Official Site of The State of New Jersey

The Franklin Inn/Van Liew House is a rare example of eighteenth-century Dutch architecture on the first floor and hybrid, English/Federal style on the second and third floors. It is one of oldest historic structures in Somerset County and the only known tavern inn that was built over an early Dutch house. Cornelius Van Liew built the farmhouse around 1752. Van Liew lived and worked the farm with his wife and children until his death in 1777. In June 1777, General Charles Cornwallis commandeered the house and used it as his headquarters for five days during the Revolutionary War. After Cornelius Van Liew died, the farmstead became known as the Annie Van Liew House, named for his widow who kept up the property on her own for 45 years and by all accounts was a pillar of the community.    

It started getting used as a tavern in 1829. The nearby Delaware and Raritan Canal opened in 1834. In 1836, a second and third floor were added to the building to accommodate the canal trade, and the house began operating as a public tavern and hotel. As East Millstone grew into what would become Franklin Township, so did business at the hotel, which became known as The Franklin Inn. The Franklin Inn operated continuously for 87 years until the tavern closed in 1916 and the hotel closed soon after. From 1917 to 2009 the building was plagued by flooding and used intermittently for local businesses and retail.  

The 2024 Trust grant will help fund an update to a 2010 Historic Structures Report. Plans include a comprehensive building survey with a conditions report, revised drawings, feasibility study for lifting the house in place to mitigate flooding, code review, and an updated MEP/FP report to move all utilities to the attic.