Alden Villa facts for kids
Quick facts for kids |
|
|
Alden Villa
|
|
 |
|
 Location in Pennsylvania
Location in the United States
|
|
| Location | 1012 Alden Way, Cornwall, Pennsylvania |
|---|---|
| Built | 1881 |
| Architect | Stanford White |
| Architectural style | Queen Anne, Shingle Style |
| NRHP reference No. | 11000203 |
| Added to NRHP | April 20, 2011 |
Alden Villa, also known as Millwood, is a historic house in Cornwall. It is located in Lebanon County, Pennsylvania. This special home was built in 1881.
A very famous architect named Stanford White designed it. He was a leading architect during the Gilded Age. This was a time in American history when many people became very rich. The house shows off two cool styles: Queen Anne and Shingle Style. In 2011, Alden Villa and its eight-acre property were added to the National Register of Historic Places. This means it is recognized as an important historical site!
Contents
Exploring Alden Villa's History and Design
Millwood is a very large house, about 11,223 square feet. It was built in 1881 for a person named R. Percy Alden. Stanford White, a top architect of his time, designed it.
White used the Queen Anne and Shingle architectural styles. Experts have called the house "a unique dwelling." They also say it is "a spectacular example of an Old English manor house." It sits high up on a hill. The house is located at 100 Freeman Drive in Cornwall.
Cool Features of the House
Alden Villa has many interesting parts. The main entrance has a special design. It includes early Victorian-style half-timbering. Inside, you can find an arched ceiling. There are also clerestory windows, which are windows placed high up on a wall.
One of the most exciting features is the great hall. It even has a musicians' gallery! Imagine musicians playing music from up there. The house also has a beautiful stained glass window wall. There is also a stucco mosaic wall. This wall is decorated with pieces of broken colored glass.
The Alden family owned the house for many years. They sold it in 1949. After that, a union bought it. They used it as a place for recreation, not as a home.
The Carriage House
Stanford White also designed another building for R. Percy Alden. This was the R. Percy Alden Carriage House. It was also built in 1881. Today, this carriage house is at 104 Alden Way. It is a short distance from the main house.
Becoming a National Historic Place
The Alden Villa is a very important historical building. That is why it was added to the National Register of Historic Places. This is a list of places in the United States that are worth saving.
How it Got Listed
To be added to the National Register, a property must be reviewed. The paperwork for Alden Villa was looked at on February 1, 2011. This happened at a meeting in Harrisburg, Pennsylvania.
Other important places were also considered at this meeting. These included the Robb Farm and the McCook Family Estate. Also, the John A. Brashear House and Factory was reviewed. The Montrose Historic District was on the list. So were the Quakertown Historic District and Wilpen Hall. Finally, the Tindley Temple United Methodist Church and Marian Anderson House were considered. Several historic African American churches in Philadelphia were also reviewed.
After this review, Alden Villa was officially added to the National Register of Historic Places. This happened later in 2011.
