The Historic Village at Allaire - The Carriage House

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The first Carriage House constructed at the Howell Works Company was most likely a wooden structure built about 1825 to house company vehicles, sledges, carts and carriages. By the early 1830's, however, James Allaire had expanded his empire and became involved in a major transportation network that reached as far north as Boston, MA and as far south as Charleston, SC and even into the Gulf States.

With the establishment of several local stage lines that made frequent scheduled stops at the Howell Works, including the Freehold to Lakewood line which ran along present day Monmouth County Route 547, and James Allaire's launching regular steam packet service to New York from Red Bank and Eatontown Dock, a larger carriage House was needed. In 1833 the present building was constructed, not only to serve the purpose of housing company vehicles, but also as a stage coach depot.

By 1834 the Howell Works Company had become a major transportation centre, with stage lines running from the Carriage House to Red Bank, Freehold, Eatontown Dock (now Oceanport), Lakewood and the coastal communities such as Squan Village. The Red Bank and Eatontown Dock stage lines connected to Allaire's steam packet lines to New York. By 1836 Allaire and his partners in the New York and Charleston Steam Packet Company held US Postal Service contracts and a Post Office had been established at the Howell Works Company. It was now possible to travel from the Howell Works Company to New York, Albany, Boston or even Charleston. However 1836 and 1837 would see disaster to the Allaire transportation empire with the foundering of both the steam packets William Gibbons and the Home. Subsequently, the establishment of several railroad lines in Monmouth County would adversely affect Allaire's passenger stage and cartage lines. By the time of his death in 1858, his transportation empire was gone.

Today visitors to the Historic Village at Allaire can see demonstrations of tanning, leatherworking, carriage and harness mending as well as displays of sleds, harness, work sledges and carriages including a ca 1870's Rockaway at the Carriage House, Gardener's Cottage and Mule Barn complex. The Carriage House is also, once again, the terminus for carriage rides through the Historic Village and the surrounding forests.