Unidentified Structure [Revised 3-14-06] 
The unidentified structure is not shown on the 1794 Morrisville Road survey. This fact suggests that it was not a Mansion House or an operating Ferry House since both these types are indeed shown where they exist at other locations on the same map. There are two structures lightly drawn on the 1834 Hough Subdivision Map both on River Road at about the same location. There is one unidentified structure shown prominently on the 1851 map but not identified. It is shown even more prominently (including heavy property lines) on the 1875 Yardleyville Map and having unusually long river frontage with the structure located at the upper end of that frontage and nothing shown toward or beyond the lower end. Meanwhile the 1875 Lower Makefield Map including Yardleyville (although at very small scale) shows two structures at roughly the same location. These one or two structures must have existed the entire time Jolly Longshore owned the land from 1836 to his death in 1869. The 1893 Harriet Longshore Estate Subdivision assigned #17 to a corner lot at Ferry Street and no structures are shown on the any nearby lots whereas existing buildings on Afton Avenue are clearly shown, so it seems unlikely these structures still existed. Lot #17 was sold to Hoff who later sold it to Miller. In 1923 Charles Miller willed "the boat house and corner lot [#17] on the S.E. side of Ferry Street... with all the boats, nets, household goods, furniture..." to his wife.

Scenario: My guess is that the earlier unidentified structure was a boathouse associated with the Ferry, that it was built by Joseph & George Green, and that someone lived there. The ferry ceased around 1834 and the structure may have continued to serve as a boathouse and/or a tenant house on the Jolly Longshore property. The assemblage was substantial enough to be shown prominently on the 1851 and 1875 maps, but it did not fall into any of the categories of structures normally identified and further that it was dismantled, burned, or otherwise reduced to inconsequence by 1893. A very tempting alternate scenario so far not supported by the facts might be that the 1851/1875 "unidentified structure" is somehow the same as the boathouse identified in the 1923 Miller Will based on the proximity of lot #17 to the 1923 funeral home, as well as the coincidence of the dates.