The John Palmer – William Hannum House was built on land from an original 1688 grant from William Penn to John Palmer. John Palmer came to America from England as a “Redemptioner,” and had to pay for his passage through years of labor. The original building was constructed of fieldstone and plaster. The present-day family room contains the large cooking fireplace with the original crane. All of the floors on the first floor are original and made of oak.
John Palmer passed the estate to his grandson, Moses Palmer, who enlarged the house in 1740. The house was acquired by William Hannum II in the 1800s, who further enlarged the house in 1840. A summer kitchen was added to this wing, complete with stone walls and 18 inch deep window sills. “Graffiti” from the Hannum Family in 1878 can be found on the walls of the 3rd floor.
Also on the property is a building once used as a saddlery by the Palmers. It is also believed to have been a schoolhouse at one time. The original Palmer Barn was remodeled, and is now a private, separate home.
Concord Township Historic Resource #97
