1999 |
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1999 |
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- FASCINATING! WHAT A LOSS....
- SALLY PAYNE BRENNAN (WATERMARK@PORTCITYONLINE.COM)
- MOBILE, AL USA - Thursday,
December 30, 1999 at 11:47:20 EST
- Very interesting site, I'm
confused on the spelling. The first picture on your site shows a business
with the Siri... spelling. I have direct roots to Soveria Mannelli and just
now have begun to explore them. My Grandfather Giovanni, Son of Francesco
and Tommasina Sirianni left Soveria Mannelli in 1910. He had four brothers
Nitale, Battista, Guiseppi, and Ernesto. Ernesto was last reported living in
Soveria in 1988. Can anybody shed any light on who remains and how to
contact them?
- Chris Sirianni (chrisls@home.com)
- Mercer Island, WA USA - Monday,
December 27, 1999 at 20:11:13 EST
- Hello Gerry, great website!!
I grew up in Avezzano through high school graduation when my dad was
transferred to Roma,
where
I attended University and eventually emigrated to Canada in 1966. I was
touched by your ancestors tragic experience with the deadly earthquake of
1915. I will never forget my dad describing to me that frightful experience
(he was 9 years old at the time), but he and his family were lucky to survive
the earthquake, although their house was heavily damaged (they lived in the
village of S. Anatolia, 20 km WNW of Avezzano). Your photos are great! For
sure I will be visiting your site again.
Ciao,ciao
- Vittorio Panei (paneiv@cadvision.com)
- Calgary, AB
Canada - Saturday, December 25, 1999 at 22:44:39 EST
Your pictorial was a fun trip back down memory lane. I use to visit "Stotesbury Mansion" when I was in High School. I always regretted not take any pictures myself. It was a fantastic place to explore or take a date. I especially liked the photo's from 1979. That was the year I graduated from High School, and it brought back a flood of memories. I lived in Lansdale when I use to come to the mansion. I have since moved with my family to Glenside and live five minutes from it now. Thanks for the pictures, they were fantastic.
Bill Moore (bimo@home.com)
Glenside, PA USA - Thursday, December 23, 1999 at 19:48:00 EST
- i live within a few miles of the mansion ruins on bethlehem pike, and i just discovered the remains of the mansion within the past year; i have been captivated by them ever since. i was utterly delighted to find your webpage! so much that i had always wanted to know was answered. i have visited the ruins many times, and have tried my hand at photography on numerous occasions, and many of my pictures match yours...it was rather creepy. but seeing pictures of the real mansion was even more startling; i was delighted to be able to see how the fragments i see today fit into a complete whole, how the watchtower and lower fountain were placed in relation to the actual building, etc. i am so disappointed that i never got to see the mansion in its full glory...and i envy all those who posted in this guestbook that were more fortunate than me! if i could go back in time to any time or any place, my first choice would be to see the hall when it was intact. is it true that there was a bowling alley in the basement? thank you so much for all your other information! i will tell all my friends who frequent the ruins (and get arrested, more often then not...) to check out this site instead.
- Gerry, I found your web site extremely interesting. I too was born and raised in Wyndmoor, I went to Wyndmoor grade School which is practically across from the Stotesbury's Gate house on Willow Grove Ave. Although we share the same last name I don't think we are related, at least our family never thought we were. In regards to
Stotesbury's (Whitemarsh Hall) as a young boy in the early 1930s I remember climbing "them thar" man made,(myth or not) hills surrounding the mansion. Numerous times I saw Mr. Stotesbury's Limo pass by while I was securely out of sight behind a statue or a tree. I remember sitting on top of those hills where I could get a magnificent view to paint my picture. Back then I surely knew that I was looking at something TRULLY AWESOME. During the
Depression after a large party, Mr. Stotesbury would direct his help to place the extra food in boxes at his
personal dump so the towns people could help themselves. There were whole cooked turkeys, beef, vegetables and
various fresh fruit. The dump was located in a field which is now Beach Lane. There was a lot of gossip around
town about the fact that they had solid gold door knockers and door knobs etc. There was also talk he used to
drive by Willow Grove Ave. and toss silver dollors out the windows, although I never saw that myself.
i'm very happy to see some sons of emigrants
remembering avezzano!
claudio de ciantis
avezzano, italy - Thursday, December 09, 1999 at 13:05:05 EST
- My father's family is from
Niagara Falls, NY. I know that my great-grandmother came from the old
country. I have never found another Serianni outside of Niagara Falls NY!
- Dawne Serianni Myers
- VT USA - Wednesday, December
08, 1999 at 18:05:40 EST
- Dear Gerry: Found your web
site very very interesting and a lot of fun. I see that that we share many
common interests, including a love of our Italian heritage. All the best.
- Leon J. Radomile (leon@myheritageculture.com)
- Novato, CA USA - Tuesday,
November 30, 1999 at 09:13:36 EST
- un caloroso saluto a tutti i
calabresi nel mondo. vi invito a visitare

- Ciao
- Cristina (cristinaseverino@madeincalabria.com)
- Catanzaro, ITALIA - Monday,
November 29, 1999 at 13:57:41 EST

Nice site! My
British list is 317 to date. I'm over in Canada next August, looking forward to seeing some North American stuff. All the best, happy
birding!
Paul Freestone (paul@little-miss-naughty.freeserve.co.uk)
Doncaster, ENGLAND - Saturday, November 27, 1999 at 16:00:01 EST
- Are you related
to Rod Serianni? I remember him from Hartwell Lane Elementary. We used to
watch Dark Shadows together over the phone.
- Trenton, NJ USA -
Saturday, November 27, 1999 at 11:25:26 EST
- I learned about your
wonderful website at the Old York Road Historical Society. What a great loss
it was when this house and garden was destroyed. Thanks for the wonderful
website.
- Robert Skaler (forensicarch@home.com)
- Cheltenham, pa USA - Tuesday,
November 23, 1999 at 22:31:47 EST
I really enjoyed your site. As a teenager growing up in the area my friends and I would go to Stotesbury to check it out. It was awesome even though it was pretty much destroyed by then. We used to wonder in and out of the many rooms, and I could just imagine how everything was so many years ago. Outside the gardens were all overgrown and huge statues had been toppled over and broken. Usually the police would chase everyone out of the house, although we did no harm. Thanks for the memories.
Deborah (DLCoppola1@AOL.com)
Horsham, PA USA - Monday, November 22, 1999 at 13:20:54 EST
- awesome!
- lydia prieto
- pecos, tx USA - Friday,
November 19, 1999 at 17:35:10 EST
I've had delightful time browsing around and I can assure you I'll be returning. Please drop-by to my corner
http://welcome.to/acuan
Lukman Herry / Acuan (acuan@mail.com)
Jakarta, Indonesia - Tuesday, November 16, 1999 at 01:38:58 EST
I wanted to tell you how much I enjoyed the great story of Whitemarsh Hall. It was presented in a very readable and engrossing way that portrayed a very different time. I have read a lot of books on
J.P. Morgan and the exploits of the very wealthy of this time period. Whitemarsh Hall was a beautiful example of the excess of the times and the
excentric but powerful character that lived backed then. It is a shame that such a grand old house had to be torn down but yet how could a family or a city ever keep up such a pile of stone. I still think if I had the money in excess I would build a house like Whitemarsh Hall instead of rustic lodge like
Mr. Gates built. Oh well, I guess it won't be a decision I will have to make anytime soon. Great site and thank for putting on a informative visit.
