HISTORIC PRESERVATION
Environmental Impact Studies:
Raritan Water Power Canal, Raritan Borough, New Jersey: conducted Phase II-level historical research and documentation to assist in determining the eligibility of the Raritan Water Power Canal for listing on the National Register of Historic Places. The Raritan Water Power Canal, constructed during the early 1840s, is a three-mile long raceway system that was utilized by various water-powered industries in Raritan, New Jersey throughout the 19th century. Raritan was one of three locations in New Jersey chosen by the Society for Establishing Useful Manufactures for the purpose of establishing a water-powered manufacturing-based city during the late 18th century. The other two locations were located within Trenton and Paterson. This documentary research was completed under contract to Richard Grubb and Associates, Inc. of Cranbury, New Jersey. The Raritan Water Power Canal was determined to be eligible for the National Register.
New Bedford Scallopers and Draggers, New Bedford, Massachusetts: conducted Phase II-level historical research and documentation to assist in determining the National Register eligibility of five circa 1945 eastern-rigged wooden-hulled fishing vessels formerly part of the extensive fishing fleet of New Bedford. This project was conducted under contract with Dolan Research, Inc. of Newtown Square, Pennsylvania.
John Ralston Union School House Forge Site, Mendham Township, Morris County, New Jersey: conducted detailed historical research in advance of the proposed replacement of the Mosele Road Bridge over the North Branch. Documentary evidence showed that during the early 1790s Ralston operated an iron forge within the vicinity of the crossing. John Ralston, who immigrated from Ireland, originally settled in Philadelphia where he became a merchant by trade. By the mid-1780s, he removed from the city and settled within the small community of Roxiticus. From the mid-1780s until his death, which occurred in 1819, Ralston was involved in several business ventures including a gristmill, a general store, a cotton and woolen factory, a fulling mill, a sawmill and two forges. The research in this case was completed under contract to Richard Grubb and Associates, Inc. of Cranbury, New Jersey.
The Henry Building, East Stroudsburg, Pennsylvania: conducted historical research to assist with the determination of National Register eligibility of the Henry Building, a three-story brick building built in 1909. The building housed "The Daylight Store", at the time, a modern ready-to-wear garment store. This research was produced under contract to Lynn Drobbin and Associates of Pelham, New York.
Red Bank Armory, Red Bank, New Jersey: conducted historical research to assist with the determination of National Register eligibility of the Red Bank Armory, built during the first decade of the 20th century to house the Second Troop Cavalry of the National Guard of New Jersey. This project was conducted under contract to Lynn Drobbin and Associates of Pelham, New York.
Morristown and Madison Railroad Stations Accessibility Study, Morris County, New Jersey: conducted historical research to assist with the determination of National Register eligibility of 17 historic properties located along the former Morris and Essex Railroad. Each resource was subjected to a program of title research, historic map documentation and secondary research material collection (e.g., city directories). This research was produced under contract to Lynn Drobbin and Associates of Pelham, New York.
Federal Telephone and Radio Corporation Factory (ITT Avionics), Clifton, New Jersey: conducted historical research to assist with the determination of National Register eligibility of the former Federal Telephone and Radio Corporation Factory built in 1943. The factory building had strong ties to research and development of electronic equipment for the U.S. military throughout its production history. During World War II, Federal ranked first in the production of field telephone equipment and provided great quantities of switchboards and other telephone materials. By the mid-1950s, it also turned public, supplying telephone equipment for ITT system companies throughout the world. At this time it manufactured radio and electronics equipment, ranging from selenium rectifiers to microwave systems. Federal's Clifton factory's output also included vacuum tubes, television picture tubes, subminiature tubes and high frequency coaxial cable. This project was conducted under contract to Richard Grubb and Associates, Inc. of Cranbury, New Jersey.
