Time is of the Essence for the Goldman House

Background and History

The Goldman House, located in Piscataway, New Jersey, is an important historical and architectural landmark, primarily due to its association with the Stelton Colony. Established in the early 20th century, the Stelton Colony began as an outpost of the Ferrer Center, a New York City-based anarchist association. As Amanda Kolson Hurley explains in her book, Radical Suburbs: Experimental Living on the Fringes of the American City, the word anarchist had a different connotation than it may have today; it was “less a coherent, unified ideology than a spectrum of overlapping beliefs.” The Stelton Colony prioritized “voluntary cooperation (“mutual aid”) . . . and opposed centralized government and state laws in favor of small, self-governing, voluntary associations.” It attracted a diverse group of intellectuals, artists, and activists who sought to create a utopian society free from the constraints of traditional governance and economic structures.  While they worked on creating their utopian community, many still depended on their day jobs, commuting back and forth to New York City, making them very early and unusual examples of New Jersey suburban commuters.

The Goldman House was built by Sam Goldman, a “Russian Jewish painter and decorator, and his wife Gusta, who ran a small dairy business.” Architecturally, the home might best be described as vernacular architecture with accompanying folk art. It is a notable example of the experimental and often eclectic styles that characterized many of the buildings within the Stelton Colony.  The design reflects the colony's commitment to simplicity, functionality, and harmony with nature. Built with locally sourced materials, the house features an unpretentious and organic aesthetic. Its construction emphasized sustainability and self-sufficiency. These architectural choices were not only practical but also symbolized the colony's rejection of industrial excess and its embrace of a more holistic and environmentally conscious way of living.

Goldman’s personal artistic touches, inspired by “Cubism, Constructivism, Social Realism, American Regionalism, Art Nouveau, Art Deco, Surrealism, and Minimalism” (Goldman House National Register Nomination), make the property especially unique and appealing. This includes figurative and decorative bas reliefs carved into the stucco façade, eclectic sculptures, and interior details such as Cubist patterns in the windows, doors, floor, ceiling and built in furniture.

The significance of the Goldman House extends beyond its physical structure. It stands as a testament to the progressive ideals and innovative spirit of the Stelton Colony.  Although its appearance is not the Docomomo type of "Modern," it does embody the aspirations of a community that sought to challenge societal norms and experiment with new ways of living and thinking, and in that sense, it aligns closely with the impetus for the Modern Movement in architecture. It serves as a reminder of the impact of early 20th-century social movements on contemporary architectural and social practices.

Current Threat

For many years, the home was owned by the Goldmans’ son, Leo Goldman. After his passing, the home was put up for sale. Earlier this year an individual purchased the property who indicated their intent to build a new home on the property. The property size does not meet the township’s minimum requirement for multiple dwellings, so the Goldman House cannot stay on the lot if a new home is to be built. The local municipality has indicated it will not deny a demolition permit. The home is listed on the National Register of Historic Places, but that does not prevent a private owner from altering or demolishing the building. The new owner has indicated their support for finding a resolution and has been willing to give local advocates a short amount of time (perhaps several weeks) to come up with a plan to move the home.

The “Friends of the Goldman House,” a loosely organized group of local residents, some of whom are descendants of the Stelton Colony members, have been hurriedly reaching out to a variety of individuals and institutions and government officials to try to find a solution. They have gotten an estimate that it would cost roughly $10-20k to move the home and they plan to launch a crowdsourcing campaign soon. However, the question remains of where it would go. If “Plan A” of rescuing the entire building is not feasible, they are considering back up options which include saving the one heptagon-shaped portion of the house, preserving significant exterior art, salvaging what they can, and high-level documentation.

What You Can Do

Time of the essence. If you are interested, or have potential leads for relocating the building, please reach out ASAP to Sue Scara (the great-niece of Sam Goldman) at FriendsoftheGH@outlook.com.

Ideally its new use would be somehow connected to its history with the Stelton Colony, but if that is not possible, the home is ripe for an adaptive reuse project. It is a fully functioning home including 7 rooms, a bathroom, kitchen, gas/electric, air conditioning and more. Do you want a piece of history as an accessory dwelling in your backyard? Do you know of an arts or education organization whose mission might align with this effort? All ideas are being entertained at this stage.

You can also email the local New Jersey State and County elected officials to voice your support for preservation. Friends of the Goldman House are hoping that some funds will be made available from the state and/or county to support relocation and documentation.

Contact Middlesex County Commissioners

State Senator and Representatives

Senator Bob Smith SenBSmith@njleg.org 
Assemblyman Kevin P. Egan AsmEgan@njleg.org   
Assemblyman Joseph Danielson AsmDanielsen@njleg.org 

Sources

Kolson Hurley, Amanda. “Radical Suburbs: Experimental Living on the Fringes of the American City,” Amanda Kolsen Hurley

National Register Nomination

Goldman House Catalog of Features, provided by Friends of the Goldman House 

“The Modern School and the Ferrer Colony,” Graphic Arts Collection, Special Collections, Firestone Library, Princeton University. Accessed July 18, 2024.