Home renovation turned historical preservation

When Michael Manerchia, a heavy-equipment operator, found pieces of a broken plate under the flooring of a home he was renovating in Marcus Hook, he had no idea that he had opened a treasure chest of history.

Not quite knowing what he had, he consulted a friend who is a local historian. He suggested probing further. A hole punched in the plaster revealed five-inch-thick walls made of wooden planks.

Manerchia had purchased a rare "Plank House" - constructed with materials harvested from a ship dating from the early 18th Century.

"I just about died," said Manerchia.

Manerchia sought help from professionals, and Temple University archaeology professors, students, and assorted volunteers came to the site and started digging.

They uncovered 30,000 artifacts, including a snuff spoon, clay button, toy Hessian soldier, handmade domino, and pottery chards, and at least one 20th Century artifact - a roof handle to a Model T convertible.

Manerchia, 57, and his wife, Patty, had bought the property in the 200 block of Market Street near the Delaware River in 2004 from her cousin, planning to move from their home nearby.

When they learned of the historical significance of the home, they put the renovations on hold and established the Marcus Hook Preservation Society, with the goal of making what they call the Plank House into a museum.

The artifacts might not be worth much money, but they have historic value, said Joseph Blondino, who worked on the Marcus Hook site as a graduate student in Temple University and is now a professional archaeologist.

Inside the 1 1/2-story house, visitors can see the exposed wood planks in the front room, along with a brick fireplace. The walls are about seven feet high. The kitchen area is still an active dig site, with holes carved out of the dirt floor.

Aging copies of period maps of Marcus Hook line the walls of a room that holds about three dozen large plastic bins filled with some of the artifacts that have been cataloged and sealed in bags.

The Preservation Society recently raised $12,000 of the $19,000 needed to complete an artifact library. It will be housed in a 12-by-18-foot outbuilding donated by the Sun Foundation. They plan to use it as a classroom and to display the more interesting artifacts.

They have started a fund-raising campaign on GoFundMe.

"Without Manerchia's work, that house would not be standing," said Blondino.

Marie Horn, 55, owner of the local Star Hotel, who helps with the group's fund-raising, says Marcus Hook is "underappreciated."

"We are constantly seen as a poor refinery town, and we have a lot more to offer than that," she said.

Marcus Hook's past includes a Lenape Indian settlement. The area subsequently was inhabited by Swedes, Finns, Dutch, and English. William Penn might have owned the property next to the Plank House, and the site had a role in the Revolutionary War.

When he was growing up, the site of Plank House was known as the house where the mistress of the notorious pirate Blackbeard lived, said Manerchia.

"We know from historical accounts, there was pirate activity," said Blondino. While Blackbeard likely visited the town, the stories about his mistress and the house have not been corroborated, he said.

Regardless, the Preservation Society hosts a fall Pirate Festival - Sept. 19 this year - that draws 6,000 participants for games, food, and a full pirate encampment with period tents, demonstrations, and beer making. Money from the festival will go to the restoration of the Plank House, said Manerchia.

Funding for historical preservation has been cut to the bone, said Cathy Spohn, a member of the Society for Pennsylvania Archaeology. Spohn, who is also a cultural resources professional for the state Department of Transportation, worked with Manerchia early on in his project.

Historical commissions depend on local organizations to maintain the sites, she said.

Manerchia "is doing the whole country a favor," said Spohn. The country needs more people to step up and help save sites and preserve history, she said.

mschaefer@phillynews.com

610-313-8111@MariSchaefer