Having heard many friends in the Valley talking about the “Runyon House project” in Hopewell Borough, I definitely wanted to see this recently renovated historic home. Located at 19 West Broad Street in Hopewell Borough… what a house it is! Conceivably the first house built in Hopewell, the interior is gorgeous, but its history takes the prize.
During a very-well attended open house held last Sunday, a banner stretched the entire length of the driveway, describing the home’s incredible history, beginning in 1756. I don’t know how long that banner will be up, but I took pictures, so that we could share that history with our readers.
The history of the house (as printed on the banner):
- 1756: Eaton opens the First Baptist Academy in America on the property. Two graduates helped to found Brown University.
- 1768: Zebulon Stout purchases all from the church.
- 1772: Eaton dies. Inventory notes the property now has large barns and numerous types of livestock.
- 1778: George Washington and his Army march past the house during the Revolutionary War.
- 1794 – 1834: Benjamin Blackwell and his large family own the house and farm, where they also operate a tavern. The addition, and a cider mill are added.
- 1854: Blackwell heirs sell the house to Patrick Riley. He sells off lots along East and West Broad Street.
- 1870: Charles Drake and his wife Hannah move in. He is Blackwell’s grandson and grew up in the house when it was a tavern. The Drakes add the Victorian era front door and cast-iron decorative fence.
- 1904: Eusebia Dalrymple, daughter of Charles and Hannah Drake, inherits the property.
- 1927: Sarah Dalrymple Holcombe, daughter of Esebia Dalrymple, and the local music teacher, inherits the house.
- 1934: George Newell Holcombe, son of Sarah Holcombe, and his wife Anne inherit the house.
- 1940’s: Downstairs is remodeled, chimney moved to the outside.
- 2017: Mary Evelyn Runyon’s daughters inherit the house, hoping to see it preserved.
- 2019: Hopewell Special, LLC, purchases the property with the intent to preserve, renovate, and rebuild the house and barns to be reminiscent of the original historic structures.
The Runyon House itself has been renovated to include two units, and the larger property includes three additional structures with two units each, resulting in four duplex units in total.
I met several people associated with the project at the Open House: Richard Moseley, of Hopewell Special, LLC and the project designer, Anne Wright Wilson.
Wilson shared that there were quite a few quirks in the original house. “The floors didn’t line up… – the lower part of the house dates to 1820, but the taller portion dates to 1730,” she explained. Regarding historic elements, Wilson noted, “All of the buildings in the project will have historic features. The secondary units just won’t have quite as elaborate historic features as the main house, and those units will feel more modern.”
After seeing the house myself, I feel that all the residents that came before would certainly approve.
(All photos copyright KBRobinson Photography)
