What was here before... Ravenswood only occupies the last 10 years on this property- but what was here before Ravenswood...? Before the Trumpet Vine...? or...? Following is an evolving history of the property. As I discover new bits or correct old bits, I will change and update.
By the way,Elinor Kniffin, the original owner, came for a visit in August, 2014. I will re-post her photo soon.
By the way,Elinor Kniffin, the original owner, came for a visit in August, 2014. I will re-post her photo soon.
Sources
Land & property records on file at Simsbury Town Hall (TH)
Personal Interviews with Sandy Flagg, Myra Berges, Bill (Corn Crib Liquor- “CCL”), Mr. Burkhart (owner, Arrow Concrete “AC” and son of the Burkharts below)
Email and Facebook exchanges with Elinor Kniffen and Hilary Kniffen Areth (her daughter)
Ancestry.com, Kasey Knose (KK, granddaughter-in-law: see below)
Prior to 1949:
The land was used as pasturage for livestock belonging to a farm on the western side of Hopmeadow, where Blue Fox & housing development are now. (Source: CCL)
The farm had a big apple orchard as well. (Source: CCL)
It was likely always undeveloped farmland rather than actual housing. (Source: AC)
Found in landscaping: an ice-house foundation and several outbuilding foundations.
1949 – 1954
First Iteration 1949 - 1952
Property was acquired by Donald and Elinor Kniffin of Tarriffville, CT. (source: SF, TH, EK, HKA)
They erected a single-room building, now the North half of the front room, without living quarters. (source: roof remnants visible in attic, HK)
The family opened a snack bar called Knif’s Snack Bar on September 10, 1949. (source: SF, documentation: dated photo showing main building, EK)
Second Iteration 1952 - 1954
Property was sold by Donald to James Trott with Don's brother Lester running the diner. The hours were too long for a family with a young child without enough profit to support them. Lester being single was willing to take on the hours. (source: EK)
Remaining an eatery, the business names included Rolling O and Chicken Coop. (Source: CCL, current customers)
Lester/John eventually sold the business and re-opened Knif’s Snack Bar in the College Highway/Holloway’s Plaza about 1.25 miles south. (source: EK, HKA)
A Diner's Capital Assets
The diner's equipment was listed in the 1952 deed. Most items are still recognizable (ice cream scoops, hot fudge warmer, deep fryer, for example). But what the heck is a Heinz bean warmer? (a slow warmer with the Heinz logo on the side. An ad specialty from the company to sell its beans). And then there is "Heinz Soup Kitchen with cup" - A self-serve canned soup warmer, pictured below. Customers could pick out their favorite soup and warm it up in the cup. The inventory gives an idea of the food offered- steaks, hamburgers, hot dogs, French fries, soup, ice cream, and, of course, coffee. The seating capacity was tiny by today's standards: two tables with 8 chairs, and a counter with 10 stools.
Land & property records on file at Simsbury Town Hall (TH)
Personal Interviews with Sandy Flagg, Myra Berges, Bill (Corn Crib Liquor- “CCL”), Mr. Burkhart (owner, Arrow Concrete “AC” and son of the Burkharts below)
Email and Facebook exchanges with Elinor Kniffen and Hilary Kniffen Areth (her daughter)
Ancestry.com, Kasey Knose (KK, granddaughter-in-law: see below)
Prior to 1949:
The land was used as pasturage for livestock belonging to a farm on the western side of Hopmeadow, where Blue Fox & housing development are now. (Source: CCL)
The farm had a big apple orchard as well. (Source: CCL)
It was likely always undeveloped farmland rather than actual housing. (Source: AC)
Found in landscaping: an ice-house foundation and several outbuilding foundations.
