Page 4 THE VILLADOM TIMES III • July 17, 2013 Allendale Governing body approves Fell House fund bid by John Koster Last week, the Allendale Borough Council unanimously approved a request that could draw outside funds for the restoration of the John Fell House, a colonial-era mansion on Franklin Turnpike that is now being developed as a historical center. The Concerned Citizens of Allendale, the group that saved the house and its outbuildings from the developers’ bulldozer a few years ago, asked the Allendale Council to acknowledge by a resolution that the governing body recognizes the group’s application to the Bergen County Historic Preservation Trust Fund for a grant to assist in the restoration of the house. The council voted as part of the consent agenda to recognize the John Fell House restoration project, but did not accept any financial responsibility for the work. No specific amount was cited in the CCA’s application and no one from the group spoke at the meeting. John Fell, who lived from 1721 to 1798, was a merchant and judge who became known as “a great Tory Hunter” during the turbulence of the American Revolution. Fell was captured by the British and served time in a British prison during the American Revolution. His daughter, who was married to a Tory, obtained his release. Fell was loyal to the Patriot cause and served in the Continental Congress from November 1778 to November 1780. He cast 265 votes and supported sound fiscal policies and the expansion of national authority as opposed to regional authority. He also served in the Bergen County legislature in 17821783 after leaving Congress, moved to New York City after the British evacuated the city at the end of the war, and later helped rally support for the ratification of the U.S. Constitution. He died in somewhat reduced circumstances, but not in poverty. “Fell was a steadfast patriot of his state and the new nation, for which he suffered economically and physically, and in spite of his best efforts has been forgotten by most Americans,” Eugene R. Fingerhut wrote in American National Biography. After several changes of ownership, the John Fell House had also become somewhat obscure, and was targeted for demolition to make room for an expansion of a housing development until the CCA rallied support, raised funds, and taught students in the K-8 Allendale schools about who Fell was and why he and his home are worth remembering. CCA also hired an attorney, George Cotz, who discovered and proved to the satisfaction of the Allendale Planning Board that notification of the principals of the housing development had not been properly performed, as provided in the original charter. The Allendale Planning Board then dismissed the application that would have permitted cluster housing. The developers, a consortium based in Fort Lee, first filed and then dropped an appeal of the decision. The John Fell House, located at 475 Franklin Avenue in Allendale, will host several events over the coming months. John Fell House Summer Nights will be held at the Allendale Bar & Grill on July 22 and Aug. 26. Members of the community are invited to enjoy a meal with friends and family at AB&G, and a generous percentage of the proceeds will be donated to the John Fell House. The John Fell House will host “A Midsummer Night’s Dream” on Aug. 10. The Saddle River Youth Theater will perform on the Great Lawn at 2 p.m. and 6:30 p.m. Tickets are $14 each for general admission. There will be limited chair seating available. Those who plan to attend are encouraged to bring chairs or blankets and enjoy a little Shakespeare right in Allendale. For tickets, contact the SRYT at (201) 825-8805 or srytheater@aol.com. The next John Fell House Afternoon Tea will be held Sept. 10th from noon to 2:30 p.m. All Afternoon Teas are held in the historic John Fell House in the tradition of Lady Anna Maria Russell Stanhope, Duchess of Bedford. The Duchess, a life-long friend of Queen Victo- Community activities planned ria, is credited with evolving the Afternoon Tea from a simple meal to the social event of the day. The September tea will include a luncheon of tea sandwich towers and scones with clotted cream and preserves, and a decadent dessert all prepared by the Passport Café of West Milford. To RSVP, contact Theresa Salameno at (201) 825-2840 or Linda Schropp at lschropp@optonline.net. A check for $45 made out to Concerned Citizens of Allendale will hold a reservation and is non-refundable. Additional upcoming dates include Oct. 5 and the Annual Holiday Tea on Dec. 6, when the Fell House will be beautifully decorated for the holidays. The John Fell House is owned, operated, and maintained by the Concerned Citizens of Allendale, a 501c3 non-profit dedicated to the preservation of the John Fell House as a self-sustaining community center through grants, fundraisers, and private donations. For more information about these events, or anything related to the John Fell House and the CCA, e-mail Susanne Lovisolo at TheFellHouse@gmail.com.