Prospect Place facts for kids
Quick facts for kids |
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Prospect Place
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 Location in Ohio
Location in the United States
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| Nearest city | S of Trinway on OH 77, Trinway, Ohio |
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| Area | 4 Acres |
| Built | 1856 |
| Architect | Blackburn, George |
| Architectural style | Italianate/Greek Revival |
| NRHP reference No. | 79001913 |
| Added to NRHP | May 10, 1979 |
Prospect Place, also known as The Trinway Mansion, is a large, 29-room house. It was built in 1856 by a man named George Willison Adams. He was an abolitionist, meaning he was against slavery. The mansion is located in Trinway, Ohio, near Dresden.
Today, Prospect Place is managed by a group called the G. W. Adams Educational Center, Inc.. This mansion is very important. It is listed on the National Register of Historic Places. It is also recognized as a site on the Underground Railroad by the Ohio Underground Railroad Association.
This house was very modern for its time. It had indoor plumbing. A copper tank on the second floor held water. This tank used pressure to send water all over the house. Two coal stoves heated water in other copper tanks. This meant the house had both hot and cold running water!
This is actually the second house built on this spot. The first house burned down soon after it was finished. So, the mansion was rebuilt with special fire safety features. The inside walls are made of solid brick. There is also a two-inch layer of mortar between the floors. This was to help stop fires from spreading.
Prospect Place also had a cool way to keep food fresh. It had a special system to cool milk, cheese, and butter. It even had an early form of "air conditioning." Cool air from the basement was brought into the living areas. This helped keep the house comfortable in the summer.
Contents
George Willison Adams: A Man of Action
George Willison Adams, often called G.W., was born in Fauquier County, Virginia, in 1799. His father was a plantation owner. But he decided to leave the slaveholding South. In 1808, G.W.'s family moved to Ohio. They freed their enslaved people. They settled near Dresden, Ohio.
Fighting for Freedom: The Underground Railroad
Like his father, G.W. Adams strongly opposed slavery. He and his brother, Edward, ran an Underground Railroad "station." This was at their mill in a place now known as Adams Mills, Ohio. The Underground Railroad was a secret network. It helped enslaved people escape to freedom.
The Adams brothers ran a large operation. They had a flour mill and warehouses. They also had a boat yard in Dresden, Ohio. Their company boats would take flour to New Orleans, Louisiana. On the way back, they would hide runaway slaves below deck. This helped many people find freedom.
A Leader in Ohio: Politics and Development
G.W. Adams was an important person in Ohio. He was a member of the Ohio General Assembly. This is like Ohio's state government.
He also helped build a suspension bridge. This bridge crossed the Muskingum river near Dresden. Other people were worried about the project. But Adams built the bridge himself. His nephew, George Copeland, was the engineer. Adams ran it as a toll bridge for years. Later, he sold it to the county.
Adams also became the President of the Steubenville and Indiana Railroad. He also oversaw the building of the Cincinnati and Muskingum Valley Railroad. He owned a lot of land, about 14,500 acres. The Prospect Place Mansion was right in the middle of his property.
G.W. Adams was a key figure in Ohio's history. He was important in politics and the Underground Railroad. He also helped develop southeastern Ohio. Because of his importance, Prospect Place Mansion was added to the National Register of Historic Places.
Prospect Place: Recent History and Restoration
After G.W. Adams, the mansion stayed in his family for many years. It was owned by his grandson, George Cox, until the 1960s. In 1969, a distant relative, Eugene Cox, bought the home. His company used the land for gravel mining.
While the Cox Gravel Company owned it, Prospect Place was listed on the National Register of Historic Places. However, the mansion started to fall apart. It was not kept up, and people broke in. Thieves and vandals damaged the inside. The house was even going to be torn down in 1988.
Saving the Mansion: Dave Longaberger's Efforts
A local businessman named Dave Longaberger bought the house. He wanted to save it from being destroyed. He put a new roof on the mansion. He also made sure it was more secure. He hoped to restore it for his company's headquarters.
But Dave Longaberger decided to build his company's headquarters in Newark, Ohio. So, the mansion's restoration was put on hold. Dave Longaberger passed away in the 1990s. His company kept the property secure until 2001.
A New Chapter: The G. W. Adams Educational Center
In 2001, some private investors bought Prospect Place. They planned to turn it into a restaurant and a bed and breakfast. But after the September 11, 2001 attacks, their plans fell through.
So, in 2003, a non-profit group was started. It is called the G. W. Adams Educational Center, Inc. This center is based at Prospect Place Mansion. It works to teach people about the area's history. They focus on the mansion's history and its restoration. They also teach about George W. Adams and his work. A big part of their focus is the Underground Railroad activities at the mansion.
In 2017, the board of the G.W. Adams Educational Center changed. New trustees were put in place. Repairs and restoration work on the mansion began again.
Is it Haunted?
Some people believe the building is haunted. It has been featured on TV shows about ghosts. These include Ghost Hunters in 2008. It was also on Ghost Adventures in 2010. And Ghost Brothers in 2016.
See also
- George W. Adams House, built 1842, located south of Trinway on Bottom Road, also on the National Register