Lawrence County, Pennsylvania Grange Movement Historic Brochure: conducted historical research and documentation to assist with the publication of a brochure, which detailed the history of the grange movement within Lawrence County, Pennsylvania. The grange movement took hold within Lawrence County during the third quarter of the 19th century. The first Lawrence County Pomona Grange was organized in 1877. It was later replaced by the county's present Pomona Grange No. 65 chartered in 1913. The county's first Subordinate Grange was Lawrence Grange No. 207 formed in 1874. During the 1870s, eight additional Granges were established. All of these early granges, however, appear to have disbanded by the turn of the 19th century. A rebirth in the Grange movement within Lawrence County occurred during the second decade of the 20th century with the chartering of 14 new Subordinate Granges. This project was also conducted under contract to Richard Grubb and Associates, Inc. of Cranbury, New Jersey.
National Register Documentation:
Water Witch Club Historic District, Monmouth Hills, New Jersey: The Water Witch Club Historic District, located in Middletown Township, Monmouth County, comprises what was historically known as the Water Witch Club, a late-19th, early-20th-century romantically designed summer community. As originally constructed it consisted of a clubhouse/casino and 40 summer cottages (all built between 1896 and 1909) with some supporting outbuildings. Of these, the Register-listed Water Witch Club Casino, 21 of the original cottages, and two stand-alone garages remain. Nomination of the district to the National Register was made possible by a Historic Preservation Fund Grant issued by the New Jersey State Historic Preservation Office to the Township of Middletown. Tomkins Historical Research was contracted by the Township to perform the study.
Spread Eagle Inn, Richboro, Pennsylvania: assisted the Northampton Township Historical Society with the nomination of the Spread Eagle Inn to the National Register of Historic Places. The Spread Eagle Inn, a three-story stone building, was built during the early 19th century and was originally known as the White Bear. Built by the Addis family, it was operated as a hotel/tavern throughout the 19th century and into the first half of the 20th century. The building is one of the few historic structures remaining that have direct ties relating to the origins of the town of Richboro, originally known as Addisville. The building has been recently restored in an effort to preserve Richboro's past.
HABS/HAER Documentation:
Wagers Farmstead, Montgomery Square, Pennsylvania: conducted historical documentation to assist with a Historic American Building Survey of the mid-18th-century Wagers Farmstead Complex. Members of the Wager family were very prominent within the community of Montgomery Square during the 19th century. Research in this instance was completed under contract to Richard Grubb and Associates, Inc. of Cranbury, New Jersey.
HOUSE HISTORIES
Throughout Michael Tomkins' professional career, he has conducted hundreds of house histories documenting them to various stages of historical detail. Below are some of the more recent house histories completed.
White Farmstead, Northampton Township, Bucks County, Pennsylvania: the White Farmstead was established around 1818, initially being utilized as a tenant farmstead, a situation that lasted throughout the first half of the 19th century. During the late 1850s, it was acquired by Nathan B. White, the great-grandfather of Anne Nixon, who was born and raised on the farm. The farmstead would remain within the White family for over a century. During the second quarter of the 20th century, several acres of tomatoes were grown on the farm, grown specifically for the Campbell’s Soup Company located in Camden, New Jersey. During the summer harvest, many tons of tomatoes were transported by truck by local farmers to the Campbell’s processing plant. Anne Nixon had the history of her family's farmstead researched to memorialize it for her two children and the many generations to come.
Tyson House and Sawmill Property, Northampton Township, Bucks County, Pennsylvania: the Tyson House appears to have been initially constructed by the Hayhurst family sometime between 1728 and 1759. It was enlarged in 1838, while under the ownership of Ezekiel Tyson. Isaiah Willett Gerhart bought the property in 1857. Being a house carpenter by trade, Gerhart was obviously interested in the property because of its working sawmill. Legend has it that during the Civil War wooden parts for guns supplied to the Pennsylvania Militia were manufactured within Isaiah Gerhart’s sawmill. During most of the 20th century the property was owned by the Cornell family, who were very prominent landowners throughout the township. The house is presently owned by the Keister family who purchased it in the early 1960s. After more than forty years of wondering about the property’s history, they were very delighted to finally have their questions answered.
