By Aaron Karlsruher
Behind its magnificent gates, winding driveway and striking stone work, the Mansion at Fairleigh Dickinson University in Madison suggests a country estate more than an Ivory tower.
Which is exactly what it was before its purchase by the university in 1957. For years, this beautiful Gilded Age house served as the luxurious home to Florence and Hamilton Twombly.
A meticulous new book, Florham: The Lives of an American Estate, offers a detailed look at Florham in its heyday during the 1930s and ’40s.
It’s a loving tribute by a trio of trustees of the Friends of Florham: Carol Bere, Sam Convissor and Walter Cummins, an emeritus professor of English at FDU. On Sunday, April 29, at 3 pm they will return to the Mansion to sign copies of the book, which will be available for $25.
Proceeds will benefit future projects to restore the Mansion–designed by the famed architectural firm of McKim, Mead & White–and the grounds, which were the handiwork of Frederick Law Olmsted, renowned for Central Park in New York.
The book makes generous use of recently discovered photographs that allow the reader to time-travel through the great estate to Mrs. Twombly’s stunning playhouse, Mr. Twombly’s private sitting room, and breathtaking gardens and promenades that were hallmarks of this once-grand residence.
Documents breath life into the stately images. There are letters from Hamilton Twombly to Olmsted, and between Mrs. Twombly and Florham’s staff, as well as checks written for its construction and expense ledgers.
Visitors to the Mansion’s Lenfell and Hennessy halls for Sunday’s reception can enjoy the added treat of free tours by the Friends of Florham. For more details, call 201-692-7008 or email: mcconvil@fdu.edu.
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