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Lewis W. Packer House
Built 1800
525 Franklin Avenue, Block 2413, Lot 1-B
Franklin Lakes, NJ 07417

The Lewis W. Packer is important in the architectural history of Franklin Lakes as a well-preserved and little altered example of early to mid 19th century plain Vernacular farmhouse. The house is located along one of the oldest thoroughfares through the Borough close to the Wyckoff border and a significant remnant of the 19th century farmsteads which once dotted the landscape prior to the recent suburban housing boom. The main block of the house was constructed c. 1850 while the west wing possibly was constructed in the early 19th century. The Lewis W. Packer House possibly has register eligibility.

History:

The exterior of the Vernacular style house is clapboard; it has a single bay entrance porch with gable roof and square posts.  A double rectangular entrance door with glazed tops, rectangular transom and paneled door surrounds, and semi-circular headed windows in the gable ends. Furthermore, there is a 2-bay entrance porch with a rectangular Dutch door and square posts.  The former brackets are missing.

A rectangular well is located 15 feet from the south west side of the house. A small rubble retaining wall lines the front property line and the driveway. The gravel driveway leads to a detached 2 car garage located on the north west side of the house.

More research is recommended to determine the exact building date and Construction chronology of this house.

Currently, the house is privately owned and occupied.

The map references are: 

  1. Hopkins Wall Map (1861) Packer
  2. Walker’s Atlas (1876) Lewis W. Packer
  3. Bromley’s Atlas (1913) L. W. Packer