Morristown’s Willow Hall, the home of 19th century industrialist George Vail–who bankrolled the perfection of the telegraph that ushered in modern communications– has just been listed on the National Registry of Historic Buildings by the U.S. Department of the Interior.
To celebrate, a series of lectures is being planned by the present owners of the building, the Passaic River Coalition.
Details follow.
FROM THE PASSAIC RIVER COALITION:
Willow Hall Officially Joins the Ranks of Historic Buildings
The Passaic River Coalition is pleased to announce that its 1848 headquarters building, Willow Hall, has received National Registry of Historic Buildings listing by the U.S. Department of the Interior.
Willow Hall is a symbol of American invention and entrepreneurship as the home of George Vail from 1848 -1875. A self-described “blacksmith, engineer, and manufacturer,” he inherited the Speedwell Iron Works from his father Stephen Vail in 1844, and continued his father’s tradition of hardworking and innovative industrialism.
Of all his endeavors – NJ Legislature, US Congressman, US Consul to Scotland, and judge in the Court of Errors and Appeals – his most influential was the financing of Alfred, his brother, and Samuel F. B. Morse as they perfected the telegraph.
Thus started the revolution in communications. George Vail paid for the manufacturing and patents for Morse’s original laboratory device and implemented the telegraph technology once the federal government and private investors set up telegraph lines all across the country.
To celebrate the history, architecture, and social changes that Willow Hall has experienced, the Passaic River Coalition is sponsoring four interdisciplinary lectures on:
The innovative architecture of Willow Hall, based on designs of Andrew Jackson Downing by Eric Holtermann AIA of the historic architectural firm, Holt, Morgan, Russell, on April 12, 2011 at 11:00 am in the Board Room of Willow Hall, 330 Speedwell Avenue, Morristown, NJ 07960.
The move towards naturalistic landscaping and extensive use of native plants by Andrew Jackson Downing who managed to make a living from his journal Horticulture, lectures and his books on Victorian Cottages Residences will be presented by E. Timothy Marshall. ETM Associates is currently the landscaper for the London Olympics. His work with Essex and Passaic county parks includes Lambert Tower in Garret Mountain County Park, Goffle Brook and Weasel Brook parks, and in Somerset County the Jacobus Vandeveer House in Bedminster. His firm is also working on gardens and river walks at the Capital complex in Trenton. (date to be announced)
Ella F. Filippone, Executive Director of the Passaic River Coalition will speak on what remains of the Downing vision at Willow Hall, and how the Passaic River Coalition will reinstate more of the Downing touch on the grounds of Willow Hall. She will show how he already in the early part of the 19th century used techniques being fostered for watershed protection, such as stream buffers, steep slopes planting, and storm water management. She will also discuss recent progress in treating the toxic wastes and contaminated sediments of the Lower Passaic. (Date to be announced)
Our fourth talk will discuss social class determinants of the pre and post Civil War period: including money, name, gender, ethnicity, and education.
These talks are made possible by a grant from the Morris County Heritage Commission.
