The Gardens of Mrs. Edward T. Stotesbury’ at Chestnut Hill

No visitor to Philadelphia gardens can feel that he has seen the best unless his list includes the gardens of Mrs. Edward T. Stotesbury’at Chestnut Hill. 

Photograph by Dallin Aerial Survey
Courtesy Department of Landscape Architecture, Harvard University

"Whitemarsh Hall"

Here is a notable example of the formal French style.

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"WHITEMARSH HALL" EDWARD T. STOTESBURY WYNDMOOR, PENNSYLVANIA Upper Terrace and Garden Facade

"WHITEMARSH HALL" EDWARD T. STOTESBURY WYNDMOOR, PENNSYLVANIA
 Upper Terrace and Garden Facade
ARCHITECT, HORACE TRUMBAUER - LANDSCAPE ARCHITECT, JACQUES AUGUSTE HENRI GREBER

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OFFERED AT $1,250,000 "Rose Terrace" The Grossc Pointe Farms Residence of the Late Mrs. Horace E. Dodge

   
  The house was heated with oil boilers then thru a forced air system. There were grills in the floor underneath just about all the 42, French windows 14 foot high on the first floor. (The ceilings on the 1st floor were 18 feet high). There were no return grills in the house. Outside air was drawn in from grills outside near the South terrace and forced over steam radiators in the furnace room then sent to all the rooms. The positive pressure in the house forced the air up the 15 fireplaces to give a nice fire. Air was also forced out cracks or any openings in the windows to prevent cold air from coming in. One could stand near any of the windows and there would not be a draft. The house was not air conditioned. There was a 10,000 gallon oil tank under the front lawn to feed the furnace.

   When Hollywood wanted to film the Great Gatsby in 1974, they wanted to use Rose Terrace in the movie. At that time, the bank was still in control and denied the use of it. Hollywood then used "Rosecliff" in Newport, RI for the ballroom scene.

   The Developer who bought Rose Terrace wanted to make Condominiums out of it and add a few more buildings on the property. After a couple of years, economic conditions were not right and also not taking care of the building, (low or no heat, etc). the roof and walls leaked, and streaked the ceilings and walls, it was then decided to develop the property as single family homes. "Rose Terrace"  was demolished in 1976.

A planting on the estate of E. T. Stotesbury, Esq., Chestnut Hill, Pa.

A planting on the estate of E. T. Stotesbury, Esq., Chestnut Hill, Pa.
   Jacques Greber, Esq., landscape architect
Landscape Planting by Lewis & Valentine Company

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"Whitemarsh Hall" - an autogiro proves its worth.....

   

PHOTOGRAPHS BY COURTESY OF PITCAIRN AIRCRAFT, INC.

   Above the E. T. Stotesbury estate at Whitemarsh, near Philadelphia, Pa., an autogiro proves its worth as a place-to-place air vehicle. After selecting a likely spot in which to land, it sinks slowly and almost vertically to the ground. When leave-taking time comes, the host speeds his parting guest, serene in the knowledge that his tree-tops and turrets will be undamaged, for the giro rises at a steep angle into the air when it departs.

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The Shady Garden at "Whitemarsh Hall"

Boxwood hedging bordering the shady garden on the new estate of E. T. Stotesbury, Esq., Chestnut Hill, Pa.   Jacques Greber, Esq., landscape architect
Landscape Planting by Lewis & Valentine Company

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Formal Garden at "Whitemarsh Hall"

Landscape planting by Lewis & Valentine Company

   On April 28th 1921 writing from his Philadelphia Chestnut Street home, Edward Townsend Stotesbury responds to Lewis & Valentine:  I am in receipt of your letter of the 16th, and it gives me great pleasure to state that the work which you have done for me at Chestnut Hill has been most satisfactory. 

Hoping that you will be able to secure additional work,  I am 

Yours very truly,

Click HERE to see the remains of the garden at wikimapia. Follow THIS LINK for more on "Whitemarsh Hall".