Gone but Not Forgotten: Peppermint Hill

This beautiful Victorian era residence that once stood on the NE corner of Cooper and Maple was built by Doctor J. Foster Flagg circa 1877. G. G. Green's son Harry Brown Green later owned and occupied the house. At one point the property as evidenced by the map below stretched from Cooper Street to Hunter Street, before the creation of Holroyd Place. According to a hand written inscription attached to a photo (see below) from Green family collection at the Lake Hopatcong Historical Museum, the house may have been known, at least informally, as Hillcrest, but was most commonly referred to as Peppermint Hill. It sat directly across the street from G.G. Green's mansion Gray Towers, creating a pleasing view from both residences, not to mention passersby! Later on this grand building was the home of the William Stokes Bonsal Post, no. 133, America Legion and practice place for the Bonsal Blues Band.

Illustration from the 1889 Green's August Flower Almanac
showing back of Gray Towers and front of Peppermint Hill in background

Peppermint Hill on the left from 1886 Woodbury map

another view of Peppermint Hill bottom left from 1886 Woodbury map

View of Hillcrest/Peppermint Hill from porch of Gray Towers dated 1917
photo courtesy: Lake Hopatcong Historical Museum

1876 Map of Woodbury showing extent of the Flagg property

1903 Woodbury Daily Times Death Notice for Dr. Flagg

Peppermint Hill today, Lakefront condos and apartments

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Sands, R. W. (2006). Woodbury: Images of America. (p. 128). Mount Pleasant, South Carolina: Arcadia Publishing

Preservation Potentials: 42 + 44 N. Maple Street

UPDATE: SOLD

Attention: Victorian House Lovers, Steampunks, Anglophiles, and fellow appreciators of all things antique! I'm not sure old-house hunters outside the immediate area realize the unique architectural offerings this quaint city has in store. In some cases these houses will require a little creativity to restore them to their former glory, but most will have retained a large semblance of the magnificent days of English-inspired American architecture, for a fraction of the cost found in other areas.

Today's featured house is a buy one get one free special of sorts! For $100,000 you can own both sides of a circa 1880 Victorian duplex. Rent the one side and it will virtually pay for your mortgage while you live in the other half, as each side has over 2300 square feet of space. This house sits nestled inbetween immaculately maintained Victorian houses of similar style in a beautiful section of Woodbury.

The external condition of this house retains many original Victorian architectural features such as stone porch, wood trim and fretwork, brick quoins, and I believe a slate roof. It also features a nice sized yard with a view of Stewart Lake! The only catch, I suppose, is that until recently it was used a daycare center and will take some work to convert the interior of the building back into a proper home, or homes.

This lovely property will be auctioned on May 18th at 1:00 PM! It is my opinion that reviving a once grand city is a community effort that largely starts at home. Vested homeowners that value the history and heritage of their house and who treat their house as an extension of the family and not just some place to crash, can and do make a difference. Preserve the past, to better the future!