The Metlar/Bodine House is an historical home and museum in Piscataway, New Jersey. It is also believed to be haunted. In 2003 a fire badly damaged the house. It is now closed to be repaired.
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In the early 1700s Raritan Landing, New Jersey had 70 homes belonging to Dutch merchants. In 1728 Peter Bodine, who owned a storehouse, built a two story house near the Raritan River. In 1733 he sold his house to Hendrick Lane (?-1761). After Lane's death in 1761 this widow, Margaret lived in the house, but in 1780 she sold the property to William French, the son of a sea captain. Isaac Lawrence bought the house from French in 1814. In 1840 William Phillips was the owner and he added an addition to the house. In 1853 Samuel Knapp purchased the house and 220 acres (0.89 km2) of the property, and he may have added a second addition to the house around 1870.
In the 1890s, the house was owned by George Metlar, of New Brunswick, New Jersey . He used it to house his property manager, John Mason. Metlar's son John moved to the home with his wife in 1904 and shared it with the Mason. In 1914 John Metler inherited the property. John sold some of the land and in 1955 sold the house and the remaining 0.73 acres (3,000 m2) to John P. Newton.
In 1977 the state of New Jersey purchased the property. They planned to use the property for the New Jersey Route 18 bridge to cross the Raritan River from New Brunswick, New Jersey to Piscataway, New Jersey. It is now owned by the New Jersey Department of Transportation.
On July 17, 2003, a fire damaged the house.[1]
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