Tunis-Ellicks Revnovation -- The Beginning

By Chris Allyn

Originally published in The Review, Spring 2018, Volume 41, Number 1

Drawing of configuration of earlier portion of Tunis-Ellicks house.

During the period from about 1975 through 1977, interest in the local history of Harding Township (New Vernon in particular) spiked quite notably. Starting with the Harding Township Bicentennial Committee (formed in 1975) and culminating with the formation of the Harding Township Historical Society in May 1977, a large number of township residents became involved in numerous activities recognizing the historical significance of the New Vernon community.

An outgrownth of the flourishing interest in local history was the rehabilitation and adaptive reuse of the Tunis-Ellicks house at the corner of Village and MIllbrook Roads.

Prior to 1977, the building and two outbuildings had been used as heaquarters for the Harding Township Road Department (today called the Department of Public Works). In 1976 and 1977, the Township Committee needed to establish new Township offices and the parcel that contained the Tunis-Ellicks house was one alternative. While a plan for the new Kirby Hall relieved the immediate pressure to demolish the Tunis-Ellicks house, it took another group of involved residents to come forward with an attractive alternative to save the structure. IN May of 1977, this group formed the Steering Committee for the Restoration of the Tunis-Ellicks house and presented a proposal to the Township Committee to "alter, restore, preserve, and use the Tunis-Ellicks house. . . ." The proposal was approved by the Township Committee in August 1977.

Starting in the fall of 1977 the porch on the Village Road side of the Tunis-Ellicks house was removed as was encroaching vegetation. Interior partitions in the large room nearest the Village/Millbrook corner were removed and the supporting elements under the room restored and improved. Volunteers were marshaled to paint the building inside and out. These visible improvements resulted in a notable increase in community enthusiasm, as noted in increased Harding Township Historical Society membership and volunteerism. In May 1978 the Tunis-Ellicks Restoration Committee became a standing committee of the Harding Township Historical Society.

Following the intial rehab activities, there was a period during which detailed evaluation and planning of the structure was undertaken by a number of experts, both architectural and historical. During these studies the most likely timeline for the structure was established (about 1795 initial build of the main building at about 1830 addition of the kitchen wing) as well as contruction details showing what the older portion of the structure looked like initially. Of particular interest was the realization that the original building used the south-facing door as the main entry and that the structure had two fireplaces on the west wall and a staircase on the north.

This understanding helped the Restoration committee come to the realization that adaptive reuse (rather than accurate restoration) was the preferred management approach. The full restoration efforts will be the subject of a future article. Also, considerable road-return and land use research in the 1990s by our own Mary Prendergast has confirmed the 1975 build date.