MM in the news

Written by John Ellingsworth

Wednesday, 07 July 2004

This was posted today in response to the PPA list that came out recently. It's a shame that MM gets a two sentence mention, while a single farmhouse gets much more . . . Full text below. http://www.philly.com/mld/inquirer/9535001.htm Group calls 1600s house endangered The site was sold by William Penn. By Marc Schogol Inquirer Staff Writer The gleaming historic homes of Society Hill are newcomers compared with a Cheltenham mansion, whose oldest sections were built in the late 1600s on land personally sold by William Penn. But although preservationists say Kerlin Farm, also known as Heidelberg, is likely one of the oldest in Pennsylvania, don't try to arrange a tour. Crumbling and strewn with such debris as abandoned cars, refrigerators, and even a coffin, this 71/2-acre historic site - still private property - is disintegrating so badly, it may not be long before it is truly history. In what could be a last gasp to save the property, last week, a nonprofit group called Preservation Pennsylvania put the Montgomery County site on its annual list of most endangered historic properties. Also on that list are the Pearl S. Buck House in Bucks County and Mount Moriah Cemetery, in Philadelphia and Yeadon Borough, Delaware County. With Kerlin Farm, which is being nominated for the National Register of Historic Places, preservationists are hopeful - but realistic. As things are now, it's still standing and "I... have it to behold," said Ellen Ginsburg, a Cheltenham resident active in efforts to save and restore the property. It originally was bought sometime around 1682 by a new arrival in the New World named Everard Bolton. The seller: William Penn. Enlarged by additions to the original two-story stone structure, and landscaped with rare and exotic horticulture from all over the world, Kerlin Farm remained a stately mansion for heirs of the Bolton family until the mid-20th century. It then became vacant, but was bought in 1985 by a family interested in restoring it. Then the family moved to Iowa, and Kerlin Farm has suffered from the forces of nature and neglect since. Cheltenham Township Commissioner Charles McKeown said the owners have staved off tax sales and other municipal proceedings several times by last-minute payment of some of their property taxes. But many other written communications get returned unopened, and Cheltenham officials said it's difficult to reach the family to discuss its plans for the property, which is near the Ashbourne Country Club. Repeated attempts to contact the owners were unsuccessful. Because it is one of the largest undeveloped parcels of land left in the area, preservationists fear it might be sold to a developer and razed. A tour last week with McKeown, who has the owners' permission to go on the property, did little to encourage optimism about its future. There were holes in and partial collapses of the three-story home's roof and walls. Weeds ran high and wild, and junk lay about everywhere. Yet, amid the ruins, there also was a well-maintained paddock and stable for several well-cared-for horses. McKeown said that Kerlin Farm's owners had given permission for the horses to be boarded there. At times, McKeown said, family friends and caretakers have used the property and done some clean-ups. But the task of clearing and restoring the property would be herculean. "It's a shame to see this," McKeown said. "This could be a beautiful parkland showplace for Cheltenham Township... . I'd buy it in a heartbeat." Reaching an agreement of sale and raising what would have to be a considerable sum of money are the questions facing preservationists. "Not a small project by any means... but not impossible," said Susan Cabot, deputy director of Preservation Pennsylvania, a statewide private organization. If turned into a private venture, such as a bed-and-breakfast, federal investment tax credits might be available, she said. Or the township or a nonprofit group might be able to get government and private grants. "I've seen any number of buildings even I, as a preservationist, thought couldn't come back, and they're back," Cabot said. As for the other nine historic sites on Preservation Pennsylvania's list, Cabot said prospects were hopeful at the Pearl S. Buck House, also known as Green Hills Farm, in Hilltown. Pearl S. Buck International, which continues the late author's humanitarian causes, has its headquarters there, and Cabot said the foundation has begun to devote more resources to the upkeep of the property, which dates to 1835. It is a National Historic Landmark. Cabot said that ownership and responsibility are unclear for the century-and-a-half-old Mount Moriah Cemetery, which straddles the Southwest Philadelphia-Yeadon Borough line. So, she said, is the care of more than 5,000 graves of soldiers killed in the Civil War, the two World Wars, and the Korean War. Preservation Pennsylvania hopes for a concerted campaign to maintain and restore the cemetery, which has a grand and ornate gatehouse and entrance. Even before Preservation Pennsylvania's list came out, the group already knew it was losing one of the sites - the 83-year-old Lincoln Highway Garage in York. One of the first service stations on the first cross-country highway, it will soon be replaced by a convenience store and gas station. Cabot said that this was "especially sad" but that it might heighten preservation consciousness. In Cheltenham, Kerlin Farm preservationists such as Stephen Banks share that wish. "It's still standing," Banks said, "so there's still hope." Contact staff writer Marc Schogol at 610-313-8112 or This e-mail address is being protected from spam bots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it

Last Updated ( Tuesday, 25 March 2008 )

 

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