Maj. John Burrowes Mansion

Maj. John Burrowes Mansion is a colonial-era house in Matawan built around 1720 with hand-split shingles and a distinctive gambrel roof design. The structure is now preserved as a house museum showcasing original interior spaces from that period.

The mansion was built in the 1720s and experienced a British Loyalist raid during the American Revolutionary War in 1778. Major John Burrowes Jr. managed to escape this attack, while his father John Burrowes Sr. was captured by the raiders.

The mansion embodies early colonial living standards for a wealthy merchant family and demonstrates the architectural preferences of the region before American independence. It shows how prosperous traders built their homes during that era.

The mansion sits on Main Street in Matawan and operates as a house museum with guided tours through preserved rooms. Visitors should plan ahead, as opening hours are limited and the building requires careful navigation due to its historical nature.

John Burrowes Sr., the original owner, earned the nickname Corn King because of his prosperous grain trading business in colonial times. This reputation made him one of the region's most notable merchants of his era.

Location: Matawan

Address: 94 Main Street

GPS coordinates: 40.41670,-74.22940

Latest update: December 14, 2025 18:15