| The Nitschke House is one of Kenilworth's original clapboard, wood-frame farmhouses and represents the architectural style typical of homes built in the area in the 1800's. The house has significant ties to local heritage, having belonged to one of Kenilworth's early pioneers, the late councilman and three-term mayor Oswald J. Nitschke, who played a prominent role in the initial development of the community. Nitschke served as a councilman within the Borough's first governing body and as mayor for the terms 1919-1921, 1928-1929, 1932-1933. He advocated the 1907 incorporation of Kenilworth and was primarily responsible for development of the Borough's unique 120-foot wide Boulevard and its extension through the Union County Park System. The Kenilworth Historical Society, which in 2003 moved the Nitschke House to its present site to save it from demolition due commercial development, is currently engaged in a project to restore the home and transform it into a "living museum" and cultural arts center. The planned Nitschke House Museum and Cultural Arts Center will bring local and New Jersey history to adults and children utilizing the rich resources of this historic site. The center will provide a venue for a range of year-round educational and cultural enrichment programs for people of all ages and backgrounds. |
