Point Breeze (estate) facts for kids
|
Point Breeze
|
|
Louis Maillard House at the entrance to Breeze Point Estate
|
|
 Location in Burlington County, New Jersey
Location in New Jersey
Location in the United States
|
|
| Location | U.S. Route 206 and Park Street, Bordentown, New Jersey |
|---|---|
| Area | 85 acres (34 ha) |
| Architectural style | Italianate, Georgian Revival |
| NRHP reference No. | 77000848 |
Quick facts for kids Significant dates |
|
| Added to NRHP | August 10, 1977 |
Point Breeze was a grand estate located in Bordentown, New Jersey. It was once the home of Joseph Bonaparte, who was the older brother of the famous French leader, Napoleon Bonaparte. Joseph lived here from 1816 to 1839, making Point Breeze a very important place in American history.
Contents
Joseph Bonaparte's Amazing Estate
Building a New Home
In 1816, Joseph Bonaparte came to America after his brother Napoleon was defeated in Europe. He bought a large property in Bordentown from an American diplomat named Stephen Sayre. This land was special because it sat on a high point overlooking both Crosswicks Creek and the Delaware River.
Joseph quickly replaced the old house with a brand new, impressive mansion. He also bought more land, eventually owning over 1,800 acres! He wanted his estate to be a major social hub on the East Coast.
A Center for Society and Art
Many important people, including politicians and visitors from other countries, came to what became known as "Bonaparte's Park." The estate became famous for its beautiful landscape, stunning gardens, and a huge collection of art. Joseph owned more than 150 paintings by famous European artists and had a library with 8,000 books. This was one of the biggest libraries in the United States at that time!
Joseph proudly displayed a famous painting of his brother, called Napoleon Crossing the Alps by Jacques-Louis David, right in his home.
The Mansions of Point Breeze
On January 4, 1820, Joseph Bonaparte's first mansion sadly burned down. Luckily, many neighbors and servants rushed in to save furniture and books from the fire.
After the fire, Joseph built an even bigger and grander mansion. This new house was built further back from the river. It was so impressive that many people thought it was the "second-finest house in America," right after the White House!
In 1839, Joseph Bonaparte returned to Europe and never came back to Point Breeze. When he passed away in 1844, his grandson, Joseph Lucien Bonaparte, inherited the estate. Three years later, the grandson sold the property and most of its valuable contents. Today, some of the furnishings and paintings from Point Breeze can be found in the Philadelphia Museum of Art and the Pennsylvania Academy of Fine Arts.
Later Owners of Point Breeze
Around 1850, a man named Hamilton Beckett bought Point Breeze. He decided to tear down Joseph Bonaparte's second mansion. A third mansion was then built on the same spot. This house stood until 1983, when it was also destroyed by a fire.
In 1874, a religious group called the Vincentian Fathers bought Point Breeze to use as a summer getaway. Later, in 1911, they sold it to an industrialist named Harris Hammond. After the stock market crash in 1929, the bank took over the property, and it remained empty for over ten years.
In 1941, another Catholic missionary group, the Divine Word Missionaries, bought the estate. They used Point Breeze as a seminary, which is a school for religious training, and later as a retirement community for their members.
Discovering History Through Archaeology
Since 2006, Professor Richard Veit from Monmouth University has led several archaeological digs at Point Breeze. These digs are like treasure hunts for history! They have uncovered over 20,000 artifacts. These include pieces of plates and cups, glass, wine bottles, door parts, and even buttons from tapestries. Many of these items show signs of being burned in the 1820 fire, giving us clues about what happened.
Protecting Point Breeze for the Future
Point Breeze was added to the National Register of Historic Places on August 10, 1977. This means it's recognized as an important historical site because of its architecture, landscape, and connection to politics.
In 2020, the City of Bordentown and a group called D&R Greenway Land Trust worked with the New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection to buy the remaining 60 acres of the estate from the Divine Word Missionaries. This land cost $4.6 million. The plan is to keep this beautiful land as open space with walking trails, so everyone can enjoy its history and nature for years to come.
Gallery
-
A landscape painting of the estate from 1817–1820, possibly by Charles B. Lawrence
-
The new mansion built by Hamilton Beckett
Images for kids
-
King Joseph at Point Breeze, a portrait of Joseph Bonaparte painted at the estate on February 2, 1832, by Innocent-Louis Goubaud
