Our Mission
To preserve its buildings and grounds and to interpret its history and collect materials relating to the development of the iron industry in High Bridge, while promoting its use by the community for educational, cultural and recreational activities.
Our Members
Kelly Matos
Council Liaison
Kelly Matos joined the High Bridge Historical Committee in 2019, and became Chair in 2021. In 2024, she was elected to the High Bridge Borough Council and now serves as the Council Liaison to the Committee. She has been instrumental to the preservation efforts of High Bridge’s historical properties, especially the Solitude House Museum, which has had an amazing transformation under her leadership.
Natalie Ferry
Alternate Council Liaison
Natalie Ferry worked passionately on the revitalization and preservation efforts of High Bridge’s historic properties, and culture initiatives, while sole Council Liaison to the Historical Committee from 2018-2024. In her current role as Alternate Council Liaison, she continues her leadership with a strategic focus on preservation, fundraising, and events.
Cathy Homa-Rocchio
Committee Chair
Cathy Homa-Rocchio became an active volunteer in the Historical Committee in 2022 working on restoration at the Solitude house property. Today, Cathy is the Committee Chair focusing on preservation and events. With her background in theatre, she also makes historically correct costumes for the team.
Nancy Hunt
Committee Member
Nancy Hunt previously chaired the High Bridge Cultural and Heritage Committee before it became the High Bridge Historical Committee. She was instrumental in preserving Solitude House. She developed and ran the 275th Anniversary of Taylor-Wharton Celebration in 2017 and her efforts were acknowledged with a 2018 High Bridge Volunteer of the Year award. Today, she is the Committee’s resident “historian.”
Ellie Curtin
Committee Member
Ellie Curtin joined this Historical Committee as a member in 2024, following a year of volunteering at the historic Solitude property. She now serves as the Vice Chair and Secretary of the Committee. Along with those duties, she manages the Committee’s social media and graphic design.
Joe Brosnan
Committee Member
Joseph Brosnan joined the Historical Committee in 2025. He brings a background in engineering and planning that helps the Committee understand the historic industrial and infrastructure development of High Bridge. He is ardent about helping the Historic Committee with their events and pursuit of preserving High Bridge’s history.
Matt Curtin
Volunteer
Matt Curtin began working as a volunteer in 2022 with a focus on hands-on preservation. He became a Committee member in 2023 and was Committee Chair from 2024-2025. Today, he continues as a volunteer focusing on fundraising, preservation, events, and social media. He is the lead organizer of High Bridge’s Celebration of the 250th Anniversary of the Declaration of Independence event.
Warren Love
Volunteer
Warren Love joined the Historical Committee in 2020 and served as Vice-Chair and Treasurer through 2024. He continues his volunteering today through fundraising efforts, assisting with the restoration of Solitude House, and makes fantastic burgers for the Committee’s Father’s Day Cookout.
John Mount
Volunteer
John W. Mount is a volunteer to the High Bridge Historic Committee and has been very active in event planning and execution. He is the former President of Heritage Trail Association, a historic committee housed in the historic Van Horn House in Bridgewater, NJ. He is a Rutgers graduate, where History was one of his areas of study.