Atsion Mansion Restoration

[LARGO]

Excellent!
Looks like it's a go.
Now, of four possible catagories, which best fits as a home for the thread?
Oh heck, I'm making it too complicated.
Go ahead Mike B., why don't you pick, call it what you like & start it.
I was also thinking of getting a few older and historic shots along the way for comparison as well. Even some things on the site already. Mix it up, yet showing the place evolve as well.

g.

 

[Teegate]

That should be an interesting thread. If we want to also group in the store (ranger station) with it, I have the one with the Jersey Devil and Clyde Birdsall.


Guy

 

[LARGO]

Great idea Guy! All the more aspects the better.
There would have been no mansion without the surrounding community.
I see Jerseyman kicked off a well titled thread with an array of images of an Historic nature. Great start!! Looking forward to all types of input.
I only respond to that here 'cause I saw no need to muddy up a good image related thread with idle comments. I figure the thread will tell it's own tale with little commentary.
And Jerseyman is right... hope it is an active thread.
I figure, if something as ridiculous as the Valentine thread can break over 100 posts and get near a thread as thought provoking as the Sawmill thread, the Atsion thread should do well.

g.

 

[Enoch]

I am curious about some of the architectural details of the Atsion mansion. It seems clearly to be a Greek revival style building, which makes sense given the date it was built. Beyond that – does anyone have information on the architect or designer? Was it built from a pattern book, or is it too early for that?

I’d assume that the smaller houses in the village were constructed by builders without formal architectural training. It would be interesting to find out how and by whom the mansion was designed and architected.

 

[Jerseyman]

I am curious about some of the architectural details of the Atsion mansion. It seems clearly to be a Greek revival style building, which makes sense given the date it was built. Beyond that – does anyone have information on the architect or designer? Was it built from a pattern book, or is it too early for that?

I’d assume that the smaller houses in the village were constructed by builders without formal architectural training. It would be interesting to find out how and by whom the mansion was designed and architected.

Enoch:

You are correct about the 1826 mansion’s architectural style being Greek Revival. Regarding the architect for the structure, you ask a most excellent question and I do not have a ready answer for you. I believe past historians have explored this issue without success. However, a brief search for potential source material yields three prospective collections:


Atsion Iron Works Collection at the Burlington County Historical Society, Burlington, New Jersey—9 boxes of bound volumes and some loose papers.


Richards Family Papers at Special Collections, Alexander Library, Rutgers University, New Brunswick, New Jersey—1.2 cubic feet of manuscript material.


Samuel Richards Papers, Historical Society of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania—about 400 items dating from 1787 to 1845.


I have viewed the Burlington County Historical Society and the Historical Society of Pennsylvania material, but I sought other information at that time and I cannot remember whether these two collections contain any information on the Atsion Mansion—but it wouldn’t surprise me!

As you suggest, the smaller houses represent the work of an artisan master carpenter and he likely did not work from formal plans.

Best regards,
Jerseyman

 

[YETI]

I am very embarrased to ask, but can someone tell me exactly where the mansion is located? I'm sure I've passed it numerous times and not realized it.

 

[MikeBickerson]

Nothing embarrassing about that, you can't find out unless you ask!

"Atsion is on Route 206, eight miles north of Hammonton." according to the parks department, just across from Atsion Lake, which has to be the biggest lake on that stretch of road by far. If you were heading toward Trenton, it would be on your right, behind the old general store that doubles as the Atsion Ranger Station now.

From Atco, you would do best to take Jackson Road past the raceway to Quaker Bridge Rd (is it Quaker Bridge there?), making a right there at the horse farm. Take that until you hit Rt 206, the mansion is on your far left.

 

[YETI]

Mike, thanks for the info. Just as I thought, I have passed the mansion and not known it. I have been in that area numeruos times, traveling past Atsion Lake, across 206 on Quaker Bridge Rd. and into the Pines.

 

[MikeBickerson]

Yep, this a one...



I was slow on finding the image.

And you're welcome!

 

[Enoch]

Jerseyman - as always, thanks for the information!