Paul Thomas Elrod (paul2b@yahoo.com)
Marysville, OH USA - Saturday, November 13, 1999 at 11:49:19 EST
-
What a splendid Web site! I enjoyed the tours of America's Vanished Versailles. I am so impressed with your work and perspective that I very much want to discuss your writing an article about WH for our state history magazine. Please e-mail or telephone (717-787-7522) as soon as you are able. Thanks!
Michael J. O'Malley III (momalley@phmc.state.pa.us)
Harrisburg, PA USA - Wednesday, November 10, 1999 at 17:13:57 EST
I lived at Michener and Wadsworth avenues
from 1961 to 72. I was 12 years old when my family moved away. I discovered Stotesbury mansion during the summer of 70. At that time, I went with a neighborhood friend of mine to visit friends of his who lived on Patton Rd. near
Wainright. My grandfather, who is now deceased, worked for the jewelry company J. E. Caldwell for 50 years. When I mentioned to him that I had visited a place called Stotesbury Mansion, he had his own Stotesbury anecdote to tell. He told me that he once went out to the house to make a delivery. While he was in the downstair's part of the house where he was making his delivery, he enjoyed a demitasse of clam chowder soup that was offered to him by a woman that I guess was the cook. While he was having the soup, the woman told him that if Mrs. Stotesbury were to walk through this door right now I would lose my job. The story was told all in good fun though. I just got WEb TV and I discoverd a site that has 24 photos of the outside of Stotesbury that I have never seen before. Here are the
directions to the site. Bring up Search and type in the word alta vista. Bring up the first alta vista listing and then type in the word Trumbauer. A list of entries pertaining to Horace Trumbauer will appear on your screen. Go to entry 183 and hit return. A list of architect's names titled American Landscape and Architecture Design: Names will appear on the screen. Go to the name Duchene, Achille and press return. Twenty three photographic entries
pertaining to the Stotesbury facade and gardens will appear on the screen. You can also go back to the list of architect's names and look up Greber, Jacques and Trumbauer, Horace.
Edward Borish (EDatWeb@webtv.net)
Warminster, PA USA - Monday, November 08, 1999 at 20:49:09 EST
- Hey Gerry, Great website! I grew up in West Mt Airy. In my pre-teen & early teenage years (early 70’s) my friends & I would ride our bikes and visit the ruins of the Stotesbury mansion. The visits were wonderful adventures that I will always remember. The building was so massive and the extraordinary grounds were so impressive we would revisit the mansion again & again. (although it was illegal) Your Webster has expanded my knowledge on this piece of local history and provided the pictures to re-claim some childhood adventures. I was lucky to have seen the structure prior it’s demolition. The pictures you gathered of the structure prior to it’s demise reveal more than I could have imaged the extraordinary palace looked like when it was constructed! Once again, great website. Thanx for a job well done.
- WiLL (CHILWHILL)
Wyndmoor, PA USA - Sunday, November 07, 1999 at 13:29:21 EST
- Love your site
- Kil (Isbister99@yahoo.com)
- LA , Ca USA - Saturday,
November 06, 1999 at 00:53:29 EST
-
-
Cool site
- Kils (gina150@hotmail.com)
- NY, NY USA - Saturday, November
06, 1999 at 00:50:17 EST
- What a great website. I am
the great-granddaughter of Conchetta and the granddaughter of Rose Loggia.
My birth name is Rosalinda Russo, daughter of Antoinette Loggia Russo. I did
find that your picture of May 16, 1961 under "Family of Frances and
Ralph Serianni" is more of a cousin's picture. Many of the people are
actually the children (with spouses) of Rose Loggia. Let me know if I can
provide any more information to add to your site.
- Linda (Russo) Croushore (lcrousho@chw.edu)
- Ripon, CA USA - Wednesday,
November 03, 1999 at 18:07:12 EST
-
This is a fabulous website. I was looking for information for a report my daughter, Jenna Solomon, is doing. I am thrilled we found this site. Jenna is an Architectural History Major at the University of Virginia, mostly because of Stotesbury. Born in 1981, she has always been saddened by the fact that she never got to see the mansion. From the age of about 3, she would make me take her to see the pictures of Stotesbury at the township building and would always ask me why it had to be torn down. She did one of her college admission essays on why she wanted to study Architectural History (cuz of Stotesbury) and go on to a career of preserving and restoring old buildings, so never again would she have to cry over losing a gem like Stotesbury.
Bonny Davis (BDavis1128)
Oreland, PA USA - Tuesday, November 02, 1999 at 20:16:21 EST
If anyone has any information on who did the fences and the ironwork on the Stotesbury Mansion, it would be greatly appreciated if I could document the fact that my grandfather, Charles G. Kemp of Richmond & Kemp, did the iron work.
Roddy Davis (deemommom@aol.com)
Oreland, PA USA - Tuesday, November 02, 1999 at 20:11:45 EST
-
Dear Gerry, My mother Sandy
Morrissette (Carnivale) who I think is your second or third cousin gave me the address to this web page. It is so great to see our heritage in this type of format! Please e-mail me when you are completed this family tree, or if you have any questions
regarding my part of the family. God bless...
Raymond Morrissette (devildogpa@prodigy.net)
Doylestown, PA USA - Monday, November 01, 1999 at 23:57:28 EST
-
You did a wonderful job on your web site. I was raised in Wyndmoor and went horseback
riding, hunting, swimming, winter sports. I went to school with the Serianni family on new St. I e- mail
William Serianni in Fl. He informed me of your web site. very well done.
Jim Wilmarth (jfw2@webtv.net)
Grantville, Pa USA - Sunday, October 31, 1999 at 22:54:00 EST
- Hi, Gerry. Great
page! I love the pictures, Conchetta was my Great-grandmother.too.
I am but one more of your cousins, the daughter of Charles Loggia.
- Chalfont, PA USA -
Saturday, October 30, 1999 at 17:18:11 EDT
- GREAT SITE.
It came up in answer to my search on "Ciannavei".
Unfortunately, I was not able to discern how that name intersects with
your roots. Help?
- Walpole, MA USA -
Saturday, October 30, 1999 at 13:06:01 EDT
Hi! I don't know
you or your family, but your family history & album is very moving! Lovely!
Elaine
NY USA - Saturday, October
16, 1999 at 22:10:16 EDT
-
- It has been a true
pleasure to know you a little better over the last year. You are a great
person, & friend. Thanks for all your
help!!! You have a
great WEB-SITE, especially the picture of you on the floor of the Wine Cellar.
-
Prospect Park, PA USA -
Friday, October 15, 1999 at 14:44:54 EDT
- Thanks Gerry, for
doing the family tree. It means a lot to me and my family. It makes me very
proud to see who and where we all came from, so in the future we can hand
this down to our kids so they can be proud to. Give everybody our regards,
and keep up the good work. Your family should be proud of you. Hope to get
together soon.
- Frank and Sylvia Carnavil (fs1234@bellatlantic.net)
- Horsham, Pa USA - Thursday,
October 14, 1999 at 19:18:43 EDT
Gerry, I found your page while viewing the guest Book At the Ortucchio site.
Thanks for a wonderful page. I enjoyed it a lot. Good reading. I started my family tree about a year ago and been dragging my behind. I guess this will give me an incentive to get going again. Thanks
Richard A. Chiarilli (gac5@ix.netcom.com)
RSM, CA USA - Wednesday, October 13, 1999 at 12:55:01 EDT
I am a granddaughter of Gabriele Sirianni and Rose Perri Sirianni of Soveria Mannelli, Italy and later Olean, NY. This is a wonderful website. I'm sure we're all related somehow--maybe 5th or 6th times removed or whatever. Thanks for sharing this wonderful heritage!
