Benjamin Temple House
The Temple House was built circa 1750 by Benjamin Temple, a prosperous farmer and son of one of the early settlers of the Ewing area. He was a friend and brother-in-law of John Hart, signer of the Declaration of Independence. Benjamin Temple was an ardent supporter of the Revolutionary cause. Two of his nephews, John and Nathaniel, fought in the War of Independence.
This Georgian-style house has evolved over the years with additions and modifications made by each generation who lived here. The front entrance opens into the oldest portion of the house, with four rooms (two rooms on the first floor and two rooms on the second floor) leading off the side hall and the staircase. This oldest section of the house is distinguished by the original paneled fireplace surrounds, dentil crown molding and corner cupboard.
Around 1840 an addition to the home included two more rooms downstairs and three more rooms upstairs. The house’s original stand-alone, one-story kitchen was dismantled, and it is thought the lean-to kitchen attached to the northern-most end of the house was constructed. As was the common practice in early America, more space was added to accommodate subsequent generations of the family.
