Atsion Mansion opening soon.

[Trailhead00]

Wanted to pass this along. I was at Atsion last week and noticed they were painting the interior of the mansion. I asked when they expect to be open to the public and they said in approximately one month. They said they would initially be giving tours to just the basement and the first floor. The other floors would be added to the tour as the work is completed. Can't wait!

 

[lgench]

A basement tour! Gotta check that out.
L.

 

[Ben Ruset]

I wonder if they rebuilt or restored the hearth. It was in pretty sad shape when I saw it, although to see it rebuilt out of new bricks would be sad.

It's sort of like the mansion has become a ship of Theseus.

 

[LARGO]

Regardless of how I feel the project was handled... I am in folks!
I may actually be in good behavior. The Pic afterwards calls our names though.
I have a full fall schedule but I am trying to keep it versatile for this.
Given the Batsto event & the cleanup, both affecting Atsion, I do not see this before November anyway.
I would love to see current friends and new NJPB folk there.
And Lgench... we know that the basement can oft yield the most fascinating part of the the adventure.

Ben,
Your "ship" may not actually suffer from removing some old decaying planks and putting new timber in it's place my friend. Oars or bricks, it's all the same. Do you think all those pretty cars you saw the other day were not as your ship in a sense?
Let's hope they did their best and gave us a good product in the end.
At the least we can go inside and see a little something to put to rest so much speculation.


g.

 

[Ben Ruset]

Do you think all those pretty cars you saw the other day were not as your ship in a sense?

Yeah, but at least in my mind the Atsion Mansion tells a greater human tale than any old car.

In any event my biggest fear is that the mansion will become sanitized, just the way the Batsto or Allaire mansions are. Instead of being something you can hold in your hand, or have any sort of connection with, it will be a place where you walk through with other bored tourists, see historic interpretations done by tired volunteers, and peer into rooms over velvet ropes.

So much of the real story of the mansion will be painted over by new paint, sheetrock replacing plaster, electric wires run through the building, etc.

It's the same mansion, but in some way it's lost it's meaning.

At least to me.

 

[LARGO]

The human tale is in the families that lived and entertained within those walls. Most of us know the history and I am sure there will be little "tourist friendly" plaques with small bites of info for those that do not.
I actually can not imagine what the offering for artifacts will be that you can hold in your hand, if any.
Bored tourists are boring... tourists. They are the ones the velvet ropes are for.
True, there may not be much for you to heft or hold. Regardless of what those walls are finished with, try to see each room in how it catches the light of the day and let your ability to imagine do the rest. Don't be forlorn, be open. Can't help you with the fact there may be some minor electric run for practical reasons.
You don't think the prior owners would have dug a few lights and maybe a mean Bose system for those parties they threw? Don't kid yourself.

g.

 

[suresue592003]

LARGO, you are so right! The tale is in the families that lived there. Last week I submitted guidelines from my Friendship story to Plexus. I will be sitting on edge until I hear. If feasible, I told them I would have the story ready within 90 days after their exceptence. Keep your fingers crossed. Would'nt it be great if at least some people were still alive who lived during these times? Just think of the tales that would be told! Proberly secrets none of us can imagine.

The human tale is in the families that lived and entertained within those walls. Most of us know the history and I am sure there will be little "tourist friendly" plaques with small bites of info for those that do not.
I actually can not imagine what the offering for artifacts will be that you can hold in your hand, if any.
Bored tourists are boring... tourists. They are the ones the velvet ropes are for.
True, there may not be much for you to heft or hold. Regardless of what those walls are finished with, try to see each room in how it catches the light of the day and let your ability to imagine do the rest. Don't be forlorn, be open. Can't help you with the fact there may be some minor electric run for practical reasons.
You don't think the prior owners would have dug a few lights and maybe a mean Bose system for those parties they threw? Don't kid yourself.

g.

 

[lgench]

Excellent comments! My maternal grandfather was the sheriff of Atlantic County and postmaster of Atlantic City in the early 1900's. He also belonged to every lodge in the city. Unfortunately, he died when I was 4 years old. Knowing AC, I can just imagine the stories he could have told. One relation there, in law enforcement, was taken out for a boat ride and was never seen again. Guess he knew too much about something.
Also, I really enjoyed the story of the family that took care of the Batsto mansion. So wonderful that all that information is still around for us to read and just use our imagination.

 

[Trailhead00]

More news regarding the Atsion Mansion. I stopped down there again today and was told the mansion would not be open to the public until next Spring. Someone else told me in one month but I was evidently misinformed. The woman I spoke was named Lorraine and she was very friendly and informative. She said the basement, first and second floors would be open to the public. The third floor where the servants stayed would probably not be open to the public.

She also told me some information that people on here might find encouraging. She stated that the mansion would not be modernized as in running water or electricity. Lorraine noted that the house would also not be furnished. There would also be no "touristy" plaques on the walls. The only signs are on the fireplaces which say something like "not suitable for fire." She added that she did not want those signs up but it was a necessary evil. Lorraine said the Atsion Mansion may be the only state owned historical building that will be left in it's original shape, as in no electricity and running water added, etc.

Lorraine noted that the structure is in very good shape and did not need that much repair. Even some of the original plaster on the outside of the house is original. Not sure if it's because the house is in good shape or the state did not want to spend the money, but I'll take her word on it.

She said the the inside looks great and that we wouldn't believe our eyes when we saw it. All the old fireplaces were put back together piece by piece and the kitchen needed little to no work! The kitchen is basically in it's original condition.

By the way if you are in the Atsion Ranger Station and notice the Fruitland sign, it is the real deal. I was told that sign used to be on the Atsion RR Station and was discovered in the attic of the ranger station. How cool is that! That sign must date back to about 1871.