Kathleen Gotto (kathleen.gotto@schriever.af.mil)
Peyton, CO USA - Wednesday, October 06, 1999 at 11:46:12 EDT
- an interesting read, thanks
- bruce stotesbury (stotes@home.com)
- victoria, bc canada - Sunday,
October 03, 1999 at 23:55:23 EDT
- Hi. We exchanged a few
messages about a year ago. I was at a friend's house this weekend and we
each found out that the other lived in Wyndmoor as children. Given my
friend's name -- Rod Serianni -- I remembered your site. Any relation to
Rod? If so, small world, isn't it. We talked, of course, about sneaking
around Stotesbury before it was torn down, of course.
- Eric Miller
- USA - Tuesday, September 28,
1999 at 18:51:28 EDT
- Thank you very much for a
wonderful excursion back in my childhood memories. As a child, in the
forties, we lived on my grandfather's farm, across the street from
Whitemarsh Hall on Paper Mill Road. I can even see the farm in the photos.
You have preserved this great building for posterity. Rev. William J.
Bonner.
- Rev. William J. Bonner (Bonnerhof@aol.com)
- Los Angeles, CA USA - Tuesday,
September 28, 1999 at 01:26:22 EDT
- I enjoyed your site and was
surprised to see my Dad's hometown of Soveria Mannelli named. My Dad,
Massimo Marasco was born there, (I did note that in the spelling of our name
we use an "a". Also have an great Aunt Michilina Marasco Serranni.
My grandfather came to Canada as a young boy and after many trips back to
Italy settled in a surburb of Chicago. I was raised in the Chicago area.
Wonder if we could be related?
- Phyllis Marasco Dalaly (flis1@WEBTV.net)
- CA USA - Saturday, September
25, 1999 at 05:18:51 EDT
- I WAS INVITED TO SOMEONES
HOUSE TODAY FOR A PARTY AND THEY LIVE ACROSS THE STREET FROM THE COLLUMs OF
STOTESBURY, ITS A TRADGEDY THAT THIS IS ALL THAT REMAINS OF SUCH A BEAUTIFUL
MANSION AND GROUNDS, I LOVED READING YOUR WEBSITE, AND I WAS GLUED TO
READING EVERY DETAIL, YOU DID A GREAT JOB. I moved to Phila in 1982 and
never saw what the mansion looked like only in pictures. When I see the
pictures in your website, its just unbeliable. I am sure there are bits and
pieces of the mansion and grounds all around this area, I have seen finials
and other remnants on peoples lawns, Is any of the artifacts in a museum to
look at? You mentioned a movie was filmed at the mansion in the 60s. Do you
know the name of the movie? Would it be on video. what is the name of the
book? Was there something written about ghosts at stotesbury? I am a native
of Rhode Island and visited many of the Newport Mansions. In Newport you
would never think of razing a mansion, why did they do it to stotesbury?
- Mark Petteruti (MPETTERUTI@AOL.COM)
PHILA, PA USA - Sunday,
September 12, 1999 at 19:16:52 EDT
- Just came from a birthday party on Cromwell Rd. Such
Memories! Running though the gardens (short cut to 7-11) from the cops. Finding and exploring the fountains and terraces, and the house, oh!
Going from room to room and trying to figure out what it all was in it's glory. Our kids had been listening, so we
took then to the top of the back yard and spread open the bushes There were the columns, and they all went wowwww, and we said
(and we could still see it in our minds) there once was a great Manse that stood here and if you could have seen it, even in decadence,
you wouldn't have believed.... Now I can show them.
-
Thanks, I still can't believe what was, that is no more.
Jamie Hoffner (veejay56@bellatlantic.net)
Plymouth Meeting, PA USA - Sunday, September 12, 1999 at 05:01:52 EDT
- I am glad that you updated
the family tree, it is great! I hope you can finish it soon. My mother and
children all enjoyed seeing the wonderful pictures, and everything else,
will e-mail soon!
- Stephen McMahon (stmcmahon@msn.com)
- North Woods, PA USA -
Wednesday, September 08, 1999 at 21:05:19 EDT
- Thank you for
this wonderful site! I have just begun to research my grandfather's
history and your site has given me some great info.
My grandfather was a
chauffeur for Mr. Stotesbury and he spent a good deal of time traveling with
him. Much of what I have about our family history are the photos and
correspondence that he would send home to my grandmother. My grandfather
passed away while my mother was young, just a few years after Mr. Stotesbury,
so all I really know of him is his time with the Stotesburys. She gave me a
tour of the ruins as a child. I was heartbroken. My mother has wonderful
pictures that my grandfather had taken while he worked there. I could not
believe such a beautiful estate was gone. I can not wait for my mother to see
your web site. Since it is attached to the memories of her father and the
times he would take her there, she has always had a special fondness for the
Stotesbury mansion. I understand that my grandfather cared for the
Stotesbury's very much and that they were very kind to him.
- Philadelphia, PA USA -
Wednesday, September 08, 1999 at 14:32:16 EDT
- Hi! I heard about
your page through my cousins and figured I'd check it out. Wow, it's so
great to finally be able to see my heritage written down some place, and
to know that I fit in there somewhere :) Where do I fit in? I'm the
granddaughter of Charles M. Loggia and Nancy J. (Sheridan) Loggia. Which
makes me just one more link in the big old chain of cousins!
- Bucks County, PA USA
- Monday, September 06, 1999 at 01:26:10 EDT
- Hello. I'm
visiting my granddaughter (Kathy Curran-Brown) and I just saw the web page
with my family here with me. We all enjoyed it very much! I liked
the photos and remembering all the people. Love, Aunt El
- Eleanor Curran
- Wyndmoor, PA USA -
Sunday, September 05, 1999 at 17:16:09 EDT
Wow! Great site!
It's really terrific to see the family tree, and I think the idea of an
ongoing virtual family reunion is wonderful. Thanks to my Aunt Eileen
Curran, daughter of Charlie & Eleanor (Serianni) Curran for tipping me
off to the site. Here's how I fit in: Charlie & Eleanor (Serianni)
Curran are my grandparents, and my parents are Charles (aka Bud) & Alice
Curran. I have an older sister Kathy, and a younger brother Tom, whom I'll
let report in for themselves (though as a proud uncle I must say that Kathy
has been blessed with 2 great kids). As for me, I am single and living in
central Finland on a 2 year assignment for my company, Foster Wheeler. So if
anyone finds themselves up near the nordic arctic circle someday, drop me a
line and I'll make sure you have a great stay!
P.S. It was great
to finally get some history on those stone pillars on Willow Grove Ave!
Rich Curran (rich_curran@fwc.com)
Varkaus, Finland - Tuesday, August 31, 1999 at 13:52:29 EDT
- Great site. I
enjoyed the Whitemarsh Hall info. I still live in Wyndmoor and see the
remains of the mansion all the time. have a friend who has given slide
show presentation and has done extensive research on the Stotesbury
family. Let me know if you have interest in speaking with him. Also, would
like to say Hello to all the family members who have seen your site.
- Plymouth Meeting, PA
USA - Monday, August 30, 1999 at 11:22:02 EDT
- I came across
your site while looking for info on
Lynnewood Hall. I found yours to be extremely interesting and informative.
I have used Lynnewood Hall as the subject matter for some of my classes,
and I am always on the lookout for fresh info regarding the estate,
Widener, or the architects, Trumbuaer, and Greber. Thanks.
- Jenkintown,
Pa USA - Tuesday, August 24, 1999 at 12:31:15 EDT
- Gerry, Great site. Thanks
for the kick in the pants to do some of my own family tree work. I'll start
with our common connections.
- Lou Russo (lrusso@voicenet.com)
- Hatboro, PA USA - Saturday,
August 21, 1999 at 12:25:34 EDT
- Love your Family
Tree. Will e-mail you with some additional information.
