The Lambertville record. [volume] (Lambertville, N.J.) 1872-1968, 1886-08-04
A MANSIONS NIYsTERIEs.
The Old Penn Homestead and its Cd.
CNrnera.

The Old Penn Homestead and its Odd
Corners.
One Of the handsomest and best preserv-
ed of the scores of historic mansions in and
around Philadelphia is the old Penn homo.
stead in the Geological Gardens. 1t was
erected in 1774 by John Penn, great
grandchild of William Penn. John Penn
occupied the mansion for many years. 1t
is square, rigid, quaint-looking old struc-
ture on the exterior. Theirs are sturdy,
severe-looking pillars, front and back, that
give an aristocratic and Mt the same time
repellent appearance to the house.
The exterior of the house is severely rect
angular. 1t is built squarely up from the
ground to the height of two stories and
garnet. The roof runs up to point from
the four corners, and quaint little windows
bulge out on each side of the roof just above
the caves. The thick brick walls ore cover
ed with plaster and painted bright yell
low.
The inside is q perfect illustration of
ones idea of an old colonial or English
mansion of the last century. 1t is full Of
unexpected hooks and corners, deep, dark
closets and pantries and mysterious pass
ageways, some leading to adjoining rooms
and some leading nowhere. The house has
undergone no alterations since it was built
N the last dentury.
The upper stories are a veritable maze of
quaint little sleeping apartments, cavernous
IL nj
rooms are connected, either by doors OF
little passageways through which man OF
ordinary size would have to crawl on hia
hands and knees. There are dozen little
hooks and closets under the caves in which
person might hide without any fear of
discovery. All Of these places are plastered
and as snug and perfectly finished as any
room in the house. The object of those
little cubby holes and mysterious passages
is q matter of conjecture or very faint ira
dition. The tradition is that they were
used as places of concealment, and their
position and construction seem to bear out
the theory of the tradition. Eis supposed
that the entrances to them were originally
concealed in the walls, and were only
KIN own TO members of the household.
The same tradition that explains the
presence Of these passages and chambers
declares that in the old time secret pass.
age extended between two walls, from the
upper story to a subterranean passage that
ran to the river. The passage between the
walls has never been discovered, although
many believe in its existence, and the en-
trance to the subterranean passage has been
covered up and its exact location is not now
Known.
There is little doubt of its existence, how
aver, as it has been seen within the memory
of q score of the Oldest inhabitants. This
is only one, and the least interesting, of the
two subterranean passageways that lead
from the cellar of the old mansion. The
cellar is o big roomy vault, walled up with
heavy masonry. At the western side of
the cellar is little opening in the masonry
The passage is about forty feet long, and
leads to chamber about twelve by twenty
Ave feet in Dimensions. At one end of the
chamber is an archway that communicates
object for which these subterranean cham
bers was intended is not known. The ac-
cepted and most plausible theory is that
the chambers were built at the breaking out
of the Revolution and were designed as a
place of refuge, If necessary, but more es-
pecially as place for storing arms and am.
mhnition for the Continental army.