Grey Towers Castle facts for kids
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Grey Towers
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Grey Towers
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 Location in Philadelphia
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| Location | Glenside, Pennsylvania |
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| Built | 1893 |
| Architect | Horace Trumbauer |
| Architectural style | Gothic Revival & others |
| NRHP reference No. | 80003578 |
Quick facts for kids Significant dates |
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| Added to NRHP | February 14, 1980 |
| Designated NHL | February 4, 1985 |
Grey Towers Castle is a famous building located at Arcadia University in Glenside, Pennsylvania. Glenside is a town near Philadelphia, USA. A talented architect named Horace Trumbauer designed the castle. Construction began in 1893 for William Welsh Harrison, a wealthy businessman.
The university, then called Beaver College, bought the estate in 1929. They paid $712,500 for it. Classes were held at both the castle and another location until 1962. That year, the whole school moved to the Glenside campus. In 1985, Grey Towers Castle was named a National Historic Landmark. This means it is a very important building because of its special design.
Contents
The Castle's History
In 1881, William Welsh Harrison bought a property called Rosedale Hall. He was a co-owner of the Franklin Sugar Refinery. By 1891, Harrison's estate had grown to about 138 acres (0.56 km²). He decided to make his home bigger. He also wanted to add a gatehouse and better stables.
Harrison hired a young architect named Horace Trumbauer. Trumbauer was only 23 years old. He finished building the stables and gatehouse in 1892.
In 1893, the main house of Rosedale Hall caught fire and burned down. The Harrison family had to escape to the stables for safety. After the fire, they lived in the gatehouse. Harrison asked Trumbauer to build a new home on the same spot.
By March 1893, Trumbauer showed Harrison his plans for a huge, grand mansion. The design was inspired by Alnwick Castle, a medieval castle in England. The new house would have all the latest features of the time. It was estimated to cost $250,000. Construction started by the end of 1893 and took five years to complete.
Castle Design and Features
Grey Towers Castle has a very unique and elegant design. It combines ideas from many different styles and time periods. The castle is built from grey stone found near Chestnut Hill, Philadelphia. White Indiana Limestone was used for details like door and window frames. You can also see various gargoyles on the outside.
The inside of the castle shows different French styles. These range from the Renaissance period to the time of King Louis XV. The huge fireplaces in the Great Hall are like ones found in a French castle called Château de Blois.
The Library, now the President's office, and the Dining Room are on the south side of the Great Hall. Both rooms have many features inspired by French Renaissance art. The wooden cabinets and plaster designs in the Library are beautiful. The columns and detailed ceiling in the Dining Room are like those at the Château de Fontainebleau.
On the north side of the Great Hall are the Mirror Room and the Drawing Room. The Drawing Room is now called the Rose Room. It is believed that the entire Mirror Room was made in France. Then, it was shipped to Glenside and put together by French workers. The ceiling was painted by François Lafon. It shows the four seasons as women with small angels, and the path of the Zodiac behind them.
The Great Hall is three stories tall. It has a grand, curved, golden ceiling. A large staircase in the Great Hall leads to the Music Room. The ceiling of the Music Room was once painted in a Renaissance style. Now, only the paintings in the archway remain. Above the lower wall panels in the Music Room, large tapestries hang. They show Euterpe, who is the Greek goddess of music. All the tapestries in Grey Towers came from a company in New York City. There are balconies on each floor that look down into the Great Hall. These areas are also decorated with tapestries.
When it was finished, Grey Towers was one of the biggest homes in the country. It had forty rooms! Its unique and grand style brought a lot of attention to the young Horace Trumbauer. He went on to have a very successful career. He designed the Philadelphia Museum of Art and many other important buildings in the Philadelphia area.
Current Use of the Castle
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William Welsh Harrison passed away in 1927. In 1929, Beaver College (now Arcadia University) bought the estate from his wife. At that time, the college was in Jenkintown. Classes were held at both locations until 1962. That's when the college moved all its operations to the Grey Towers property.
Today, the castle houses important university offices. These include Admissions, Enrollment Management, and Financial Aid. The office of the university president is also there. The large bedrooms on the second and third floors are now used as housing for students.
The castle was named a National Historic Landmark in 1985. Students and staff at Arcadia University love the building. There is a student group called "Society for Castle Restoration." They work to help protect this important landmark and its history.
Many stories and myths are told about the building and the Harrison family. One legend says that a mirror above a fireplace on the third floor keeps cracking. Even after it's replaced, it cracks again soon after.
Another rumor says the castle was built without using any nails. There were also tunnels connecting the main house to the old powerhouse. The powerhouse is now Spruance Hall. Most of these tunnels became blocked in 2010 during new construction. However, one tunnel still connects the stables (Murphy Hall) to the powerhouse (Spruance Hall).
Historic Buildings on the Estate
When Grey Towers Castle was built, other buildings were also part of the estate. Some of these historic buildings are still standing today. They include Murphy Hall, Blankley Hall, and Spruance Hall. These buildings existed before Beaver College bought the property.
- Murphy Hall: This building was once the stables for the Harrison family's horses. After Beaver College bought the land, it was used for science labs and a chapel. An organ was donated and installed in the chapel in 1929. The organ was damaged during renovations in the 1980s and is no longer there. The building also had a gym and a shooting range for the school's rifle team. Over the years, art studios were added, and the gym and science labs moved. Today, music and art classes are taught in Murphy Hall.
- Blankley Hall: This building was originally the gatehouse. Guests would be greeted here before going up the path to the castle. After Beaver College bought the estate, it was briefly used for student housing. Later, it became office space for university staff. It was renamed Blankley Hall in 2005 to honor an Arcadia alumni. Now, it houses Arcadia's Alumni Relations office.
- Spruance Hall: This building was used for maintenance on the Harrison estate. It was known as the engineer's building. It had many tunnels leading to other parts of the estate. Its most noticeable feature is a large smokestack. After Beaver College bought the estate, the building was used for fashion and art classes. Currently, Spruance Hall houses Arcadia University's theater, an art studio, and a painting classroom.
See also
In Spanish: Castillo Grey Towers para niños