- Philip T. Serianni (ptserian@scj.com)
- Columbia, MD USA -
Wednesday, August 18, 1999 at 13:23:07 EDT
- Enjoyed your web-site, great
job on commentary of Whitemarsh Estate, I used to ride my bicycle around the
mansion when I was a kid, but did not know any thing about the history,
thanks for the info. regards, cousin Josephine.
- Josephine R. Rambert (jrambert@juno.com)
- Chadds Ford, PA USA - Saturday,
August 14, 1999 at 12:47:12 EDT
- Thanks so much for
your Stotesbury-Whitemarsh web-page. Sadly I never saw it in person, but
your photos go a long way toward recapturing the grandeur.
- Paula Spilner (pspilner@aol.com)
- Philadelphia, PA USA -
Thursday, August 12, 1999 at 15:57:14 EDT
- I realy enjoyed
your documentary on the Stotesbury mansion. It was great. Do you have any
history on the concrete hoses in Whitemarsh Villiage?
- Wyndmoor, Pa, USA -
Saturday, August 07, 1999 at 02:36:54 EDT
- Wow! Came here
because I know that we are related. My Aunt Rosina Sirianni Rehborn and my
father Eugene Sirianni--both told me that we were related to Frank and Lou
Serianni and all of my relatives are from Soveria.
Also--I loved
reading all of the stuff about Stotesbury. I grew up in Oreland (SHS '81)
and loved the walk down memory lane. A true piece of my youth!
I welcome all
contacts and can be reached at my work e-mail alsotrainingcenter.clv-register@rp-rorer.com
-
April Sirianni Bonner
(abonner888@aol.com)
- Schwensville, PA USA -
Monday, August 02, 1999 at 20:56:13 EDT
- I would just like
to say that I really enjoy reading your webpage. Keep up the great work!!
Maybe we can get together sometime when you visit here again!!! Please
E-mail me back!!!!
- Lisa Cione (Piscana01@aol.com)
- Lafayette Hill, PA USA
- Saturday, July 31, 1999 at 14:56:05 EDT
- Great web site
Gerry, keep up the good work Cuzzie )
- Joe & Bunny
Serianni
- Oreland, Pa USA -
Thursday, July 29, 1999 at 19:09:24 EDT
- I came to find cool pictures
of birds for a school project, but the birds just aren't big enough!
- Louisa
- London, England -
Wednesday, July 21, 1999 at 12:37:26 EDT
- My husband is the grandson
of Angelo Serianni of Niagara Falls, NY. Angelo had a very large number of
brothers and sisters, but broke with the family when he was a very young
man. I'm doing a little genealogy search but am not able to devote much time
to it. We know Angelo was born in Rio, and that's about all!
- Lorna Beedle Serianni (seria06@alltel.net)
- St. Marys, PA USA - Thursday,
July 15, 1999 at 21:21:14 EDT
- I like what you did
with your family page, as soon as my is up, I will send you the address, it
is always good to hear about people getting to know the extended family.
- Tom (Gaetano) Loggia (COESystems@aol.com)
- Naperville, IL USA -
Thursday, July 15, 1999 at 17:59:48 EDT
- I've never known the complete story of Stotesbury until
I had visited
your page. My friends and I enjoy spending time at what is left of the
mansion. It had always intrigued us how such a beautiful place had taken
such an awful turn. I will always remember the great times we had shared
there.
- Melanie Konstant
- Flourtown, PA USA - Monday, July 12, 1999 at
21:45:14 EDT
- What a wonderful web page. There are sooooo many
interesting places. The link page is terrific. It has soooo much to pick
from. Also the photo gallery is marvelous. The Adirondacks are beautiful. I
have been to Whiteface a couple of times. Thanks for allowing me to visit.
Ellen
- Ellen Sirianni (ESIRIANNI@aol.com)
- Ellicottville, NY USA - Monday, July 12, 1999 at
16:10:40 EDT
I was told by the local police that I would be arrested if I
trespassed on the property prior to the demolition in 1979. I had wanted to take pictures of the remains of the house before it was torn down. I was interested in the residence pipe organ, an Aeolian. Thanks for the Website. Larry Leonard
Larry Leonard (gmauck@together.net)
Laconia, NH USA - Monday, July 05, 1999 at 16:24:05 EDT
- Gerry...it only gets better! No matter how many times I have
viewed your site I find something new.:) -C-
- NJ USA - Sunday, July 04, 1999 at 00:16:35 EDT
- What a wonderful web site. I can remember being a student at
LaSalle in the early eighties and sitting outside hearing the sounds of
demolition of this place. It is wonderful to read your chronicle of
its history with so many photos. It is the first site I have found
with so much information on the property. Thank you
- Philadelphia, PA USA - Friday, July 02, 1999 at 10:43:02 EDT
-
AS A TEENAGER IS WAS ARRESTED FOR TRESPASSING. GREAT WEB SITE. GREAT
MEMORIES
- ROBERT MORAK
- WILLOW GROVE, PA USA - Monday, June 28, 1999 at 07:33:44 EDT
I visited my brother Bill in the fall of 1977, he lived very close to the mansion and I had a few visits to the vandalised site, I was amazed at the size and the extent of detail. I was saddened to hear that the building was demolished. Here in Australia we don't have this type of glamerous mansion with the large landscaped gardens, most buildings we have that were built in the 1920's are listed on the national hertitage list and need to be restored to their former glory. It is so sad to see something so grand lost to urban development. You have done a
wonderful job in at least retaining the memory and giving those whom were unable to see the mansion a look at it's
brief history. Good on you for a job well done.
Stephen Koelewyn (ozeppi@ozemail.com.au)
Sydney, NS AUSTRALIA - Friday, June 25, 1999 at 18:43:30 EDT
- What s treat to see whitemarsh hall on the web. I've loved the estate
since I read about it years ago in James Maher's book. The Hewitt pictures
are wonderful, but your photos of the place in the '70's are quite sad to
see.
- jim lewis
- pasadena, ca USA - Friday, June 25, 1999 at 00:05:01 EDT
- Chuck Great site . Iam very happy to vist you
site. I found it by linking
from Riverview Beach Park in Pennsille NJ 08070.www.salemcounty.com.
I called our Mayor George Reed, and told him about you. and what you are
doing.We can get you a tape and pics when the park was in service. Get back
with Please.
- Pennsville, NJ USA - Thursday, June 17, 1999 at 01:48:05 EDT
- Seeing the old photos of Stotesbury was a trip back in time. They
recaptured a mood I could only associate with that strange, larger-than-life
place. I remember taking our mother through--illegally--after Sunday School
in about 1972. We were so happy that our mother was breaking the law with
us! Thanks for the trip. (Springfield,'80)
- Ann Shoemaker Meredith (ameredith@lightsofliberty.org)
- Phila, PA USA - Friday, June 11, 1999 at 13:18:16 EDT
- Gerry,
Out here visiting Wendy & family -- checking out
your Stotesbury page and personal pages. Very impressed with your research
and presentation. Hope all's well.
- David Bamberger
- Athens, OH USA - Tuesday, June 08, 1999 at 14:53:53 EDT
- During the late 1970's, this was our play ground ...our very
own haunted house! What a shame it's gone.
- Bob & Beth Cornelius
- Lansdale, PA USA - Friday, June 04, 1999 at 10:01:26 EDT
- Thank you for the memories of Stotesbury. I grew up in Oreland and
explored the mansion in 1970 with the chief of police's permission. My Dad,
Louis A. Roman was Superintendent of schools. I told my daughter about
Stotesbury mansion this morning and with your website I was able to explain
more. Thanks again....
