*Just a brief note before I get into the history; I got a new computer that crops the pictures on its own, making this process a lot faster. If any photos are too small, let me know and I would be happy to post a larger one. Also, I wanted to take the time to say hello to members that have joined after my departure. I love this group and have missed being a part of it as well as the members that were here when I left. To those that dont know, I am a photographer specializing in urban decay, so I take this very seriously. Ok, on with the show... This series was taken in 2011. If I do a shoot at a historic site, it can take awhile to get enough information to post. The internet is a great back up but I prefer to get as much history through more natural face to face contact ie Historical Societies, neighbors and/or relatives. Sometimes that can be very hard and I have to go through many sources. Hurstmont, originally constructed in 1886, was essentially rebuilt on the existing foundation in 1902-03 by Stanford White of famed New York-based architectural firm McKim Mead and White. The house was rebuilt for James T. Pyle, a New York industrialist whose wealth was derived from Pyle’s Pearline Soap, a popular household brand of the late 19th and early 20th centuries. Hurstmont is an excellent example of the early 20th century Country House, which saw American industrialists aspiring to the lifestyles of landed English gentry. The estate is therefore further representative of the type of development in New Jersey facilitated when the suburban rail lines were extended west from the commercial centers of Newark and New York. The estate’s focal building, a large mansion nearly 15,000 SF in area, contains over 30 rooms. The first floor public rooms are all large, beautifully detailed and generously proportioned, typical of an early 20th century Stanford White residence. Indeed, the house, designed in a classical Revival Style, is quite similar to White’s own house, Box Hill, which he was renovating during the same period. The house contains a grand central stair, several staff and service stairs, and an internal elevator. The building is mostly stucco, set upon a tall fieldstone base. A wood single roof and six large brick chimneys cap the house. The wood windows are mostly all original with numerous leaded pattern and stained glass lites. A large porch on the west façade, a two story portico on the south and a non-original greenhouse on the south complete the exterior of the building. Decorative plaster ceilings, elaborate stone or wood mantelpieces, extensive wood wainscoting and running trim, patterned wood or brick floors and ornamental ironwork comprise the general palette in the public spaces of Hurstmont. Outbuildings on the site include a carriage house, 8 rooms and garage space for 5 cars; and a guesthouse, formerly the children’s playhouse. The grounds contained extensive gardens, originally with numerous exotic plantings, carved stone balustrades delineating stepped terraces, an ornamental pool defined by bosques of trees and a swimming pool on the north side of the house. The estate was occupied by the Pyle family through 1925. Three different parties have owned the house from 1925 to 1981. The current owner purchased Hurstmont in 1981 with plans to restore the house. Restoration was never completed and the house has been left vacant since the 1980s. It has deteriorated severely, most significantly due to long-term roof and skylight leaks and lack of maintenance. Additionally, vandalism has been an ongoing concern. I found out shortly after I got enough info that the property has been sold. Below are links to a 1907 edition of American Home and Gardens showcasing the home in its new grand state.
Posted on: Wed, 16 Jul 2014 05:45:52 +0000
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