Aldie Mansion

A hidden gem.
By Brenda Lange

Tucked away on over six acres of manicured grounds in Doylestown Township, Aldie Mansion stands as an ode to a bygone era.

Aldie’s elaborate brickwork, vintage leaded glass windows in diamond patterns, wrought-iron gates, Mercer tiles, and beautiful gardens are all watched over by stone gargoyles perched high atop the peaked roofline. The mansion was built in 1927 as a home for William and Martha Mercer. (William’s brother, Henry, is known for the Mercer Museum, Fonthill and the Moravian Tile Works.) Aldie hosted some true luminaries of the day:  Groucho Marx and Isadora Duncan were guests, and the Von Trapp family singers of “Sound of Music” fame gave their first American performance from the balcony of the Great Hall at a 1941 Christmas party.

“Aldie Mansion is truly an amazing place, replete with history and incredible charm,” says Larry Fiel, director of Communications for Heritage Conservancy, an accredited not-for-profit conservation organization that owns and stewards the mansion through its mission of protecting natural resources and places of historic heritage.

On Martha’s death in 1960, the home became the property of the Catholic Church, which used it for a seminary and then as a drug and alcohol treatment center. The Tudor Revival style structure then sat empty for a number of years and fell into disrepair, coming dangerously close to being razed in the early 1980s.

Its survival was guaranteed when the Genuardi family and Vesterra Corporation agreed to sell it to Heritage Conservancy for $1 with the stipulation that the non-profit would restore it. A three-year capital campaign was undertaken, which ultimately raised almost $3M for the renovation.

“Restoring the mansion to its former glory using the practice of adaptive reuse was labor-intensive,” says Sandy Yerger, Aldie’s de facto historian, who also works as membership and community services manager for the Conservancy. “It was vandalized terribly and every window was broken. We used old photos to recreate the rooms, and cleaned and refinished woodwork. We were very careful to maintain the building’s integrity.”

Today Aldie is one of the area’s most sought-after spots for weddings and wedding receptions. Jeffrey Miller Catering has been the exclusive caterer at the facility for 18 years, and serves about 100 wedding parties each year; mainly in the 2400 square-foot addition to the original structure, which can accommodate formal dinner parties for up to 200. The original Library, Great Hall and Dining Room each have unique fireplaces and other special architectural touches that create special occasions to remember.

“The breathtaking architecture and scenic vistas offer a spectacular place for weddings, parties and meetings,” says Fiel. “Aldie is one of the few places around where you can make memories and help preserve our region’s natural and historic legacy, as the proceeds from property rentals allow us to further our mission. After all, where else can you have a world-class wedding reception and be environmentally conscious at the same time?”

Established in 1958 to safeguard and preserve natural resources, open space and areas of historic significance, Heritage Conservancy is one of only 59 land trusts out of about 1700 nationally to have been accredited by the Land Trust Accreditation Commission. It is also one of only seven in Pennsylvania, and the only accredited land trust with operations in New Jersey.

The example of adaptive reuse seen at Aldie Mansion is similar to how the conservancy works with property owners who have historic structures. The Conservancy also works with landowners who wish to preserve their property for future generations while practicing conservation, explains Fiel.

The sale or donation of conservation easements is one way land can be preserved and protected from full-scale development. Through this arrangement, the landowner is paid for the development rights, continues to own the property and right to use it for agricultural or natural purposes, and is allowed to sell it (only for those same purposes) or pass it on to heirs. A variety of programs and tax incentives are available as well.

Fifty-nine properties totaling 1411 acres are owned and stewarded by the Conservancy including Aldie Mansion and the Durham Bat Hibernaculum. An additional 7335 acres are held in conservation easements. Its historic registry contains almost 700 structures, and it has leveraged more than $12 million to protect open space and natural resources since 2000.

“We rely on grants, donations, memberships, fees for services and, of course, property rentals,” says Fiel, explaining how the Conservancy funds its preservation and conservation programs. “And we host numerous fundraising events, including our annual Christmas at Aldie gala.”

From its offices in the former servants’ wing in Aldie Mansion, the Conservancy’s staff of subject matter experts specializes in open space preservation, planning for sustainable communities, natural resource protection, property stewardship, historic preservation, adaptive reuse of existing structures, wildlife habitat restoration and biodiversity.

For information about Aldie Mansion and social and business rental opportunities, call (215) 348-3509 or visit www.aldiemansion.com. Aldie Mansion is located at 85 Old Dublin Pike in Doylestown. To learn more about Heritage Conservancy, including membership, planned giving and event sponsorship, call (215) 345-7020 or visit www.heritageconservancy.org.

Brenda Lange is a Doylestown-based writer (www.brendalange.com).