Answers to Some Frequently Asked Questions

Q: How old is the Luke Miller house and who built it?

A: Nobody knows for sure since deeds were not recorded at the time the
     house was built. However, the generally accepted belief is that it was
     built circa 1730. The first Miller family member to live in the house was
     Josiah, who arrived from Long Island between 1750-59; Josiah’s father,
     Andrew III, had purchased the surrounding 56+ acres of land that became
     known as “Miller’s Station” from an Englishman, David Burnet, who bought
     it from the Indians. It is not known if the house existed at the time Andrew
     Miller bought the land or if his son or a previous property owner (i.e., David
     Burnet) built it. Andrew himself never lived in the house, and there’s
     evidence of at least 2 owners of the property prior to Andrew Miller owning it.

Q: What is the architectural style of The Luke Miller House?

A: It is a vernacular 18th century banked house with a 5 bay symmetrical
     main facade.

Q: Have you found any artifacts or other really old things in the house?

A: There are many original 18th century features in the house, which are
     artifacts in their own right. However, no loose items, such as coins or
     other objects, have been found. The Madison Historical Society, in
     conjunction with Dr. Ian Burrow from Hunter Research and The Museum
     of Early Trades and Crafts, conducted an archaeological dig in and around
     the forge and privy in 2008 that unearthed many artifacts related to
     blacksmithing and daily life. Please see the Archaeological Research link
     to read more about the dig.
           
Q: Why is the Luke Miller House historically important?

A: The Luke Miller House is the oldest (or one of the oldest) houses in
     Madison (formerly “Bottle Hill”), NJ. This pre-Revolutionary War
     homestead contains a remarkable number of original, early colonial
     architectural features that are typically lost over time. Some of these
     features include the wide plank wood floors, hand hewn ceiling beams,
     fireplaces and mantels, a Dutch oven, hand forged iron hinges and
     door latches, plaster and lath interior walls, and exposed stone and
     brick walls.

     Other historical features include the original dark red paint on a dining
     room door leading to the “Washington’s Rock” room; this “paint” was
     made from a concoction of cranberry juice and sour cream and is one of
     the earliest known examples of paint-making in NJ. The “cat door” at
     the top of the stairs leading from the 1st floor to the 2nd may be the
     earliest “pet friendly” door in the state. The northwest corner on the 1st
     floor of the house served as the Hanover town jail during the
     Revolution and markings from the chains that may have held British
     and Hessian prisoners can still be seen. The blacksmith forge on the
     north side of the property produced metal items for the
     Continental army, and Washington’s is said to have had his horse
     reshod there. Miller’s Station may also be the only residence in the state
     with an authentic “Indian raid” escape tunnel, extending 60 feet under
     ground from the home’s root cellar to the southeast corner of the forge.

     The 2nd (known) owner/occupant of the house, Luke Miller, enlisted as
     a Private in the Morris County militia in 1776. He rose to the rank of
     Major after fighting English, Hessians, and Indians throughout NJ and
     upstate NY, so past ownership by a Revolutionary War veteran adds
     importance.

     Washington is said to have visited the Miller house and forge many
     times during the war. Visits occurred while troops were encamped
     nearby in Loantaka Valley during the Winter of 1777, and while
     Washington was headquartered in Morristown from 1779-80. On one
     occasion (May, 1780), Washington is said to have been accompanied by
     the important colonial ally and supporter, the Marquis de Lafayette.

     General Washington’s visits to the Miller house were likely due to the
     home’s location; it was midway between Washington’s headquarters in
     Morristown and the Chatham and Short Hills outposts, and it was also
     near General “Mad Anthony” Wayne’s headquarters at the Sayre house
     just a short distance down Ridgedale Avenue. In addition, the Miller’s
     had a blacksmith forge, farms, and a cider house, making their home a
     well supplied and hospitable rest stop in what was very rural territory.

Q: Is there really a secret "Indian Raid Tunnel" between the house and the
     forge?

