Daniel Vail  Estate

Built circa 1870, the exterior of the building at the corner of Watchung Avenue (formerly La Grande) and 7th Street (formerly Broadway) has remained largely unchanged since its construction. It features smooth stucco siding with a block design and a Mansard roof. In the early 1870s, the property was owned by Daniel S. Vail (1873), Caroline Van Wyck (1874), and Alfred D. Cook (1875). The prominent doctors of the Hedges family, known for their contributions to medicine, made this their home until 1940, when the estate of Dr. Ellis Walton Hedges sold the property to the Social Service Center. Notably, Dr. Hedges occasionally filled in as an organist at both Grace Episcopal Church and Crescent Presbyterian Church. From 1940 into the 1970s, the property was utilized by various service organizations, including the Boy Scouts, the Red Cross, and the United Family and Children’s Society. The building, later purchased by Swain Galleries, has retained much of its original integrity both inside and out. The original kitchen of this grand home is still located in the basement, while the main floor was used for entertaining. Swain Galleries is one of Plainfield’s oldest and longest-running family-owned businesses.