When I first met the Sellers of this very unique and special home, the
Gulph Mills Bird-In-Hand School House, we discussed the need for some background research. Having been involved in several Gulph Mills real estate transactions (as a Realtor), including one of the remaining Gulph Mills - mills, I was more than happy to help.
Rich Dougert, President of the Gulph Mills Civic Association was very kind to provide some background information about the Bird-In-Hand School House, as well as its relation to Gulph Mills Village. The Gulph Mills Civic Assocation also has as wonderful web site dedicated to Gulph Mill's rich history.
Anyone who travels on Gulph Road on a regular basis is familiar with the infamous "Gulph Mills Hanging Rock" when, on Friday Morning, Dec. 19th 1777, George Washington and his Army started their march to Valley Forge from their encampment in Gulph Mills and passed under the famous overhanging rock. Picket Post Restaurant also on Gulph Road (now a fine restaurant, Savona) was once headquarters to Aaron Burr.
"Bird-In-Hand was the initial name for Gulph Mills, named after a local tavern here.. There are several homes in Gulph Mills that date back to the early 1700s, such as the Bird-In-Hand General Store and the Blacksmith Shop a block away from Holstein Rd. on Trinity Lane.
Gulph Mills was aptly named to this area due to the number of mills along Gulph Creek. The Gulph Mills came into vogue as the milling business along Gulph Creek picked up during the Civil War.
The area was referred to "The Gulph" by soldiers on their way up to Valley Forge during 1777. They marched up South Gulph Road. Correspondence around that time rerers to the natural topography, a gulph or deep depression. Washington's generals wrote letters from "The Gulph".1
"Before the Revolutionary War, groups of children were educated in private homes in Upper Merion. Later, they were taught by traveling teachers. Schools were built in thriving communities all over the township to establish a regular education schedule. The Public School Law was passed in 1830, requiring municipalities to conform to standards of education, but as you can see, the township was way ahead of them.
During the early period, 1733-1825, Swedesburg School, Union School, Flint Hill School, Henry School near Valley Forge, Holstein School, and Sturgis School in Gulph Mills were established. From 1830-1880, The Old Camp School, the Bridgeport School, the Crooked Lane School, Roberts School, the Evergreen School, the Bird-In Hand School, the Merion School, and the Abrams School were built." 2
In 1880, The School District of Upper Merion purchased the parcel of land to build the two-room public school house known as the Bird-In-Hand School House in Gulph Mills. The land that the school house is situated on was originally deeded in 1811 to Richard Roberts with permission to build a dam in Gulph Creek which makes sense as current records show the property (1.96 acres) line extending to the edge of Gulph Creek.
In 1930, Upper Merion felt it needed to modernize its schools and sold the remaining school houses and land. In 1931, Judge Frederick Smillie (then Montgomery County District Attorney) purchased the home and converted it into a private residence. The Upper Merion Lyceum also held meetings at the Bird-In-Hand School for a period of time.
Judge Smillie had a long and distinguished legal career. His father, George Smillie, a premiere engraver at the U.S. Treasury Bureau of Engraving and Printing - etched the infamous picture of George Washington on the One Dollar Bill.
Sometime between when Judge Smillie purchased the school house and an owner or two before the present one, a family room fronting the original entrance to the school, the current front door, a horse barn with hay loft (currently an oversized 2 car garage), plus a two stall horse barn at the bottom of the property - where all added.
The Seller tells me that about 8 years ago, an elderly woman with her son and niece came wandering up the driveway to revisit the place where she went to school. She was in the last class of the Bird-In-Hand School of sometime in the middle to late 1920's. The owner was happy to show them around. The woman pointed out the floor boards in the kitchen as the location of the girls coat closet, and where the outhouses sat in the backyard. The woman promised to forward on a class picture, but as often happens, the promise was forgotten through no ill will, but just forgotten.
I wrote local King of Prussia historian J. Michael Morrison, and the author of two very popular books on the area, "King of Prussia, Images of America", and "King of Prussia, Then and Now". I was delighted to hear back from Michael and to my amazement; he sent me an email with an attachment of the Bird-In-Hand School House taken some time around 1900! When I opened the picture, I immediately had goose bumps, as did the owner upon opening the file I sent them. Picture on the right c. 1900 Courtesy of J. Michael Morrison, Author.
The owner of the Bird-In-Hand School House and I where honored to have J. Michael Morrison stop by the home to view the property from a historical perspective. When he opened the door to his car and took a look at the home, I could see his eyes light up.
Michael also pointed out several import observations about the home, one of which was his notice of the steps to original front and back entrances of the school - having been made of original King of Prussia Marble from the King of Prussia foundry. Evidently this particular marble was used throughout the county, including the Montgomery County Court House in Norristown. The Seller and I where duly impressed with Michael and his overall enthusiasm of our local history and immense knowledge of the area.
Michael has informed me that he is considering writing another book; we will have to look for it as I am sure it will be as enjoyable as his others.
I was able to locate (as well as obtain a copy from the Montgomery County Recorder of Deeds) what I believe to be the original deed for the land purchased for the school dated September 3, 1870. The deed states that the property was sold from a Henry & Elizabeth Levan to the "Board of School Directors of Upper Merion Township" for One Thousand Dollars. The deed lists Henry Levan's occupation as a "butcher". I had an opportunity to view the original deed at the Montgomery County Historical Society (of which I am a proud member) beautifully written in long hand.
To top it all off, several weeks ago I was contacted by Alan J. Heavens, Real Estate writer for the Philadelphia Inquirer. The Philadelphia metro area is fortunate to have such a prolific writer of everything related to real estate.
Alan told me he was going to write a piece about what Sellers and Buyers are requiring of their real estate agent and brokers in this market and would I and my Seller be interested? Hence, the article which appeared in the Nov. 4th, 2007 of the Sunday Philadelphia Inquirer entitled: "The parent-figure broker".
Not only are the Seller and I quoted in the article on matters related to selling a home (myself from an agent's perspective and the owner from a Seller's perspective), a rather large picture of the Bird-In-Hand School House was featured on the front page of the article, and a smaller one pictured in insert. I am grateful to Alan to have been chosen, along with my Seller to take part in his article.
It is the hope of the Sellers that whoever purchases the home not only enjoys it for many years to come as they have, but also treasures it as an important piece of Upper Merion, Gulph Mills, and King of Prussia's rich history.
Class Dismissed!
John (John B.) Badalamenti, Weichert, Realtors
For Additional Information and Pictures on the Gulph Mills Bird-In-Hand School House Go To: http://www.birdinhandschoolhouse.com/
1Rich Dougert, President, Gulph Mills Civic Association.
2 J. Michael Morrison, Author.
Disclaimer: The Information Above Deemed Reliable, But Not Guaranteed.