LONG HILL TOWNSHIP HISTORIC SITES SURVEY INDIVIDUAL STRUCTURE SURVEY < PREVIOUS HISTORIC SITES INVENTORY #1430-12 NEXT >   HISTORIC NAME: Hickory Tavern COMMON NAME: Schmidt House LOCATION: 438 Long Hill Road (northeast corner of Long Hill Road and Hickory Tavern Road) BLOCK/LOT: . VILLAGE: Gillette USGS QUAD: Chatham OWNER: UTM REFS: Zone/Northing/Easting DESCRIPTION CONSTRUCTION DATE: 1734 SOURCE OF DATE: Date on House ARCHITECT: . BUILDER: STYLE: Colonial Vernacular/East Jersey FORM / PLAN TYPE: Center entry cottage NUMBER OF STORIES: 2 1/2 FOUNDATION: Stone EXTERIOR WALL FABRIC: Wood shingles FENESTRATION: 6/1 ROOF: Gable CHIMNEY(S): End brick ADDITIONAL ARCHITECTURAL DESCRIPTION: Shed roofed enclosed porch covers original south faced entry. The second floor facade marked by gable dormers. One story kitchen wing to the east side. Large, original fireplace inside; paneled interior and exterior doors; original hardware, and wide floorboards add to the character and historic architectural interest of the house. PHOTO(S) (B4:2,3,4 1986) (1986) SITING, BOUNDARY DESCRIPTION, AND RELATED STRUCTURES Sited to face south on a large corner lot, close to roads. Small frame barn and chicken house and original privy to rear of property. Larger outbuildings. Rustic cedar wood gazebo at side of property. Marble German-language tombstone on front lawn (Schmidt-date of death May 23, 1892.)  SURROUNDING ENVIRONMENT URBAN SUBURBAN SCATTERED BUILDING X OPEN SPACE WOODLAND RESIDENTIAL AGRICULTURAL VILLAGE INDUSTRIAL DOWNTOWN COMMERCIAL HIGHWAY COMMERCIAL OTHER The house has a commanding view to the south of the wooded Watchung Hills.   SIGNIFICANCE & HISTORICAL INFORMATION The Hickory Tavern was established in the 18th century to serve travelers on the then main road to Newark. The building, which seems incredibly small to have housed a tavern/inn for modern eyes, is a rare and important survivor of its type. In the late 19th century, Owen McConville operated a store from the building. ORIGINAL USE: PRESENT USE: PHYSICAL CONDITION OF STRUCTURES: . EXCELLENT X GOOD . FAIR . POOR REGISTER ELIGIBILITY: X YES . POSSIBLE . NO c PART OF DISTRICT THREATS TO SITE: . ROADS . DEVELOPMENT . ZONING . DETERIORATION X X NO THREAT . OTHER . .. .. COMMENTS: The integrity is good, in spite of 20th century alterations to interior and exterior. Every effort should be made to preserve and restore it. REFERENCES: Owner, Mrs. Richard Schmidt, resident here since 1905. RECORDED BY: Janet W. Foster DATE: March-July 1986 ORGANIZATION: Acroterion . . UPDATED ENTRY BY: L. Fast / W. O. Watts DATE: April 2002 ORGANIZATION: Long Hill Township Historic Preservation Advisory Committee . . RETURN TO: INTRODUCTION RETURN TO: STREET & SITES INDEX RETURN TO: FILE NUMBER INDEX RETURN TO: MAP INDEX RETURN TO: BLOCK AND LOT NUMBER INDEX . . . . . < PREVIOUS HISTORIC SITES INVENTORY #1430-12 NEXT >