- Chris Roman (caroman@mindspring.com)
- LaGrange, GA USA - Wednesday, June 02, 1999 at 16:34:09 EDT
- Until stumbling onto your web site, I had no idea what stood
at the site of the Stotesbury townhouses before they were built. Thanks
for helping to bring Whitemarsh Hall to people who DON'T have any
memories of it.
- Lafayette Hill, PA USA - Friday, May 28, 1999 at 23:11:16 EDT
- Dear Gerry:
Wow! I'm entertaining a friend from Florida, and trying to tell her of
Stotesbury's Mansion, then brought her in to look at your website. Brilliant!
I'm glad that you showed it to me before it came down. Thank you for that. It
was nice to enjoy something as special as Stotesbury with someone who sincerely cared for
its history. I was mentioning to my friend of Charles Riggs famous 'Midnight Ghosts at
Stotesbury' and was hoping you would have it in here ... any clues as to how I can obtain
a copy of it? Sincerely yours,
Steve
- F.S. NOPHUT (BGANOU@AOL.COM)
- LAWRENCEVILLE, GA USA - Friday, May 28, 1999 at 00:34:29 EDT
- I grew up in West Oak Lane and would visit the mansion often. We would
pack a lunch and our flash lights then lie to our parents about where we were going and
head to the mansion. This was in the early seventies and the house was very
unsafe. Through all of the devastation i could always see the beauty of the house
and have been fascinated with it ever since. On 5/22/99 I drove by the remains and was in
awe once again. Shortly after, I found this site in an effort to show my family what
I had been rambling on about all afternoon. Great site, I will surely tell all my
freinds about it. (especially those who were there) Live well!
- John DiGiuseppe (Fenceauthy@aol.com)
- West Chester, pa USA - Saturday, May 22, 1999 at 23:07:29 EDT
- Gerry! Just checked it out 5/22/99. I really enjoyed it.
Especially your photographs. They're beautiful! Tell you daughter, I too,
share the enthusiasm for birding!! Great Website!!!
- Heather Grim (heathgrim@aol.com)
- Phoenixville, PA USA - Saturday, May 22, 1999 at 22:48:30 EDT
- Yo, dude. Why would you WANT a house that big?
- Scarlette W.
- USA - Saturday, May 22, 1999 at 19:12:02 EDT
- Sorry to learn of your mother's recent passing. Fantastic web
site! The Lucy show is great, Whitemarsh Hall is incredible! The best personal
posting I have ever seen! Enjoyed my visit immensely!
- Tracy Young (teyoung@erols.com)
- PA USA - Tuesday, May 18, 1999 at
21:38:05 EDT
- Gerry,
It was great to relive my youth again on your web site. I think we went to
"Stotesbury" every other weekend to hang out. I was always amazed by it's size
and the way it was built. Thank you again for the memories.
- Dave Vile (David.Vile@prodigy.net)
- Phila, Pa USA - Sunday, May 16, 1999 at
12:41:30 EDT
- fantastic! i've read about this mansion many times and have finally seen it! the
history needs a little grammatical editing. thanks for the tour,
- john mcelveen (johnmcelveen@yahoo.com)
- ny, ny USA - Friday, May 07, 1999 at
19:43:03 EDT
- I enjoyed very much your web site. It was well researched and informative.
Whitemarsh Hall was a remarkable architectural achievement. It is even
more remarkable because it was designed by an African-American architect, Julian Abele. He
was Trumbauer's senior designer from 1907-50. Eva Stotesbury treated Abele with the respect due her architect. She
invited him to at least one reception and dinner in honor of Mme. Nadia Boulanger who was
godmother to Julian Abele's first born. She was principally responsible for the
Office of Horace Trumbauer receiving the commission to design Rose Terrace in Grosse
Pte,
Michigan for dowager Anna Dodge, heir to the autormobile fortune. Again Abele was
the designer. Abele family oral history alleges that Eva Stotesbury attended Julian
Abele's funeral held at his south Philadelphia townhouse n 1950.
It speaks well of Eva Stotesbury that she was not distracted by Abele's
ethnicity, but that she was able to appreciate his architectural prowess.
- Dreck Wilson (DWi5928417@AOL.com)
D.C., USA - Saturday, April 24, 1999 at 19:06:19 EDT
- hey nice
meeting you....rock on good buddy.....love & peace to you and
yours.........
- Robbie Nicholas (blueeyes57@msn.com)
- Houma, la USA - Thursday, April 22, 1999 at 19:05:16 EDT
I read a few of your guest book entries, and can't think of much
to add. I, too, have had so many personal experiences and vivid memories of the mansion. I
can still picture it, sitting up on the hill, attracting focus from vantage points all
over Springfield Township. Ominous, mysterious, dangerous, and captivating, my
relationship with the estate changed as I did. When I first visited Stotesbury (as we
called it), I was 10 years old, and frightened by it's mere presence. The mansion was
(somewhat) in tact at the time, having recently been abandoned by the Penwalt company.
Even the bunson burners worked! I was chased off the property by a guard, and ran like a
jack rabbit all the way home, without once peaking behind me. Through the next 15 years, I
grew less intimidated by the lore of the place, and even gave tours for 50 cents. We
entered through secret passages, which were always being boarded up by the police, but
nothing would stop us -- even the rumor of Mrs. Stotesbury's ghost being seen -- which was
scarier than Officer Wood! I have memories of finding plumbing that worked, the big safe
(with a rumor that there were jewels inside), other "explorers", the elevator
shaft that almost took a few lives, the headless statues all around the property, people
stealing fixtures when copper and brass were at a premium, the ballroom's grandeur being
lessened by the laboratory remains, playing army (the place was so expansive, you could go
the entire day without seeing the enemy), the musty smell, the hundereds of pigeons, cubby
holes to hide out from police, a working generator, the huge library, and the awesome view
from the roof...
It's one of my prized childhood memories, and I want to thank you for this site. I
will show it to my boy, Justin, and I'm sure I'll be adding some embellishing tales of my
own!
Forgive me for any grammatical or spelling errors in this note...after all....I am a
graduate of Springfield High ('76)!
Craig Shoemaker (www.craigshoemaker.com)
Sherman Oaks, CA USA - Tuesday, April 13, 1999 at 14:45:55 EDT
- I really liked the photos. They brought back memories of when I use to go there
when I was a teenager.
-
SAM GINTHER (SGIN126377@AOL.COM)
- DOYLESTOWN, PA USA - Friday, April 09, 1999 at 17:26:47 EDT
- Cool page
- Christy (badintensions@hotmail.com)
- Memphis, USA - Wednesday, April 07, 1999 at 23:28:52 EDT
- Gerry - I grew up in Wyndmoor on Eastern Ave. from '48 to '61 (age 2 to 15) and
remember oh so well frequent bike treks with neighborhood buddies over to Stotesbury -
exploring with gleeful (though careful and non-destructive) abandon the wonderous and
awe-inspiring ruins. Isn't it a shame that only by being in such a state of ruin were you
and I afforded the opportunity to experience such a site, sitting on the delapitated
fountains, exploring the subterranean realms, etc. Had it still been habitable and/or
inhabited, we wouldn't have gotten past the front gate. Kind of ironic!... and pathetic.I
echo the sentiments of many others who have visited, and have to say your site is the most
professional and enjoyable of any private posting I've ever seen. Your sense of design,
balance, and sensitivity are indeed remarkable and inspiring. Were anyone to ask me how to
set up a personal website, I wouldn't hesitate to direct them to yours for it's content
and construction. WONDERFUL JOB!