1949 – 1954
First Iteration 1949 - 1952
Property was acquired by Donald and Elinor Kniffin of Tarriffville, CT. (source: SF, TH, EK, HKA)
They erected a single-room building, now the North half of the front room, without living quarters. (source: roof remnants visible in attic, HK)
The family opened a snack bar called Knif’s Snack Bar on September 10, 1949. (source: SF, documentation: dated photo showing main building, EK)
Second Iteration 1952 - 1954
Property was sold by Donald to James Trott with Don's brother Lester running the diner. The hours were too long for a family with a young child without enough profit to support them. Lester being single was willing to take on the hours. (source: EK)
Remaining an eatery, the business names included Rolling O and Chicken Coop. (Source: CCL, current customers)
Lester/John eventually sold the business and re-opened Knif’s Snack Bar in the College Highway/Holloway’s Plaza about 1.25 miles south. (source: EK, HKA)
A Diner's Capital Assets
The diner's equipment was listed in the 1952 deed. Most items are still recognizable (ice cream scoops, hot fudge warmer, deep fryer, for example). But what the heck is a Heinz bean warmer? (a slow warmer with the Heinz logo on the side. An ad specialty from the company to sell its beans). And then there is "Heinz Soup Kitchen with cup" - A self-serve canned soup warmer, pictured below. Customers could pick out their favorite soup and warm it up in the cup. The inventory gives an idea of the food offered- steaks, hamburgers, hot dogs, French fries, soup, ice cream, and, of course, coffee. The seating capacity was tiny by today's standards: two tables with 8 chairs, and a counter with 10 stools.
This is a slightly older soup kitchen, but it would have been very similar to the one found at the Snack Bar in 1952. Pick the soup, open and pour into the cup, set the timer for 2 minutes, and presto! Hot soup.
1954 – 1963
James Trott sold the property (01/1954) to Edward & Lois Knose, who were in their late 30’s-early 40’s. They had a son, William. They opened the restaurant as the Top Hat Diner (Source: HKA, TH, customers). They also added a commercial kitchen and living quarters. (source: roof remnants visible in attic, TH, HKA, KK)
1964 – 1984 (end year approximate, need to confirm)
The property was bought March 1964 by Rueul and Ruth DeTurk. The Ox Yoke Shop Western Wear Apparel provided the costumes and venue for square dancing. Ruth was a seamstress and sewed many of the costumes sold at the shop. Rueul was a full-time draftsman at Hamilton Standard and worked part-time as driver & salesman. The business was very popular and shipped nationally. Rueul would make local deliveries. (Source: CCL, TH, obit)
Some time in the 1960’s, major renovating added paneling and a fireplace. A window was removed, the opening turning into a built-in bookshelf. A wall was removed in an adjacent northern closet to add two bedrooms. The front room was doubled in size, and the original layout of windows and doors expanded across the front. (Source: wall remnants & original building layout visible at 2012 renovation, HKA)
About 1965, a large garage/barn was added to accommodate the business caravan. (Source: TH)
1974: An anonymous photographer took a photo of the sign. (Source: Town of Simsbury Photo Archive)
Ruth died at the property November 6, 1987.
1984 – 1998
The property was purchased approximately 1984 by Carl and Bertha Burkhart, apparently as an investment (“flipping” style- buy low, renovate, sell at a profit). (Source: AC, CCL, MB)
Major renovations and repairs were made throughout the main building. (Source: AC, CCL, roof remnants in attic)
The Burkharts never ran a business from the property. (Source: AC)
After Ruth died in 1987 (of natural causes), Rueul moved away and in with his now-grown children. He died at Governor’s House, Simsbury, CT in 2001. (Source: obit)
1988 – 2009
First Iteration, 1988 – 2005
In 1988, the Trumpet Vine Gift Shop opened as a destination shop for quality gifts and crafts by local artists and artisans. (Source: MB, SF, customers)
Sandy Flagg & her sons lived onsite until the business outgrew the front room. (Source: MB, SF, customers)
In expanding, it offered garden décor in the back gardens and seasonally opened the back barn as a garden or holiday shop. (Source: MB, SF, customers)
The property was purchased by Myra and David Berges and Sandra Flagg in 1998 when Carl Burkhart died. (Source: MB, TH)
Second Iteration, 2007 – 2009
Myra Berges retired in 2004. Sandra Flagg decided to open a café and downsize the gift shop portion of the business. To finance the renovations, Sandra signed a quit claim deed to the property and Myra mortgaged the property. To accommodate anticipated increased restaurant traffic, an old porch was demolished and a small addition abutting the front room built in its place. A new veranda gave outside seating. A new gravel-paved parking lot was added for anticipated heavier customer flow. (Source: MB, SF)
The Trumpet Vine Café and Gift Shop opened 2007-2008. It first offered tea, pastries, lighter fare. Later on, it added dinner and smokehouse barbecue. By August–September, 2009, it closed permanently. (Source: MB, SF, TH)
2010 – Present
Ravenswood Natural Health opened its doors March 13, 2010, with a grand opening May 29, 2010. The structure was cleaned and repaired but the architecture remained unchanged until 2012. In 2012, the interior was reconfigured to utilize the original bedrooms as office space. This project removed one interior doorway and three closets. It added a semi-private, shared entry and waiting area and brought all rooms up to current commercial fire code. In March 2014, design build firm D.E. Jacobs was hired to open the old living quarters to expand retail space. They added a wide doorway between the old kitchen and living room, repaired the outside walls, and added built-in cabinetry for retail shelving.
