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JFeature Pagem:1A'*iaJ *£„ nffcaH?** ^ -, ^ - - “ - -■jWW . --•'-vv *■* M t Ut# PNobody cares much when you’re 283 yrs. oldON ITS LAST LEGS — The Bolton Mansion in Levittown’s Holly Hill section may be taken over by the state or it may be razed.iByRONAVERY Courier Time* Staff Writer| How does it feel to be old. ugty ami unwanted?If stone walls could talk, the old Bolton Mansion A** DaHh TkiiM t .« L3rtbrcaking taleto tell.It would start by telling ot a proud 283-year-old history. It would speak of its builder and first master, Phineas Pemberton and the close relationship between Pemberton and William Penn.; How old Phineas came to America from Bolton, England and thus gave Bolton Farm its name and how the building stayed in the Pemberton family till1930, would be related.%lt; Then in a weary and shaky voice, the old building would tell its recent sad history.“I’ve been iflvsppd H* wndj»1« r^^oA *»» ti»a j»nlt;*called an eyesore. The fire marshall has called me a fire hazard and said 1 should be razed,” the building would relate with a sigh.“I’m the oldest building in Bucks County and |p||ggr-the oldest in Pennsylvania. Shouldn’t 1 be treated better than this?” the mansion would shout in an accusing voice.There are a few people who have gotten the message and the old mansion has one final chance for survival. However, it seems to be a rather slim chance.Salvation for the Bolton Mansion lies in a bill in the General Assembly in Harrisburg now bottled up somewhere in the appropriations committee.Miraculously, the bill to have the state take over the Bolton farm and refurbish it, passed the state Senate last year.But, apparently the Senate did not consider what the cost would be — this problem was passed on to the Assembly.Assemblyman Milton Berkes, who is backing a state takeover of the facility, doesn’t know bow much money the bill calls for but Robert Pierson, a county planner and executive secretary of the Bucks County Conservancy, believes the appropriation is $150,000.In these times of financial crisis for government and schools it will certainly be a difficult battle to getthe state to put out $150,000 for another historical project.If the bill fails to go through it will probably mean the final death knell for the Bolton Mansion.Bristol Township, which still owns the building, has tried several times to sell it. The price has come down from $60,000 to $30,000 to $20,000 and finally any charitable or historical organization could have it for $1. But, there were no takers.Last year the Bucks County Conservancy and the Pennsbury Society signed a one-year agreement with Bristol Township to take over the care and security of the building until the state acts.That agreement expired in July but apparently no one took notice of it and the two groups continue to maintain insurance on the battered building.If the state appropriation ever comes through, only part of the house would be restored as a museum. Other rooms would be made into offices and rented and the revenue would maintain the building.The four apre site would be turned into an attractive park.The history of the 20-room mansion begins with Pemberton in 1687. Additions to the original structure were made in 1790 and 1840.After the building left the Pemberton-Morris family in 1930, it became part of the University of Pennsylvania Veterinary School and was eventually purchased by William Levitt.In 1952, Levitt turned the building over to Bristol Township and until 1966 it was the township’s municipal building. Many people today still refer to it as therr . i rUiU J/U1RC OUJUt/iJ.-When the township opened its new municipal building on Bath Road the Bolton Mansion was left deserted. Levitt had placed a deed restriction saying the historical building could only be used for residential or municipal purposes.It was felt that a well-to-do family with many children might want to buy the house and fix it up A Cornwells Heights family of 11 seemediready to move in but the deal fell through at the last minute.Then the house went on the auction block and the high bidder was a theater company which was willing \ to pay $20,000.The theater group raised $2,000 for the down payment but couldn’t come up with the rest of the cash.In the meantime the property became the victim of teenage vandals who have completely destroyed the inside of the building.- In February, the old mansion was hit up fire and the township fire marshal told the board of commissioners the old building is a hazard — that it should either be renovated or razed.Many people have talked about saving the Bolton Mansion. It is the only historic structure left in Levit-fcown.But, all the talk has produced little action and if the State Assembly fails to come up with the funds to restore Bolton Mansion this year, chances are it will be razed. «w±s m * m *• • • m 4*Yif *» aA|*AiAat|»»0»«001» * I * I 1 »« ♦ * » « « * » * aa b a « 4 * i k ■« ■ ♦ + ■ « « a « ■ 4 4 « ■ » a ■ ■ ■ ■***««* a + » * « * s s♦ ^ w w ♦ * h -.444 44444.*..V444«.»V« k?k k«4#B4ak«4 4 4 4 A 4 »»444a#k4kk4«444444 ■ f W i 4 4 44 4 BAB B k « 4 « 4 1 | f f 4 * + + f B A 4A look-at.The reasons behind shopliftingJ rnvr/tbt UMt. Ate U IL. Z. r Almrifit oil tho tAAnOAaro IaaV iMMt Itnrlttk
Newspaper Details
Bucks County Courier Times
Levittown, Pennsylvania, US
Fri, Sep 18, 1970
Page 21
Full Page
Clipped by
Margaret R.
PA, USA 18 Apr 2022
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