Douglass House/Tavern (Crosswicks Hotel), Crosswicks, New Jersey: a portion of the Douglass House/Tavern, presently known as the Crosswicks Inn, may have been constructed as early as 1689. The building is believed to have been enlarged during the second half of the 18th century, while it was under the ownership of Joseph Borden the founder of Bordentown. Borden's son-in-law, Thomas Douglass, managed the tavern during Borden's ownership and later inherited the place in 1765. The Douglass family operated the place throughout the remainder of the 18th century. By 1850 the establishment was known as Stead's Hotel, being named after Joseph Stead. Various members of the Stead family owned the well-known establishment into the 20th century. During the 1980s the building was subjected to several renovations, which compromised the structures historical integrity. The building has been vacant for several years, but its present owners are formulating plans to restore the place to its former 18th-century character.
Washington Crossing Inn (Bernard Taylor House), Washington Crossing, Pennsylvania: the Washington Crossing Inn, a portion of which date back to as early as 1817, was once part of the homestead of Bernard Taylor, one of three Taylor brothers who transformed a small ferry crossing into a bustling farm community. In addition to being a very successful farmer, Bernard Taylor also managed the former McConkey ferry service between 1812 and 1823 and established a fishery in 1848. During the 19th century, this area was historically known as Taylor’s Ferry and later Taylorsville. In 1919, to commemorate the famous crossing of General George Washington and his troops, the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania established a park along the Delaware and changed the name of the community to Washington Crossing. The building was converted to an inn during the 1930s by the Haven Family, who formerly operated a similar establishment within the well-known Ferry Inn. An historical booklet and brochure was produced for the present owners of this fine dining establishment for the enjoyment of its many guests.
HollyHedge Estate (Fell Homestead), Solebury Township, Pennsylvania: the origins of HollyHedge Estate, date back to the late 18th century. The first to make improvements to this property was the Fell family, who farmed these lands for more than a century. The property contains the original homestead of Watson Fell constructed around 1788 and a much grander two-story stone farmhouse built around 1846. This large Bucks County estate was later the home of Sarah Mullen Kerney, widow of James Kerney who was the well-known and respected editor and publisher of the Trenton Evening Times from 1903 until 1934. Sarah M. Kerney claimed the property as her residence from 1941-1956. During the 1960s and into the 1970s, the property was transformed into a school for the Performing Arts by Ruth N. Woodward. It was Woodward’s vision that transferred Sarah Kerney’s Estate into "a unique summer camp where young people [could] further their interests in the art fields." During the 1980s, the place was renovated as an elegant bed-and-breakfast/wedding establishment. The Luccaro family, who acquired the estate in 1996, continue to preserve this historic Bucks County estate as so.
Real Estate Sales:
Joseph Finney House, Holland, Pennsylvania: produced a documentary history for the circa 1813 farmhouse of Joseph Finney. Joseph Finney, a prominent farmer of Northampton Township, built the house and claimed it as his residence for 50 years. Throughout the 19th century and into the 20th century the Finney family were influential in the Rocksville (present-day Holland) community. The Finney's at one time owned and operated the Rocksville store and gristmill. Within the recent past, the former gristmill was converted to a restaurant, today known as the Mill Race Inn. The history of the Joseph Finney House was presented to prospective buyers in the form of a historic brochure and booklet. The Joseph Finney House was researched for Deborah Gould, Sales Associate with Weichert Realtors of Newtown, Pennsylvania.
