What He Did for Love

Imagine Downton Abby - 

only call it Nemours Mansion. 

The setting:

Wilmington, Delaware USA

 The family:

The du Ponts 

The same time period. 

Nemours Mansion and Garden, Wilmington, Delaware

Alfred I. du Pont, born in 1864 to 

Eleuthere Irenee Du Pont and Charlotte Shepard (Henderson), 

was orphaned at age 13.

 He became a talented and generous man. 

Nemours Mansion and Garden, Wilmington, Delaware

Wife 1: Bessie - Charming and Irreverent 

He also has quite a story - 

one that would make a good TV series:  

He married a cousin, 

had four children, 

divorced in 1906. 

Nemours Garden, Wilmington, Delaware

He went into the family business, 

was ousted by his cousins, 

almost went bankrupt, 

moved to Florida and 

re -established himself. 

The Entrance to Nemours Mansion, Wilmington, Delaware

Wife 2: Alicia - Proud and Beautiful 

He married another cousin, a divorcee - 

whom he adored 

but she felt more of a friendship than love. 

Elegance at Nemours Mansion, Wilmington, Delaware

He built her a 77 room mansion on 30 acres - 

Still there was no love. 

He installed formal gardens for her to enjoy - 

Still there was no love. 

He adopted her daughter - 

Still there was no love. 

Then the love of his life died. 

Table Setting, Nemours Mansion, Wilmington, Delaware

Wife 3: Jessie -  Tender and Loving 

He married another time 

to a woman 20 years his junior.  

He went on to make millions of dollars. 

He used his own money to establish a 

pension for older people in the state of Delaware. 

He helped revitalize the state of Florida 

after the 1926 hurricane 

and stock market crash of 1929. 

He established a hospital for children - 

Nemours/Alfred I. du Pont Hospital for Children. 

The bulk of his fortune, 

worth 4.5 billion in 2006,  

was left to sustain 

the Nemours Foundation 

which supports his legacy of philanthropic work - 

mostly children's health. 

A Room for Everything Including the Telephone, Nemours Mansion, Wilmington, Delaware

Now that is a man and a legacy. 

"The Poor Man's Friend" Alfred I. du Pont

Here is a video clip about his life: 

http://www.nemoursmansion.org/dupont/about.html

Here are more photos from my trip to 

Nemours Mansion and Garden in Delaware. 

Saving A Mansion

Tuesday of this week I was driving home
and as usual I had the gps on
but I often take other roads
just to discover new things.



I didn't expect too much as I was not
in the best part of town.
In fact, I usually avoid this area altogether.



Ignoring the drug deal I just witnessed
on a busy intersection in broad daylight,
I continued driving.



♪ ♫ ♩ ♬  {Insert Angels Singing}  ♪ ♫ ♩ ♬ 



I discovered Lynnewood Hall.
♪ ♫ ♩ ♬

Researching this mansion,
I learned that it was designed by gilded age architect,
Horace Trumbauer for Peter A. Widener in the late 1800s.
(You really can't live in Philadelphia 
without stumbling across Trumbauer's works.) 

Today Lynnewood Hall is owned by the First Korean Church of New York
but it remains vacant because of a stalemate
between Cheltenham Twp. and the owners.
The owners wanted a zoning variance to use the property as a church,
the township has refused their appeal for a variance.

So the mansion sits vacant, neglected and crumbling.
It makes me angry that we will end up losing another
historically and architecturally significant masterpiece through neglect.

You can read more here about the history of Lynnewood Hall.

Please sign this petition!
You can also join the facebook group Save Lynnewood Hall.

The Party's Here!  (Blog Link Ups)

            

 My blog posts to my facebook page:  

A Daydreamy Day

Welcome to Lemon Hill

I love old homes.
♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ 
Any style.
Any condition.
Any location.

Welcome to Woodford

When I visit an old home,
I get all daydreamy
imagining life there.

Welcome to Laurel Hill

Nothing breaks my heart more than the destruction
of a quality, historic building
to be replaced with a cheap, modern structure.

