Tucked among homes and businesses on Flemington’s Main Street sits the Doric House. Built in 1845 by Mahlon Fisher, the Greek Revival structure has served many roles: Fisher’s home, Odd Fellows headquarters, a restaurant—where the Doric House got its name—and a Methodist Church School. In 1970, the building was acquired by Hunterdon County Historical Society and now serves as a museum and library, offering a glimpse into Flemington’s architectural history.
For the past five years, Janice Armstrong has served as the President of the Board of Trustees for the Hunterdon County Historical Society. Intersecting her passion for both history and architecture, the Hunterdon County native emphasizes the importance of preserving buildings such as the Doric House.
Among others in Flemington, the Doric House stands out for its Doric order columns out front, a clear display of Mahlon Fisher’s intention to build in the style of Greek Revival. Janice points out that the bright yellow paint and massive columns out front are not the only characteristics that make the 19th century work unique.
“It's impressive because of the huge, huge columns, and also it's set back from the street,” Armstrong says. “Today, most of the buildings are closer to the sidewalk. It's set way back, and people do stop and look.”
While transforming the building into the museum it is today, the Hunterdon County Historical Society worked to preserve not only the exterior, but also the interior.
“Inside a beautiful sort of…curved staircase,” Armstrong explains. “It's got [a] black marble fireplace with flecks of gold in the marble, cherry doors that are still there—really thick, thick doors, and we've had it painted the way it was supposedly painted inside, which was gold leaf in the main room, in the parlor.”
The Hunterdon County Historical Society is proud of the variety of Flemington’s architecture. Beyond the Doric House, Janice explains how the buildings tell the story of over two centuries of developing styles.
“In Flemington, you can see all kinds of architecture, mostly after the 1850s to the early 1900s,” she says. “Downtown has Italianates and Queen Annes and architecture styles like that from the 1880s or so. Then you go a couple blocks out of the center of town, and you see four squares and houses built in the early 1900s: Cape Cods and little craftsman style. Then on the edge are the ones built, probably in the 50s. So you really can get an idea of architecture styles through almost 200 years.”
Erected decades before Flemington would come to be recognized as a town, the Doric House exists alongside a variety of buildings that explain how the town came together. Sitting at 114 Main Street, this centrally located museum and library is worth a visit.
For more information on the Doric House and its history, visit hunterdonhistory.org/facilities/doric-house.