HauntBound archive · catalog record
Reported phenomena — as catalogued
1740 Tavern and the Oldest House in Metuchen
16 Durham Avenue, Metuchen, NJ 08840
Research updated May 2026
Age
All Ages
Cost
Free
Free or low-cost during historical society open houses and seasonal events; check the Metuchen-Edison Historical Society for current schedules.
Access
Limited Access
Historic house with steps
Equipment
Photos OK
Est. 1740 · NRHP Listed (1985) · Revolutionary War Era · Oldest House in Metuchen · Colonial Tavern
The Ayers-Allen House at 16 Durham Avenue in Metuchen, New Jersey was built in 1740 by Jonathan Ayers, a descendant of Obadiah Ayers and Hannah Pike, who were among the original founders of Woodbridge in 1669. The house is the oldest standing structure in the Borough of Metuchen.
The property is also known as the Allen House Tavern, reflecting its later 18th and early 19th century use as a tavern serving travelers along this stretch of central New Jersey. Thousands of oyster shells excavated on the west side of the property are commonly cited as physical evidence of the tavern operation.
The house sits near Revolutionary War-era skirmish ground; one engagement was fought a few hundred yards away in June 1777, and local tradition holds that British and American officers met inside the tavern during the war. The Ayers-Allen House was listed on both the New Jersey Register of Historic Places and the National Register of Historic Places on September 5, 1985 for its architectural and historical significance.
The Metuchen-Edison Historical Society operates the property and hosts seasonal events including a long-running Halloween open house each October.
Sources
Stories of paranormal activity at the Ayers-Allen House date to its years as a tavern and have been preserved by the Metuchen-Edison Historical Society and visitors to the seasonal Halloween open houses. The most frequently cited tradition involves a Revolutionary War-era soldier said to appear on the staircase, sometimes described as a man who took his own life in the building.
A second long-standing story describes the figure of a woman, identified in local tradition as an innkeeper's wife, who is said to walk the rooms looking for her son. Local accounts hold that the son was taken from the family during a colonial-era incident involving conflict with Native Americans; this element of the story is part of oral tradition rather than documented record.
Visitors during the historical society's open houses sometimes report cold spots and footsteps in upstairs rooms. The house's long use as both residence and tavern, combined with its Revolutionary War context, has made it a regular stop for central New Jersey ghost-story walking tours.
Notable Entities
Visit the 1740 Ayers-Allen House during seasonal open houses hosted by the Metuchen-Edison Historical Society. The house is one of the oldest standing structures in Metuchen and includes Revolutionary War interpretive content.
View the historic 1740 exterior from the public sidewalk on Durham Avenue when the house is not open for tours.
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