James Trott sold the property (01/1954) to Edward & Lois Knose, who were in their late 30’s-early 40’s. They had a son, William. They opened the restaurant as the Top Hat Diner (Source: HKA, TH, customers). They also added a commercial kitchen and living quarters. (source: roof remnants visible in attic, TH, HKA, KK)
1964 – 1984 (end year approximate, need to confirm)
The property was bought March 1964 by Rueul and Ruth DeTurk. The Ox Yoke Shop Western Wear Apparel provided the costumes and venue for square dancing. Ruth was a seamstress and sewed many of the costumes sold at the shop. Rueul was a full-time draftsman at Hamilton Standard and worked part-time as driver & salesman. The business was very popular and shipped nationally. Rueul would make local deliveries. (Source: CCL, TH, obit)
Some time in the 1960’s, major renovating added paneling and a fireplace. A window was removed, the opening turning into a built-in bookshelf. A wall was removed in an adjacent northern closet to add two bedrooms. The front room was doubled in size, and the original layout of windows and doors expanded across the front. (Source: wall remnants & original building layout visible at 2012 renovation, HKA)
About 1965, a large garage/barn was added to accommodate the business caravan. (Source: TH)
1974: An anonymous photographer took a photo of the sign. (Source: Town of Simsbury Photo Archive)
Ruth died at the property November 6, 1987.
1984 – 1998
The property was purchased approximately 1984 by Carl and Bertha Burkhart, apparently as an investment (“flipping” style- buy low, renovate, sell at a profit). (Source: AC, CCL, MB)
Major renovations and repairs were made throughout the main building. (Source: AC, CCL, roof remnants in attic)
The Burkharts never ran a business from the property. (Source: AC)
After Ruth died in 1987 (of natural causes), Rueul moved away and in with his now-grown children. He died at Governor’s House, Simsbury, CT in 2001. (Source: obit)
1988 – 2009
First Iteration, 1988 – 2005
In 1988, the Trumpet Vine Gift Shop opened as a destination shop for quality gifts and crafts by local artists and artisans. (Source: MB, SF, customers)
Sandy Flagg & her sons lived onsite until the business outgrew the front room. (Source: MB, SF, customers)
In expanding, it offered garden décor in the back gardens and seasonally opened the back barn as a garden or holiday shop. (Source: MB, SF, customers)
The property was purchased by Myra and David Berges and Sandra Flagg in 1998 when Carl Burkhart died. (Source: MB, TH)
Second Iteration, 2007 – 2009
Myra Berges retired in 2004. Sandra Flagg decided to open a café and downsize the gift shop portion of the business. To finance the renovations, Sandra signed a quit claim deed to the property and Myra mortgaged the property. To accommodate anticipated increased restaurant traffic, an old porch was demolished and a small addition abutting the front room built in its place. A new veranda gave outside seating. A new gravel-paved parking lot was added for anticipated heavier customer flow. (Source: MB, SF)
The Trumpet Vine Café and Gift Shop opened 2007-2008. It first offered tea, pastries, lighter fare. Later on, it added dinner and smokehouse barbecue. By August–September, 2009, it closed permanently. (Source: MB, SF, TH)
2010 – Present
Ravenswood Natural Health opened its doors March 13, 2010, with a grand opening May 29, 2010. The structure was cleaned and repaired but the architecture remained unchanged until 2012. In 2012, the interior was reconfigured to utilize the original bedrooms as office space. This project removed one interior doorway and three closets. It added a semi-private, shared entry and waiting area and brought all rooms up to current commercial fire code. In March 2014, design build firm D.E. Jacobs was hired to open the old living quarters to expand retail space. They added a wide doorway between the old kitchen and living room, repaired the outside walls, and added built-in cabinetry for retail shelving.