A: Yes. Please see The Tunnel link for more information.

Q: Can I go into the secret “Indian Raid Tunnel” or see the tunnel
     entrances?

A: No, it’s not possible at this time, but perhaps in the near future you can.
     Information on research that was conducted in and around the tunnel is
     available through the In The News link on this site.

Q: Did George Washington really visit the Luke Miller house, and did he
     leave anything behind?

A: “Yes” to the first part of the question, and “sort of” to the second part.
     Washington is said to have visited the Miller house & forge many times
     between 1779-80, and on one occasion (May, 1780) was accompanied by
     the important colonial ally and supporter, the Marquis de Lafayette.
     General Washington’s visits to the Miller house were likely due to the
     home’s location; it was midway between Washington’s headquarters in
     Morristown and the Chatham and Short Hills outposts, and it was also
     near General “Mad Anthony” Wayne’s headquarters at the Sayre house
     just a short distance down Ridgedale Avenue. In addition, the Miller’s
     had a blacksmith forge, farms, and a cider house, making their home a
     well supplied and hospitable rest stop in what was very rural territory.

     Books, newspapers, and local lore document that Washington had his
     horse reshod at the Miller forge. He is said to have drawn his own
     water from the Miller’s well (despite protests from those who were
     accompanying him), which “he drank without spilling a drop” on his
     clothing. Washington is said to have socialized and discussed the war
     with other “distinguished men” at the Miller house. He is also said to
     have written 2 letters while visiting the home at a table situated on the
     northeast side of the house in what today is the 2nd floor living room.

     It is said there was a “Washington’s chair” in the house, which was         
     the future president’s seat of honor when he visited the Miller home.
     Strangely, none of the chairs listed among the contents of Luke Miller’s
     estate are mentioned as such, and its present disposition is a mystery.
     To compensate for the “loss,” 2 fine reproduction 18th century wooden
     Windsor armchairs were acquired in 2006. These chairs sit at opposite
     ends of the rustic 1st floor keeping room and each bears a pewter name
     plaque; one reads “Washington’s Chair” and the other “Lafayette’s
     Chair” to memorialize the 2 famous guests. There is a “V” for “Victory”
     in the keeping room’s fireplace mantle that is said to have been inlaid
     during the Revolutionary War (it’s actually a trammel inset). Finally,
     there is a large boulder, commonly known as “Washington’s Rock,”
     exposed in one of the ground floor rooms. Washington is said to have
     sat upon this rock when he visited the house, and so perhaps this rock
     and the lost “Washington’s Chair” are actually one and the same.   
 
Q: Is the Luke Miller House haunted?

A: There have been sightings of a lady in a beautiful white dress in or
     outside the 1st floor keeping room. There have also been repeated
     encounters with an entity inside the forge, and most recently, the
     apparition of a happy Indian in his 70s wearing a red and brown jacket.

Q: Why is there a British flag displayed in front of the Luke Miller house?

A: The flag on the pole in front of the house is the first (unofficial) flag of
     the United States, directly preceding the first official flag in 1776 (that
     being the Betsy Ross flag, which hangs from the garage). The flag on
     the pole in front of the house is not the current “Union Jack” flag of the
     United Kingdom, which represents the union of Northern Ireland and
     Great Britain, dating from January 1, 1801 (see images below). The flag
     displayed in front of the Miller house is the Original Union Flag, dating
     from April 12, 1606, representing the regal union of  the kingdoms of
     England (including Wales) and Scotland (Ireland’s red Cross of Saint
     Patrick was added in the 1801 “Current Union Flag,” or “Union Jack”).
     The Original Union Flag, also known as the Kings Colors, flew over
     Jamestown, Virginia in the 17th and 18th centuries and throughout the
     13 Colonies up until the end of the Revolutionary War. If a flag had
      been flown at the Miller house at the time it was built circa 1730, it
      would have likely been the Kings Colors, so that’s why it is displayed.