Rock Island daily Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1886-1893, 1889-11-21
OLD HOPE LODGE FARM.
AN OLD HISTORIC PROPERTY IN
MONTGOMERY COUNTY, PA.
Quaint Mansion Containing Rare Old
Furniture and Many Reiics-CIosets
Enough to Satisfy Any Housekeeper.
Dispute as to Original Owner.

furniture anu hhuy hehcS-Siosots
Enough to Satisfy Any Housekeeper.
Dispute as to Original Owner.
In Whitemarsh, Montgomery county, a
short distance from Fort Washington, and
only a stones throw or two from the famous
old fort in which the American soldiery in
trenched themselves after their defeat at the
hattie Of Germantown, stands a substantial
mansion, which is notable for its age, the
associa ions connected with il and the elegant
of its architecture. 1t stands
back from the Bethlehem pike several hun
dred yards, and is shaded by venerable white
pines, horse chestnuts and other trees. some
OF which are more than a century old.
IL is an unusually large house, with brick
front and an abundance of large windows,
over the caps Of which are pressed brick OF
lamentations
OLD TIME ARCHITECTURE
The entrance is through a door of more
than ordinarily largo size, and, by means of
soapstone steps, In which are craven the in
itials of the children OF the residents for more
than a hundred years back, and underneath
portico supported 10y large columns, quantity
carved. Tie doorway enters upon a hall forty
ly twenty feet, which divides the house into
two equal parts, and leading therefrom are
many doors, with arched and keystoned tops
and columned sides. All the ceilings are
thirteen feet high. The rooms are large, but
an otherwise barnlike appearance is broken
by the numerous doors throughout the house
IL seems as though the owners had set them
wherever there was an available wall space.
The greater part OF these doors open into
closets, so large and so roomy as to be ample
To hold bedroom suite and still leave space
enough 10 turn around. Every chamber has
at least two or three OF these wonderful
closets
Every room from floor to garret Is furnish
ed with large old fashioned fireplaces, the
mantels and fronts OF which on the first floor
are Of black marble, and the fronts of those
ON the second floor of light blue tiles, on
which are enameled curious figures The
main stairway leading from the hall to the
garret is wide enough for a public hall, and
rises by easy flights of broad, low steps from
story TO story, and is inclosed, except on the
landings, where there are richly carved bal.
ustrsdes. Besides this stairway there are
two others, one at each end of the house
semi-concealed, dark, uncanny, winding af-
fairs, set in the partition walls, and leading
from the cellar to the garrets, and communi-
of the garrets is nearly 100 feet long and 20
'eet wide, and was fitted upin 1854 as lodge
room for the Free Masons, who in that year
split from the Germantown lodge, but was
never occupied by them, on account of the
death of the owner of the houss, who was
one of the seceders.
Instead of rafters, the roof is supported by
heavy oak beams, on which are laid three
inch planks Hidden away in the garrett
are relics collected from time to time by for
mer owners. A bundle of war arrows, the
flint heads of which are said TO be poisoned
taken from an Indian warrior supposed to
have been one OF band attached to the Brit
ish army; two bows that belonged also to an
Indian brave of the past; ghastly collection
of human bones in box-bones that once
formed the skeleton of a half grown boy /;
also an immense palm leaf fan. used by serv-
ants more than 1875 years ago TO keep the flies
from the dining table of Samuel Morris, one
of the owners of the place.
There are conflicting stories as to who
erected the mansion. AS a result, its exact
age is unknown, but it is agreed that it was
built not later than 1885. 1t is stated on the
one hand that the house was erected about
1921 by Henry Hope, the first owner of the
property, after whom the place was named
Hope Lodge Farm" threequarters Of CEN
,,,,v Ia,e,. and xvbo ,acai,-aa n r-rant 80 Eoo
acres of land from William Pann
On the otbar hand q, ;s clai,,,ed bx tha do
scendants OF Samuel Morris, the second
owner, and who was also the possessor of a
large mill on the Wissahickon, near by, that
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