Fonthill, Mercer Museum and Moravian Pottery and Tile Works facts for kids
Quick facts for kids |
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Fonthill, Mercer Museum and Moravian Pottery and Tile Works
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Mercer Museum, October 2006
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 Location in Pennsylvania
Location in the United States
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| Location | Court St. and Swamp Rd. and Pine and Ashland Sts., Doylestown, Pennsylvania |
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| Built | 1907 |
| Built by | Mercer, Henry C. |
| Architectural style | Colonial Revival, Other, Neo-Georgian |
| NRHP reference No. | 85002366 |
| Added to NRHP | February 4, 1985 |
Fonthill, Mercer Museum and Moravian Pottery and Tile Works is a special group of three historic buildings in Doylestown, Pennsylvania. These buildings were all created by a man named Henry Chapman Mercer (1856-1930). They are famous for two main reasons. First, they show off the ideas of the Arts and Crafts movement. Second, they were built using an early method of poured concrete. The three buildings are Fonthill, the Mercer Museum, and the Moravian Pottery and Tile Works. Today, all three are museums run by the Bucks County Historical Society. This group of buildings became a National Historic Landmark District in 1985. This means they are very important to the history of the United States.
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Meet Henry Chapman Mercer
Henry Chapman Mercer was born in Doylestown. He studied to become a lawyer, but he never actually worked as one. Instead, he found a job as a curator at the University of Pennsylvania Museum. A curator is someone who takes care of a museum's collections.
Mercer was worried about the growth of factories and machines. He wanted to save things made by hand. So, he started collecting old tools and handmade items from American life. He also learned about making pottery and tiles in Germany.
The Arts and Crafts Movement
Mercer was inspired by the Arts and Crafts Movement. This movement was popular in the late 1800s and early 1900s. It focused on making beautiful, useful items by hand. People in this movement believed that handmade goods were better than machine-made ones. They also thought that art should be part of everyday life.
In 1898, Mercer started the Moravian Pottery and Tile Works in his hometown. His tiles became very popular and were used in many places across the United States.
Building with Concrete
In 1907, Mercer began building Fonthill. This was one of the first times that reinforced poured concrete was used in the United States. Mercer designed Fonthill and the Mercer Museum himself. Both buildings, along with the tile works, use this special concrete as their main building material.
Fonthill: Mercer's Home
Fonthill is located just north of Doylestown's town center. It looks a bit like an old European castle. The walls are made of concrete and are very thick, about 2 feet (0.61 m) wide.
The outside of Fonthill is decorated with beautiful tiles. Inside, Mercer filled the house with his amazing collections. The house was finished in 1912. You can visit Fonthill today by making an appointment.
Mercer Museum: A Collection of Tools
The Mercer Museum is located southeast of the town center. Its outside design is similar to Fonthill, but it has more parts sticking out, making it look even stronger.
Inside the museum, there's a huge open space. A long ramp goes up around the edges, with many small rooms and spaces. In these areas, Mercer displayed his large collection of old farm tools and industrial equipment. The museum was completed in 1916. A library that matched its style was added in the 1930s.
Moravian Pottery and Tile Works
The tile works building is just north of Fonthill. It was built between 1911 and 1912. It looks like a medieval cloister, which is a covered walkway often found in old monasteries. It has arches around a central courtyard.
The main part of the building is 2 1/2 stories tall and holds five large kilns. Kilns are special ovens used for baking pottery and tiles. This facility still makes tiles today, using the original molds created by Henry Chapman Mercer.
See also