- ficent
place is
Tom Manning (manning4@ix.netcom.com)
- Erdenheim, PA USA - Wednesday, April 07, 1999 at 22:04:42 EDT
- Hi Gerry! Sorry to hear about your email and guestbook entry problems, that
happens to me as well sometimes. But I'm actually GLAD because I got to visit your
wonderful site again. I absolutely love those Wine Bottles with they way you've used Java
Script over it... boy would I love to be that good at all of "this". You really
have an incredible site Gerry, and I'm adding you to my Links page.
http://www.geocities.com/CapitolHill/Congress/2301/
Karen Lyster (zblue@ihug.co.nz)
Auckland, New Zealand - Tuesday, March 30, 1999 at 22:32:12 EST
- Great job. We'll look some more later when we have more time.
Also liked Diana's stuff. Do you want me to E-mail you some pictures Judy & I took at
Sequoia in 1997?
- Tim Chase & Judy Davis (atchase@erols.com)
- West Chester, PA USA - Tuesday, March 30, 1999 at 20:59:07 EST
- Thank you for bringing your site back. I like many others spent many weekend
hours (illegally of course) exploring old Stotesbury Mansion. For anyone that actually saw
it, I'm sure that we could all agree that even in it's vandalized condition, it was still
a wonderous and beautiful place. Hopefully another palace in the area will not suffer a
similar fate. The old Peter Widener estate, Lynnewood Hall still stands on Asbourne Road
in Cheltenham. It is sort of inhabited but I still worry about it and hope that it can
survive. It would certainly be a shame to see another creation of the great architect,
Horace Trumbauer end up in a pile of rubble. Once again great job on the site, and please
try keep it up on the net.
- Carl Smith (quakeinfo@thequakeband.com)
- Melrose Park, PA USA - Wednesday, March 24, 1999 at 13:59:59 EST
- Going through your site has brought tears to my eyes. This past weekend I
pulled some old photos that I had taken of the mansion back in 1977, shortly after I
attended Spring Garden College for Interior Design. As students we would go to the
mansion to bask in its former glory and allow ourselves to fantasize about what the
mansion may have been like. I brought the photos to work to share with my co-workers
today, and remembered that I wanted to see if there was a web-site. How excited I was to
discover that you had put together this brilliant site. Being new to website design
myself, I was encouraged and delighted with the beauty and design of this site and how
extremely well organized it it. Your love of the mansion shows in every detail. I'll
see how well my own photographs scan, and whether I have the negatives. Thanks for
putting together such a wonderful memorial site.
- Patricia A. Kuniega (rsapak@rohmhaas.com)
- Spring House, PA USA - Friday, March 19, 1999 at 13:40:16 EST
- My Web Site is Wonderful Come and see it:)))
- Streetbol (semih15@hotmail.com)
- Ýstanbul, Turkey - Sunday, March 14, 1999 at 14:15:49 EST
- My father was in the mansion many times fighting frequent fires. One story was
he was on the hill facing the mansion when he was a kid with his cousin. They were
pretending they were shooting at the mansion and an alarm went off. They ran like crazy,
later on they found out that it was the daily testing. Wow!
- Kevin McMahon (kmcm98@msn.com)
- Glenside, PA USA - Friday, March 12, 1999 at 16:23:18 EST
- Thanks for the trip back into my youth! I too grew up with the masion as part of
our list of things to occupy our time. The place was great, even when the cops would chase
us from the grounds. Which only added to the draw of it. And just like it`s still standing
I`ll be back, this time with some more friends!!!!
- Brock,s,B (gail_bryan@msn.com)
- roslyn, pa USA - Thursday, March 11, 1999 at 12:48:11 EST
- I only discovered Stotesbury Mansion in the early 70's when my parents moved to
that area. Each time I visited I always caught my breath when we finally reached the
end of drive and there it was, so large and beautiful. You've granted me the wish I
always had to see it in its glory days. Thanks so much for the great website.
I'm passing it along to my parents.
- Susan (sueB22@home.com)
- Hatboro, Pa USA - Friday, March 05, 1999 at 21:33:51 EST
- Very nice lay out here. I will look more into the Whitemarsh page. I think I
have heard of it before.
- Dianne (Diadsie@aol.com)
- Avondale, PA USA - Friday, March 05, 1999 at 20:22:26 EST
- THANKS FOR AN OUTSTANDING TOUR.....
- LEWIS WHEELER
- USA - Friday, March 05, 1999 at 16:49:40 EST
- I just wrote you a few minutes ago...now I saw your name...are you related to
Jimmy Serriani and Jane, who I believe married Jimmy...we graduated high school
together...it will be fun to find out.
- ellen (greatknitr)
- USA - Friday, March 05, 1999 at 09:19:10 EST
- I was raised
in Erdenheim...this brought back wonderful memories. I have been trying
to find an old friend who lived on Patton Rd.....is it possible to find him
through this site?
- ellen (greatknitr)
- w. bloomfield, mi USA - Friday, March 05, 1999 at 09:01:18 EST
- I LOVE your
site! The layout is very nice.
-
http://www.angelfire.com/ny2/songsandmore/index.html
- Gigi (alawife@aol.com)
- xxxx, NY USA - Thursday, March 04, 1999 at 21:08:06 EST
- The site was not only well done and informative but curious to me. My
father is Edward Charles Stotesbury. Does anyone out there have any Stotesbury
family tree information to share? It would be appreciated. Thank you.
- Barbara Stotesbury (dabro1@ix.netcom.com)
- NY USA - Wednesday, March 03, 1999 at 18:38:06 EST
- I really emjoyed the site, and I am completely fascinated with the
mansion. I would love to see some color photos. If you know where I can locate some,
please e-mail me. Or if you have some you are willing to share with me, feel free to
e-mail the files to me. I would be very appreciative.
-
http://www.geocities.com/CollegePark/Classroom/5224
- Rebekah Jackson (rejackson@mail.transy.edu)
- Lexington, KY USA - Tuesday, March 02, 1999 at 11:27:32 EST

|
Gerry,
Just a message to say hello through Cyberspace and to tell you that I enjoyed checking out
your personal page and your favourite links... Visit my planet sometime and sign my
guestbook.
Best Wishes,
Saria
:-) |
- Saria (saria@PlanetSaria.findhere.com)
- A distant planet, in a far away galaxy - Saturday, February 27, 1999 at 09:08:53 EST
- Really nice site, thanks for inviting me - you've done a wonderful job.
-
http://www.geocities.com/CapitolHill/Congress/2301/
Karen Lyster (zblue@ihug.co.nz)
- Auckland, n/ New Zealand - Wednesday, February 24, 1999 at 18:41:46 EST
- I spent many hours exploring Stotesbury, and was delighted to find a
website on the mansion. I remember us kids being absolutly convinced that the place was
haunted, but that only served to draw us to the place. I was truly sorry to witness the
destruction of such a grand old lady. there will always be aplace in my heart for her.
Thank you for one last look of a wonderful place.
- David Hirschman (cybertramp67@yahoo.com)
- S.F., Ca USA - Tuesday, February 23, 1999 at 16:38:29 EST
- great site lived in wyndmoor for 30 years never once visited the mansion heard some neat things about it tho great photos....
- carole m beitel cannon (cannon@home.com)
- roslyn, pa USA - Tuesday, February 23, 1999 at 14:31:32 EST
- I can't believe that I only recognized 1 name in the guest book. I grew up
within walking distance of Stotesbury. There was many a lazy summer afternoon spent
exploring the mansion. We got down to flooded basement #3. I was actually arrested for
being there once. I was back not more than a month later. What a fantastic part of my
childhood. loved the site!
