Mercer Museum facts for kids
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Mercer Museum
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U.S. National Historic Landmark District
Contributing Property |
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Mercer Museum in Doylestown, Pennsylvania
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 Location in Pennsylvania
Location in the United States
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| Location | 84 S. Pine St., Doylestown, Pennsylvania, U.S. |
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| Built | 1904 |
| Architect | Dr. Henry Mercer |
| Architectural style | Colonial Revival |
| Part of | Fonthill, Mercer Museum, and Moravian Pottery and Tile Works (ID85002366) |
| NRHP reference No. | 72001097 |
Quick facts for kids Significant dates |
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| Added to NRHP | March 16, 1972 |
| Designated NHLDCP | February 4, 1985 |
The Mercer Museum is a cool place to visit in Doylestown, Pennsylvania. It's run by the Bucks County Historical Society. This group also takes care of the museum's founder's old home, Fonthill Castle. The founder was an archeologist named Henry Chapman Mercer.
The museum was first recognized as a special historical place in 1972. Later, it became part of a bigger historic area. This area includes the Moravian Pottery and Tile Works and Fonthill. These three buildings are unique because Henry Mercer built them all using a special method: poured concrete.
The Story of the Mercer Museum
Henry Mercer was a very curious person. When he was younger, he traveled and saw how factories were changing the world. He noticed that old ways of making things by hand were disappearing. Mercer wanted to save the tools and objects from this earlier time.
So, in the late 1800s and early 1900s, Mercer started collecting pre-industrial hand tools. He believed these tools told the story of how people lived and worked long ago. He worried that these old crafts would soon be forgotten.
Mercer drew up the plans for his museum himself. It was designed to be six stories tall. He wanted it to be made entirely of poured concrete. The museum was finished in 1916.
Besides tools, the museum shows many other interesting items. You can see old furniture from early America. There are also carriages, old stove plates, and even a gallows. You might spot antique fire engines and a whaleboat. The famous Lenape Stone is also on display.
On the third floor, you'll find the Spruance Library. This library holds many historical research materials for Bucks County. In 2011, a new visitor center was added to the front of the museum.
How the Museum Was Built
The Mercer Museum is one of three buildings Mercer constructed using poured concrete. His home, Fonthill, and the Moravian Pottery and Tile Works are the other two. They are all about a mile from the museum.
Mercer chose concrete because of a sad event. In 1872, the Great Boston Fire of 1872 destroyed his aunt's valuable collection. Her medieval armor was stored in wooden buildings. Mercer did not want his own collections to be lost in a fire.
Local people made fun of his choice of building material. But when the museum was finished, Mercer proved them wrong. He lit a bonfire on the roof to show that the building was fireproof! The museum was an early example of using concrete with rebar (steel bars inside) to make strong structures.
Gallery
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Inside the Mercer Museum. Pieces hang from the ceiling and walls.
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19th century cigar store figures
