A few of the houses on the 2024 Tour:

The Thomas (Jr.) and Zilpah Ludlam House, ca. 1790

The earliest part of this house was built as a farmhouse about 1790 and stood on Jake’s Landing Road a few miles north of Dennisville. In the 1970s, it was moved to its present location on Route 47 in South Dennis. Because it hadn’t been lived in for almost 60 years, the current owners spent three years restoring it before they could move in and in 2012 built a timber-framed kitchen addition in the rear. Original details include a cooking fireplace, wood wainscot walls, board and batten doors, pumpkin pine floors, and exposed ceiling joists. The Ludlam House has been featured in Early American Life magazine and Cape May magazine. Traditional Early American Christmas decorations in addition to antique decorations collected over the years will be on display. Also open will be the owner’s woodworking shop out front.

The Joseph and Sarah Falkinburg House, ca. 1805

Built about 1805, this elegant brick house has been carefully restored by the present owners after it housed the offices of the ARC of Cape May County for several decades. One of a handful of historic brick houses in the county, it is also one of the best preserved examples of the Federal style in the county, indicative of the great wealth of Joseph Falkinburg who was a large landowner and part of the business gentry. Guests will be impressed with the magnificent center stair hall and the beautifully appointed living and dining rooms which flank it, all reflecting a Victorian-era remodeling and recently restored.

Nathaniel (Jr.) and Rebecca Holmes House, ca. 1800

The earliest section of this house is the shorter part of the main block and it was built about 1800. In 1822, the taller, more formal section was built by Nathaniel Holmes Jr. and features beautifully carved mantels and a stunning staircase. Holmes was one of the county’s leaders, serving on the county’s Board of Commissioners and in the state legislature. A late 20th-century historian called him “the most influential and powerful Dennis Creek merchant, freeholder, and road builder in early 19th century Cape May County.” The wealth and influence of this man is evident in the house’s interior craftsmanship. It remained in the Holmes family until 1947.

James and Eliza Stiles House, ca. 1850

The shorter section is the oldest part of the house; it was built about 1850 of local, native cedar. It has an original fireplace and its 16’ x 18’ footprint—considered small by today’s standards—was a typical size for the time period. The two-story, taller wing was built by the present owners and is made of beams and siding taken from an old barn near Dennisville: it also has antique hardware. James Stiles (1812-1863) is listed as a laborer in several censuses.

Donation Information:

To donate to the Dennisville Historic Home Owners Association, Inc. and to support Historic Preservation efforts within the Dennisville Historic District, please mail your check to DHHOA, PO Box 311, Dennisville, NJ 08214-0311. The DHHOA is a 501(c)(3), tax exempt non-profit corporation and your donation is tax deductible. For income tax purposes, the DHHOA’s tax exempt identification # is 22-3087-061 Now Available Donations via PayPal:

"Preserve what you have-you can never replace it." Jef Buehler, Main Street New Jersey, NJDCA

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