Saves Nurse's House

By Jacob Schaad Jr. DENNISVILLE In this historic vil)aK<‘ where men once built seafaring vessels, a 232-year-old house is being preserved through the industrious efforts

HISTORIC HOUSE at 2« Mato Street. Dennlaville, wai owned by Belle Carroll for 34 yean until her death In It34. She was a member of the flnt nunea* graduating claat at Philadelphia General Hospital. Member* of her family have preserved the 232-year-old house and have named It after her.

of a couple whose family has owned it since the turn of the century.. The Belle Carroll House at 26 Main Street has no elecJHcity or heat or plumbing, but its antiquity makes it a Cape May County showpiece and occasionally it serves as an emergency residence for visiting members of the family. Recently it was a stopping place on the 34th Old House tour of the county'. History records that- one portion of the house, the dining room and the upstairs bedroom, was built around 1750. The rest of the house, except for a porch that was added in 1930, was constructed before the start of the 19th century. The addition includes a living room, kitchen and two upstairs bedrooms. The first major event traced to the house was a wedding in the living room in 1800. THE CURRENT OWNERS are Catherine $tiimar and her husband, Frederick, who are formerly of Wilmington, Delaware, and now reside in Dennisville. It was Mrs. Stilmar’s aunt, Belle Carroll, who became the first owner in the current family at the start of the 20th century. Miss Carroll, among the first nurses' graduating class at Philadelphia General Hospital, lived there for<d6 years until she died in 1936 in her late 80’s. She served as a nurse companion during part of her life and at the age of 70, her sav-

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ings gone, she returned to school for refresher courses and nursed for 12 more years. The house was bequeathed to her nephew, John K. Carroll, who in turn sold it to his son, Charles Carroll from Jersey City. He sold it to Mrs. Stilmar’s husband and her late brother, Ralph Higgins, about 20 years ago. Ownership has since passed completely into the hands of Mr. and Mrs. Stilmar. They have devoted considerable time to keeping the character of the house as much as possible, considering the passing of the centuries. Much of the original cedar siding still stands. Two years ago the roof began to leak and it was replaced with newer cedar. INSIDE. MRS. STILMAR recreates the past-^ith furniture that looks like it Mlong'bd to a middle class resident of the 1800 peViod. Evidence" of her aunt is throughout the house. Her nursing cap is displayed on a table and in another room are her clothes including a chapeau that was made in France as a result of we of her trips to Europe as a nurse companion. Gone is the outhouse, but the rose lined path leading to what was the outside facility can still be seen. As a matter of fact, Miss Carroll’s interest in beautifying the grounds still is very evident as the property abounds with such attractions of nature as French whiteTilacs, a Vitex bush and in

f Photos by Doris Ward) the front of the house a Korean maple, an unusual slow growing tree that Mrs. Stilmar says is “extremely difficult to propagate.” Stilmar, a chemist for Dupont until his retirement, keeps the outside of the property in shape with his green thumb. (Green hands, perhaps, would be the more apt description.) In addition to maintaining the past, Stilmar has added to the present by planting many evergreens. NOT ONLY HISTORY buffs are attracted to the house. As they approach the front door, visitors see on the left a horde of bees clinging to the cedar siding. Mrs. Stilmar explains that bees have been attracted to the house for 30 years. It’s the honeycomb in the front wall that brings them there. Plans are being considered to tear down, the front outside wall, remove the honeycomb and replace the wall with cedar shaking again. Since the bees keep returning it is questionable whether the problem will be solved, however. Mr. and Mrs. Stilmar will continue to preserve the historical house. It is one of the oldest houses in Cape May County to be reserved. Practically speaking, they will use it as a supplementary residence for members of their family when -they visit the New Jersey shore. They have a son, Frederick Jr. of Washington, D.C. and a daughter, Dorothy Green of Charleston, S.C. and four grandchildren.

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'A^j (215)465-0174

INC.

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4/AUGUST II. IM1