Constructed circa 1855 by Irish miners named James and Thomas Maloney, the Bridget Smith House is a fine example of a mid-nineteenth-century, two-family iron miner’s house located in present-day Mine Hill Township—a section of Randolph Township known as “Irishtown” at the time of construction. This area contained some of the richest sources of iron ore in the state and had the first iron mine registered in New Jersey in 1713.  

In 1879, the house was sold to Bridget Smith, a miner’s widow; she resided in one side of the house and rented the other to another widow. The descendants of Bridget Smith deeded the house to the Township in 1993 with the purpose of interpreting the History of Mine Hill during the occupancy of Bridget Smith.  

The 2023 Trust grant will help fund the interior and exterior restoration of the house, including adding a barrier-free accessible ramp and parking.

The 1995 grant helped fund the stabilization and restoration of the house exterior, which houses displays that interpret local history and feature photos and artifacts relating to the iron mining industry. Volunteer members of the Ferromonte Historical Society of Mine Hill coordinate restoration efforts, collections, and tours.

For more information, visit: http://ferromonte.org/