- John Cannon (cannon@home.com)
- Erdenheim, PA USA - Monday, February 22, 1999 at 17:34:19 EST
- I was born in May of 1980 on Cromwell road. I never saw the mansion, but I
have vivid memories of walking with my dad and brother through the old grounds on warm
days, collecting pieces of limestone. I am so happy to have finally seen what it was
like in its splendour.
- Naomi Koelewyn (nomer1@aol.com)
- Lafayette Hill, Pa USA - Saturday, February 20, 1999 at 14:16:33 EST
- i love your page! stop by mine sometime:
-
http://www.angelfire.com/pa/smileyface84/
- becca (Becca8484@hotmail.com)
- PA USA - Friday, February 19, 1999 at 23:31:16 EST
- From 1977 we lived right in front of the mansion, on Cromwell Rd. The history
fascinated us. We could not get over the fact that it could not be preserved. We moved
soon after the structure was demolished and the townhouses built. Thanks for putting
together this very meaningful site!
- Bill Koelewn (trailer1@aol.cm)
- Lafayette Hill, PA USA - Friday, February 19, 1999 at 18:18:38 EST
- I have never heard of this place before, but feel like I have visited it through
your home page! Your site is truly tremendous!
- Vickie (slickvo@aol.com)
- Mo, USA - Friday, February 19, 1999 at 16:57:05 EST
- An excellent and informative
webpage. A very enjoyable
experience!
- Bob R. (cruzn@angelfan.com)
- Riverside, CA USA - Wednesday, February 17, 1999 at 23:48:02 EST
- I was amazed with your site. I remember when I was 16 and all the kids in
Conshohocken use to get together and take a ride to the Mansion. I remember the well
outside that use to lead to the basement. It is very sad that such a beautiful
building is gone. When I was young the building had already been deteriorated.
It is amazing the history behind the old Stotesbury Mansion. I was always afraid
when we would go in it was cold and damp and delapidated. It is truly amazing of all the
ground that was owned and now all houses stand. Thank you it brought back some
memories.
- Joni Nolan (Straw265@aol.com)
- King of Prussia, PA USA - Tuesday, February 16, 1999 at 19:15:49 EST
- LOVE YOUR SOUND EFFECTS WILL RETURN TO REVIEW RECIPES AND SWAP ANOTHER TIME
- michele b (EUROPA2M@AOL.COM)
- HORSHAM, PA USA - Monday, February 08, 1999 at 21:05:17 EST
- Hi there! Just got back from checking out your page and
thought it was AWESOME... Keep up the fantastic work you are doing here, and
continued success with your site. If you have time, stop by and take a swing on our
"Web Vine" at George's Jungle, home of the King Of The Jungle Award!

- George (georgewi@neo.lrun.com/georgesjungle)
- Akron, Oh USA - Sunday, February 07, 1999 at 10:09:24 EST
- excellent website, played there many times and did thesis in
college about same
place thank you for the informative pictorial
- Mike Ryan (mjrblade@aol.com)
- lansdale, pa USA - Friday, February 05, 1999 at 13:58:39 EST
- I grew up in Wyndmoor and I remember playing in the rubble. I didn't
realize what had happened until I saw this page. Thanks.
- Sue Hamill (h5408@aol.com)
- Malvern, PA USA - Tuesday, February 02, 1999 at 12:05:10 EST
- Great Page! I see I have some decent competition in the Webguide
Awards 99! LOL Good Luck and keep up the fab work on your page! Especially got a kick out
of your wine cellar page! Pretty funny,...Later!
- ArchAngel98 (angelsblade@eudoramail.com)
- Oceanside, CA USA - Tuesday, February 02, 1999 at 11:34:30 EST
- I was introduced to Stotesbury Mansion by a high school girlfriend who use to go
to Chestnut Hill to shop all the time and on one of those trips I was with her and she
took me by the place...of course houses where all around it, but I could get an idea what
it must have looked like in its glory days. Your web page is wonderful..I was at
Springfield HS for a basketball game and on my way over it struck me about the mansion so
I search and found you had a website...
- Carol McCormick (carol.mccormick@acrodyne.com)
- Blue Bell, PA USA - Monday, February 01, 1999 at 11:26:45 EST
- We lived in Wyndmoor for one year -- 1969 -- when I was 8. MY father was
in the Military and away for a year, and my mom, sister and I lived in a rented house on
Southampton Ave. Stotesbury was always a draw. I dreamed about living there,
and was appalled when it was torn down. I did a search on Stotesbury on a whim,
after seeing a truck on the blue route with the name "Stotesbury
Trucking." thank you for taking the time and bringing back some great memories
of sneaking around up there in '69 and '70. In high school (I went to PW ) friends
and I would go up there on occassion to look around, and just have fun. I took my son up
there last winter. Unfortunately, the only thing left was the front porch, as your
pictures show. A truly great loss.
- Eric Miller (eric.c.miller@boeing.com)
- Blue Bell, PA USA - Monday, February 01, 1999 at 10:05:46 EST
- Wow! Your website is very
impressive and the images are fabulous! I can tell that you put a
lot of effort into building this page. I really like how you organized your website, it really makes thing a lot easier! Out of all the
alien / ufo unexplained pages I've been to, this
one tops them all. Keep up the great work! In the meantime, please visit
my page by clicking on the banner below. Thanks!
- Alex Vaynshteyn (alexvayn@hotmail.com)
- Forest Hills, NY USA - Sunday, January 31, 1999 at 02:15:45 EST
- I came across your site searching for photo's of Whitemarsh Hall. I am going to
be doing my thesis project and I am trying to obtain actual photos of Whitemarsh during
all different stages of it's existance. And any information you might have cocerning the
building. I would pay for all the reprints of the photo's for I only have a few which I
had taken back in the early 1980's This would really help my thesis project and I am
very interested in speaking with you my home phone is 609-953-6944 or you can e-mail me.
Thank you, David A. Cummings
- David A. Cummings (architect@skyhigh.com)
- Medford, NJ USA - Saturday, January 30, 1999 at 20:46:46 EST
- I enjoyed all of the wonderful information and photos that you have presented.
It brought back a lot of memories. The mansion was a favorite hangout of mine during
my high school years. I brought all of my friends there, and on one Haloween night , we
had a party on the roof. I later brought, my mother there, but she was scared at the
sight of the mansion and would not get out of the car. About 2 years ago, I saw various
large pieces and other figures for sale at an antique dealer in Lahaska. There was
no mistaking that they came from the mansion. I belive that there may be a section of the mansion on route 611 (north) above
the air base. It is situated in front of a brick building.
I also saw two large statues from the mansion at the Art museum.
Anyway, I really enjoyed your information.
Thanks for sharing.
-
Joe Fanelli (Jfanelli@arserrc.gov)
- Glenside, Pa USA - Wednesday, January 27, 1999 at 14:12:59 EST
- WOW how ecited Im am to have come across this site. I to grou up on the
Main Line of Phila. I was about 11 years old when my father showed me the book Twilight Of
Splender and the WhiteMarsh Hall Estate I was from that point on completly fasinated with
the house. in 79 he drove my little brother and I to the house and then we whent to the
widner estate, and now to come across your web page I could not wait to tell my dad about
it. I live in the LA area of cali and what I do for a living is 2 things 1 I carv mansions
like WhiteMarsh Hall out of chocolate. I just finished the Sprekles Mansion in San Diego
out of 100lbs of white chocolate, it was 5ft long and 3feet high. secondly Im
a minauture artist and recently I built a replica of a Restaurant I groow up in as a child
and gave to my Dad as a 71st birthday present completly out of memory. The restaurant was
the Inn Of The Four Falls in Conshahoken Pa. The reason Im telling you this is Im in the
mood to build another model! and the one Iv always whanted to do was to bring the White
Marsh Hall back to life for future generation it will be a big project but if I do it in
sections then I could complete it in 3 years or maybe do some of the rooms first then a
frame of the house to store the rooms in. Would that be exiting. Thank you you have
out did your self it brings tears to my eyes to see that we have let go a fine work of
art.