Laurel Hill hardware detail 

So I am happy to say...
within the boundaries of the largest city park

in the United States are the former summer homes

of prominent Philadelphians:

Lemon Hill features a completely oval room on each of 3 floors. 

The Mansions of Fairmount Park 

Woodford

 Living near these treasures, 

but never visiting the mansions 

I thought it was about time I did so. 

I really enjoyed the knowledgable docent at Laurel Hill.

Happily, the homes have all been preserved. 

Woodford

Sadly, they are managed by different organizations. 

 This makes it difficult for visitors to compile 

an itinerary for visiting them. 

The Art Museum features temporary shows at Lemon Hill.

No matter how much you love old homes or architecture, 

visiting them all at once would be mental suicide. 

 A city view across the Schuylkill River

above Boathouse Row as seen from Lemon Hill.

Pick a few to see or visit them over a period of time. 

You can catch summer concerts at Laurel Hill.

Three down...four to go. 

Maybe next week. 

Here is MY guide to help you

next time you are in Philadelphia:

East of River

Mount Pleasant (Georgian) 39°59′0″N 75°11′59″W / 39.98333°N 

3800 Mt. Pleasant Drive, Philadelphia, PA

is administered by the Philadelphia Museum of Art.

Open Tues-Sun: 10 am-5 pm, except major holidays

Admission: $3; Students and Children (12 and under)-Free

♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ 

Woodford (Georgian) 39.993377,-75.187559

2300 N 33rd St  East Fairmount Park, PA 19102

is administered by the Farimount Park Commission

Open Tues.-Sun., 10 am to 4 pm

Admission: $5 adults, $3 senior citizens, $2 children

♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ 

Strawberry Mansion (Federal with Greek Revival) 39.994193,-75.190386

2450 Strawberry Mansion Drive, Philadelphia, PA 19132

is preserved by The Committee of 1926. 

Open:  Exterior Construction is completed.

Admission: Adults - $3

**********

Lemon Hill (Federal) 39.970704,-75.187252

Sedgeley and Lemon Hill Drs, Philadelphia, PA 19130

is operated by Colonial Dames of America. 

*Overlooks Boathouse Row and has a city view.

Open April - Nov., Wed - Sun, 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.

Admission: Adults - $5

♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ 

Laurel Hill (Georgian) 39° 59' 28.35" N  75° 11' 41.18" W

7201 Edgley Dr, Philadelphia, PA 19121

is operated by Women for Greater Philadelphia

*Views of the Schuylkill River from the back. 

If the area is closed for a Regatta, tell them you want to visit the mansion. 

Main Floor Tours: 

Open Tues.-Sun., 10 am to 4 pm. 
Admission: $5 adults, $3 senior citizens, $2 children

♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ 

West of River 

Sweet Briar 39.976591,-75.20077 

1 Sweet Briar Drive, Philadelphia, PA 19131

is operated by Modern Club of Philadelphia

Open: July 1-December 15, Wed-Sun: 10 am-4 pm.Admission: $3 per person

♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ 

Cedar Grove (Federal) 39.97914,-75.20444

1 Cedar Grove Drive, Philadelphia, PA 19131

is administered by the Philadelphia Museum of Art.

Tues-Sun: 10 am-5 pm, except major holidays

Admission: $3; Students and Children (12 and under) - Free 

Check for construction closures.

♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ 

View from Belmont Mansion Dr. 

Belmont (Palladian) 39.990911,-75.213194

200 Belmont Mansion Drive, Philadelphia, PA

is managed by the American Woman's Heritage Society 

and houses The Underground Railroad Museum. 

*From the front is a great city skyline view. 

Admission: $7 Adult, $5 Student/Sr/Child, Under 6 Free

Summer: Tuesday-Friday 11 AM-5 PM, Weekends 11 AM-5 PM

Winter: Tuesday-Friday 11 AM-5 PM, Weekends Noon-5 PM

♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ 

Map

The mansion names are often shared with 

neighborhoods in the community. 

Don't let that confuse you. 

Laurel Hill is also the name of a beautiful, historic 

cemetery nearby.  It is also worth a visit. 

Sharing with http://kentweakley.com/blog/ http://communalglobal.blogspot.com/