven House?

The period of significance for Hankinson-Moreau-Covenhoven House is recorded as the industrial era.

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