- PS If you are interested in helping me along with this outstanding feet I
would greatly appreciate it. Sincerly
-
William K. O'Neill (holliewoo@aol.com)
- Sherman Oaks, CA USA - Tuesday, January 26, 1999 at 17:16:01 EST
- I grew up at 1103 Cromwell Rd, just across the street from Stotesbury, during
the Fifties and Sixties. I have vivid, lasting memories of the Estate, and the fondness
the neighborhood had for it. Thanks for bringing those memories back into the light again
after all these years...
-
Paca Thomas (noizmakr@primenet.com)
- Los Angeles, CA USA - Tuesday, January 26, 1999 at 00:47:51 EST
- I have very much enjoyed my visit. Thanks for making those great photos
available to us all. They brought back many happy memories of travels we have made in the
past.
- John Sauvageau (jsav@compunews.com)
- Vancouver Island, BC Canada - Friday, January 22, 1999 at 16:50:22 EST
- Gerry,
Thanks for taking the time and effort in creating this page in dedication to
Whitemarsh Hall. I am from Wyndmoor and had grown up here with Stotesbury's Estate in
eyesite every waking day as a child. I had explored the Hall and am happy to know that you
have presented this webpage for others to now see what I as well as many other locals
here, have been describing during our adolesence. It is a spot that will always be a
part of me & now I can at least share what I once had the pleasure of walking and
exploring the grounds of the once great Whitemarsh Hall. on another note, it seems that
the Sinkler estate is now up for sale in Wyndmoor & I can only hope that it will be
preserved in its present state. There is great deal of history revolving the Sinkler
estate & it would be a waste if that would fall to developers.
Thanks again for sharing a memory that I am sure many others share as well. I
guess I can thank Whitemarsh Hall for stearing me into the Architectural manufacturing
field I am in today.
- Adam Axel (zappa@navpoint.com)
- Wyndmoor, PA USA - Thursday, January 21, 1999 at 16:24:07 EST
- I grew up in Upper Darby, PA, in the 40's and 50's and had relatives in Easton
and Bethlehem. I remember often driving by the gate of Whitemarsh Hall, but I never
saw the mansion itself. Having visited The Elms in Newport, RI, a couple of times, I
have some appreciation for how it must have been in it's glory days. Thank you for a
most interesting and informative web site, and for keeping the memory of Whitemarsh Hall
alive. Regards,
- Harry Sutton (railharry@prodigy.net)
- Chula Vista, CA USA - Thursday, January 21, 1999 at 15:49:32 EST
-
After telling a client about Stotesbury Mansion, I thought I would
see if I could find anything about it on the internet. I was amazed to find your home
page. I grew up in Mt Airy from 1963-1979. My friends and I spent many nights with
flashlights exploring the depths of the mansion. We never made it to the 3rd basement due
to the flooding, but it seems like we saw the rest of the mansion in it's
entirity. Often,
we would sit on the roof and talk about what the place must have been like before it was
abandoned. We wondered what the occupants were like. Your home page has answered those
questions. I thank you for that!
-
Flagstaff, AZ USA - Tuesday, January 19, 1999 at 14:21:31 EST
- I was looking for pics from Tioga County State Forest and more directly the
Grand Canyon of Pa. your opinion counts is it worth the trip??? Looking forward to your
response.
- Ella Dorr (velcro1@bellatlantic.net)
- NJ USA - Sunday, January 17, 1999 at 18:56:55 EST
- Thanks for creating a site to share. I am a bird watcher and found your site
through a search on the Tinicum NWR.
Happy Birding!
George Fiocco Jr. (Iona George @aol.com)
- Franklinville, NJ USA - Friday, January 15, 1999 at 11:32:43 EST
- thank you for this site, it brought back some good memories. I grew up in
Wyndmoor and trespassed Stotesbury mansion twice with ken Miller. (I never did any damage,
only exploring) The second time we were chased by a Springfield Police car across
the lawn, but didn't get caught.
- Gary Lester (glester1@aol.com)
- Wyndmoor, pa USA - Monday, January 11, 1999 at 11:19:34 EST
- WOW was I surprised when I was fooling around on my new computer for the first
time ever having one, to come up with this web page. I to was fasinated by WHITEMASH HALL
as long as I can remember. My father showed me a book the The Twilight Of Splender
at his restuarant The Inn Of The Four Falls when I was age 10 an till this day I still
have that book an still read it. I tell you what you did an outstanding job on this thank
you. I cant whait till I tell my father of this hill fall head over heals. Please if you
read this soon contack me Iv always whanted to build a minauture doll house scale of the
mansion itself or one of the rooms and would love for you to help me..... yours
truly
- William K O'Neill (holliewoo@aol.com)
- Sherman Oaks, CA USA - Monday, January 11, 1999 at 02:25:19 EST
- Gerry -
Thank you, thank you, thank you for this terrific site! I grew up on Patton Road
(Springfield HS '75) and my backyard was (lucky for me) one of those unofficial
thoroughfares up to the Mansion. I can't count the hours I spent crawling over every inch
of the place, trying to imagine what it must've been like in the glory days and hiding
from those pesky police patrols. I never made it all the way to the third basement (WAY
too dark and spooky!), but I'll never forget the afternoon my friends and I discovered
what we thought was the bowling alley. Although I know demolishing the place was the
sensible move, your pictures of the demolition just make me sad. At least your site
enables Stotesbury to at least virtually live on. BTW, when I was home for Christmas, I
found my Dad's copy of Twilight of Splendor that included newspaper clippings from the
Sun, Inquirer and CH Local.
Would you be interested in copies? Let me know!
Congratulations on a job very well done!Tom Dusenbury (theduse@sprintmail.com)
- NYC, NY USA - Sunday, January 10, 1999 at 01:51:42 EST
- My sister visited your site yesterday at the library and had to leave without
having gotten all that she wished for. She called to ask if I would pull up a particular
page within the site and print it out for her. You see, my sister attended Mt. St.
Joseph's Academy in Erdenheim. After school, she would sneak onto the grounds of the
Stotesbury Mansion. Once she snuck inside! She has been fascinated by it for years..... I
only recently have a desire to learn more about it. How sad that townehouses to have
replaced such divine beauty (if I may paraphrase one guest book attendee) WOW! What a
gorgeous place. And what a great website. You have alot of material. Great job!
- Lawrene Kumor (lkumor@aol.com)
- Meadowbrook, PA USA - Thursday, January 07, 1999 at 09:27:03 EST
- I was searching on the Internet for pieces of my past and to my surprise, I
found this incredible site on "Stotesbury mansion" (Whitemarsh Hall). How
wonderful to find people today, that shared the experiences that "Whitemarsh
Hall" offered me when I was growing up, (Flourtown, PA.: S.H.S. 1981) I won't get
into it here, but I share many thoughts and experiences from "Stotesbury" with
the author, whom I commend for this wonderful web site. "I would have been a different
person had it not been for the experiences at "Stotesbury". 1974-1980 Note: My
grandmother says she attended a formal ball there as a teen. Best wishes to all. Chris Adair
- Your return inquiries are welcome --- http://adair.adair.net
- Chris Adair (adair@adair.net)
- Denver, CO USA - Monday, January 04, 1999 at 21:44:17 EST