Kennedy Mansion (Valley Forge) facts for kids
Quick facts for kids |
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Kennedy Mansion
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Kennedy-Supplee Mansion in 1982.
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| Location | 1050 Valley Forge Road, Valley Forge National Historical Park, Port Kennedy, Pennsylvania |
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| Built | 1852 |
| NRHP reference No. | 83002262 |
| Added to NRHP | June 21, 1983 |
The Kennedy Mansion, also called the Kennedy-Supplee Mansion, is a beautiful old house located inside Valley Forge National Historical Park. It was built in 1852 in a style called Italian Villa. This mansion used to look over a small industrial town called Port Kennedy. Today, it sits between two busy roads, PA Route 23 and U.S. Route 422.
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A Glimpse into Port Kennedy Village
The village of Port Kennedy was named after Alexander Kennedy. He was a very important person in the American lime industry. Lime was made from limestone, which was dug up from the hills around Valley Forge. This lime was then sent out using the Schuylkill Canal and, later, the Reading Railroad starting in 1849.
Today, not much is left of the original Port Kennedy village. The 1852 mansion and the 1845 Port Kennedy Presbyterian Church are still standing. These two buildings are now on opposite sides of a highway. A former hotel and train station from the village are also gone.
The Mansion's Special Style
When John Kennedy built this mansion in 1852, it was the most important building in Port Kennedy. It is a great example of the Italian Villa style. This means it has a grand, elegant look, often with a tower and wide eaves.
The mansion still has many of its original features, both inside and out. The rooms on the first floor are large and well-designed. They still have their fancy details. The frames around the doors and windows are narrow, showing a style called Egyptian Revival.
Amazing Interior Details
One of the most amazing things inside the mansion is the plaster decorations on the ceilings. These are found in the main rooms. They show incredible skill and craftsmanship. This type of detailed plaster work is almost a lost art today.
Around the main part of the house, there is a lovely porch. It has a curved roof. This roof is held up by special cast-iron supports. These supports are designed to look like grapevines and morning glories. There is also a balcony on the second floor of the mansion's tower.
John Kennedy and the Lime Business
The mansion sits on a small hill. From here, it originally looked down over the whole community. It is one of the few buildings that survived after the lime and blast furnace businesses in the area slowed down.
John Kennedy was born in 1815. He was the youngest of Alexander Kennedy's eight children. In 1842, John bought the lime works in Port Kennedy. He built one of the biggest lime production sites in the area. The lime industry and John Kennedy's business did very well during his lifetime.
The Village's Past
The village of Port Kennedy also had other important buildings. There was a three-story hotel. There was also a blast furnace with a stone house and workshops. The Reading Railroad had a station there. And, of course, the Presbyterian Church, a handsome stone building, was built in 1845. John Kennedy passed away in 1877. His wife continued to live in the mansion until she died.
Changes Over the Years
After John Kennedy's widow, the mansion had six more owners. Some parts were added to the house around 1920 and again around 1950. At one point, the building was changed into apartments.
From 1911 to 1936, the mansion was owned by J. Henderson Supplee. He was one of the last Civil War veterans in Montgomery County when he died. Later, the mansion was used as the Port Kennedy Inn. It also served as a boardinghouse, where people could rent rooms.
The Park and the Mansion
In the 1960s, the U.S. Route 422 (Pottstown Expressway) was built right through the mansion's property. In 1976, the nearby Valley Forge State Park became the Valley Forge National Historical Park.
In 1978, the National Park Service bought the mansion. They used it to house employees who worked for the park. In 1986, a private company called Kennedy Supplee Associates LP signed a long-term lease for 55 years. They restored the mansion and opened it as the Kennedy-Supplee Mansion Restaurant. However, the company faced financial difficulties in 2005. They sold off their belongings in 2006. Since then, the mansion has been empty.
