On September 25, 1827 Josiah Curtis Havens purchased from Samuel Alen 50 acres of land on the Road to Freehold later to be called Herbertsville - Point Pleasant Road. The purchase included a 15 x 14 foot one room cabin with a loft.
 

Curtis was a farmer, fish peddler and inn keeper. In 1846, Curtis built a two story five room addition to his home; in that same year he obtained a license to operate an inn there.

In 1882, Curtis' son Joseph took over ownership of the family homestead. Joe, known as "Mason Joe", was a farmer, a mason and a dairyman. He added electricity to the homestead in the 1920's. Joe and his wife Elizabeth had six children. Their youngest child, Oliver "Olie" was the next owner of the homestead.

Olie, a farmer and carpenter, took over the homestead in 1937. Olie installed plumbing in the 1950's. He and his wife Lucinda had two children, Blanche and Elmer.

In 1975, Olie deeded the homestead to his son Elmer and his wife Gertrude "May" Green. Olie continued to live in it until his death in 1986. The homestead had remained in the Havens family for 166 years when in 1993 Elmer and May donated the family homestead to the Brick Township Historical Society, Inc., a non-profit corporation for use as a museum. The Brick township Historical restored the building and opened it as a house museum in 1997.

In 2000. the c.1800 Lizzie Herbert House was moved to the Homestead property and is operated as a museum store.