Eastburn-Reeder House/Rabbit Run Farm, Solebury, Pennsylvania: Joseph Eastburn originally built the Eastburn-Reeder House in the early 1760s. The house was then added to in the 1850s while under the ownership of Joseph Eastburn Reeder. It was during the second half of the 19th century that the property began to be known as "Rabbit Run Farm." Eastburn Reeder acquired the property upon the death of his father, Joseph Eastburn Reeder in 1892. During his lifetime, Eastburn Reeder was very active in the pursuit of improving agricultural life ways. He was one of the original members of the Solebury Farmers' Club organized in 1871 and its first secretary. He was the representative of Bucks County in the State Board of Agriculture from 1877 to 1893. In 1893, he was appointed as the State Dairy and Food Commissioner, the first commissioner under the law creating the office. While commissioner, a position he held for two years, he was active in the pursuit of the production of oleomargarine and other imitations of pure food. He was also the author of numerous papers on farming and the dairy industry and did much to influence legislation for the protection and betterment of the farmer. The Eastburn-Reeder House was researched for Lisa James Otto Country Properties of New Hope, Pennsylvania, the listing agent for the property. This work was not produced under contract and was submitted to Lisa James Otto complimentary.
Isaac Stover House, Erwinna, Pennsylvania: the Isaac Stover House, built around 1837, is currently sited on six acres overlooking the Delaware River. It was substantially remodeled in the 1870s in the Second Empire Style with the addition of a mansard roof and dormers. The house is currently listed on the National Register of Historic Places as being one of the best-preserved examples of ornate Second Empire Style Victorian architecture in northeastern Bucks County. During the 1850s, the property containing the Isaac Stover House also contained a working gristmill and sawmill. Isaac Stover and his brother, Jacob, managed the sawmill, while the gristmill was operated by his other two brothers, Henry Stover Jr. and Jordan H. Stover. The brothers came from the third generation of Stover millers. The Stovers ran the mills until around 1902, when the gristmill was leased to C.C. Bryan & Son. The sawmill probably seized its operations around this time, but the gristmill ground flour until 1933. The Stover gristmill still stands today and is also listed on the National Register. The Isaac Stover House remained a private residence until the 1980s when it was converted into a Bed and Breakfast. The documentary history for the Isaac Stover House was produced for Kurfiss Real Estate of New Hope, Pennsylvania, the listing agent for the property. This work was not produced under contract and was submitted to Kurfiss Real Estate complimentary.
Title Research:
Proposed Trenton Bike Path, Trenton, New Jersey: conducted detailed historic title research for the State of New Jersey and the City of Trenton for a bike path proposed to occupy the former lands of the United New Jersey Railroad and Canal Company. Research determined that during the mid-19th century, the property was formerly owned by the Delaware and Raritan Canal Company. A complicated reformation and merging of various canal and railroad companies over a 150-year period was analyzed to determine the present owners of the property in question. Tomkins Historical Research in this instance was under contract to Signature Title Services, Inc. of Princeton, New Jersey.
Presidential Boulevard/Broadway Avenue Properties, Paterson, New Jersey: conducted title research to assist in the production of a land-use history for ten contiguous properties, formerly composed of a mix of 19th-century commercial and residential structures. This project was completed under contract to Richard Grubb and Associates, Inc. of Cranbury, New Jersey.
TITLE INSURANCE
Heirs to Estate Properties
Theodore A. Havemeyer Schoolhouse Tract, Mahwah, New Jersey: reviewed the accuracy of recorded history of the property and produce a series of charts to graphically display the property's 50-heir ownership lineage. Tomkins Historical Research was a consultant to First Jersey Title Services, Inc. of Paramus, New Jersey.
Cheiks Estate Fort Lee, New Jersey: conducted genealogical research to locate the heirs to the Catherine Cheiks Estate for settlement purposes. Ownership lineage charts graphically displayed the property's 56 potential heirs. First Jersey Title Services, Inc. of Paramus, New Jersey oversaw this project also.
WEB SITE AND BOOK PUBLICATION
Web Site Publication:
Trans-Alaska Pipeline Historic Web Site: performed extensive documentary research and produced a historical narrative to assist the American Society of Civil Engineers to develop a web site to convey the history of the Trans-Alaska Pipeline via the World Wide Web. This site is one of 30 web sites established to record significant advances in 20th-century engineering and technology that up until now remained poorly documented. The web sites were funded by a grant from the Alfred P. Sloan Foundation and developed under the oversight of various professional societies, universities and museums.