Old cistern dug in 1890s found near century home in Twinsburg

TWINSBURG – What was supposed to be a straightforward porch replacement for a local Twinsburg business turned into a historical discovery.

Christine and Steve Gotch, who have operated Greenbridge Teahouse B&B since 2015, wanted to replace the porch at the teahouse, which is run out a 1890s home off Twinsburg's historic town square.

More:Twinsburg's Moses Roach home now a national landmark

"The boards were rotting out," said Christine.

However, when they removed the old porch, they discovered the cistern underneath, Christine said. A cistern is generally a large underground chamber used to store water, as opposed to a well, which taps into an underground water source.

She added the cistern was likely installed in the 1890s, although there is a chance it could be even older. There has been speculation that there was a dwelling – "a small shack" – built in the 1870s on or very close to the 1890s house, but that has not been verified.

Since the discovery, several members of the Twinsburg Historical Society have stopped by to see the old cistern. Currently, Christine and Steve are trying to figure out how to keep it safely in view to the public while they rebuild the porch.

Mike Smith of Hudson, who runs Michael J. Smith Home Renovations, was hired to help replace the porch. He helped uncover the cistern.

"It acts like a big tank to hold water," Smith said of the cistern. "It was probably a well beforehand, which would have gone 20 to 25 feet down. They lined the cistern with bricks, then they lined it to make it waterproof. It's got to be one of the original buildings in the area. I assume it was probably a working farm."

The water could have come from several sources, including an underground spring or rain.

"There are a lot of underground springs in that area," Smith said.

Those wishing to draw water from the cistern would have put in a metal plate, then mounted a handpump on the other side of the cistern, Smith said. Later, the pump was moved to the kitchen sink. Smith said the cistern could have been pumped to help supply water to the barn and the animals.

"As utilities became available, it would have been wired for electric," Smith said.

When the porch was initially constructed, the cistern "was chopped in half, which ruined it," Smith said.

The home was constructed for Dr. Collins and his wife sometime around 1890, Christine said. He was a medical doctor, but little else is known.

The property is believed to have served as a dentist's office in the 1940s. In the 1950s, Thomas Roseberry purchased the home to use for his office; he sold insurance and served as a realtor.

In fact, Steve Gotch said, Tom Roseberry was their realtor when the Gotches decided to buy their first home in Aurora in 1972. They later moved to Twinsburg in 2005.

"We've come full circle," Steve said.

The property was sold to Lynn Roseberry and Pete Holman in 2003, according to property tax records from the Summit County Fiscal office. The Gotches purchased the property in 2013.

One interesting feature of the home is that there are no fireplaces, Christine said. The home was built with a coal furnace, rendering fireplaces unnecessary. In addition, guests to the house can see a fixture in the foyer that the Gotches believe was originally designed to hold a whale oil lamp.

Another point of interest is the foundation, Christine said. The foundation stones most likely came from one of the several local quarries in the Twinsburg area. The heavy stones would likely have been brought over in carts using animals.

If visitors look closely from the outside, they can see one of the house's three stained glass windows on the second floor just above the foyer, Christine said.

Lisa Rupple, who was hired by the Gotches to write a narrative about the stained glass windows, stated in her written report that the stained glass "was likely made of cylinder glass, named for blowing the molten glass into an oblong balloon shape before it is cut and flattened into sheets."

"The bubble-like texture in the glass is known as English Muffle, a popular style used in Victorian Era homes and buildings and was applied as ornamentation during fabrication," Rupple stated. "Historic stained glass is a true treasure to find in any historic building today, no two are completely alike and are a link to a time when skilled artisans crafted each window by hand."

Christine said that the front door is original to the house, and includes a turn door bell, which the Gotches plan to repair. The antique bell features a turning key on the door's exterior, which rings a bell mounted on the door's interior side.

"It's a great little house," Christine said. "It's full of history."

Greenbridge Teahouse is at 9036 Church St., next to the Moses Roach House.

Because of the pandemic, Greenbridge Teahouse has suspended its cafe hours. However, starting July 8, the facility's tea rooms will open for private parties of 4 to 10 people.

Christine said she wasn't sure when the tea house would fully open because of the pandemic and because the Gotches need to rebuild the front porch and ramp while, if possible, making sure the well can still be seen.

"We are open to suggestions from the community about how to preserve access and still have a porch floor to use," Christine said. "So far we have received a number of ideas to consider – make a trap door, or a cellar door, metal grates, plexiglass, or a structural glass insert as in the sky walk photo. Mayor Ted Yates pulled up to add to the conversation."

For details, visit https://www.greenbridgeteahouse.com or email [email protected].

Reporter April Helms can be reached at [email protected]