Lynnewood Hall

Lynnewood Hall is a 110-room Georgian-style mansion in Elkins Park, Montgomery County. Considered the largest surviving Gilded Age mansion in the Philadelphia, Pennsylvania area [http://www.preservationalliance.com/news_lynnewood.php] , it was designed by Horace Trumbauer for industrialist Peter A. B. Widener between 1897 and 1900 and housed one of the most important Gilded Age private art collections of European master pieces and decorative arts assembled by Widener and his son Joseph.

Peter A. B. Widener passed away at Lynnewood Hall at the age of 80 Novermber 6, 1915 after prolonged poor health. [ [http://query.nytimes.com/gst/abstract.html?res=9F04E0DF113CE733A25754C0A9679D946496D6CF P.A.B. WIDENER, CAPITALIST, DIES; Traction and Tobacco Financier Expir... - Article Preview - The New York Times ] ]

He was predeceased by his son, George Dunton Widener, his grandson Harry and their valet who all died when the RMS Titanic sank in 1912.

In addition to the large art gallery, the 110-room estate also included a ballroom, swimming pool, wine cellars, a farm and an electrical power plant. The spectacular collection at Lynnewood Hall (dubbed "The last of the American Versailles" by Widener's grandson) was on public view daily from 1915 to 1940 between June and October. In 1940, Joseph E. Widener donated more than 2,000 sculptures, paintings, decorative art, and porcelains to the National Gallery of Art.

"TIME" magazine published an account of a lavish party held at Lynnewood Hall in 1932. [http://www.time.com/time/magazine/article/0,9171,753475,00.html]

Lynnewood Hall after Widener ownership

The grounds were used for training military dogs during World War II and parcels of the land were sold to others after 1943. [http://www.bonhams.com/cgi-bin/public.sh/pubweb/publicSite.r?sContinent=usa&screen=HeadlineDetails&iHeadlineNo=1733 Bonhams - Headlines ] ]

Lynnewood Hall suffered a general decline under the ownership of the Faith Theological Seminary, a religious group headed by Carl McIntire, which purchased it in 1952 for $192,000.

During that ownership many interior detailing, such as mantels and walnut paneling, and landscape ornamentation was sold off in order to raise much needed funds. This is evidenced by the 2006 auction of French bronze figural fountain -- one of only two major surviving Henri-Leon Greber commissions in America - originally installed at Lynnewood Hall

Lynnewood Hall was added to the Preservation Alliance for Greater Philadelphia's 2003 list for most endangered historic properties and is eligible for the National Register of Historic Places.

The seminary and property was eventually foreclosed upon by the second-mortgagee, reportedly a one-time follower of McIntyre.

At 33.85 acres (according to Montgomery County Board of Assessment data) Lynnewood currently is owned by the First Korean Church of New York. However Lynnewood Hall is not in use by that Church and remains vacant. As of 2007 no significant stabilization or repair efforts have been evident. On June 25 2007 the Cheltenham Township Planning Commission reviewed and denied a submitted request (Appeal No. 3225) by the First Korean Church of New York, Inc., owner of premises known as 920 Spring Avenue, Elkins Park, Pennsylvania from the Decision of the Zoning Officer for a variance from the rules and regulations of the Class R-2 Residence District as outlined in CCS 295-14. for the use of the premises as a Church and a Domicile for a Caretaker/Assistant Pastor instead of one of the permitted enumerated uses. [http://www.cheltenhamtownship.org/meetings/Planning/june07.pdf]

This was the second such request - the first submitted in 1998 - for a variance. That resulted in a lawsuit [see First Korean Church of New York v. Twp. of Cheltenham Zoning Bd] ; submitted to the Pennsylvania Supreme Court May 2001] which upheld Cheltenham's denial of the request.

References:

* [http://www.bonhams.com/cgi-bin/public.sh/pubweb/publicSite.r?sContinent=usa&screen=HeadlineDetails&iHeadlineNo=1733 Bonhams Auction house March 2006 "Magnificent Fountain to be Featured"]
* [http://query.nytimes.com/gst/abstract.html?res=9F04E0DF113CE733A25754C0A9679D946496D6CF New York Times P.A.B. Widener Dies, November 7, 1915]
* [http://www.cheltenhamtownship.org/meetings/Planning/june07.pdf June 25, 2007 Cheltenham Township Planning Commission minutes]

References