The Linden House, Marietta PA:
In 1983 I purchased the Linden House in Marietta, PA. Built ca. 1805 by lumber magnate Henry Cassel, the 6,000 SF mansion had fallen on hard times. After being unceremoniously chopped up into ten low rent apartments, the roof had been burned off and the house condemned. The mansion had 606 window panes (yes, I counted them), most of which were broken. It also had three center halls, fifteen fireplaces including a walk-in fireplace in the summer kitchen, and an ornate fanlight over the front door.
Linden House Antiques was just one of the plans I had for the Linden House. I envisioned an antique dealer cooperative. My ultimate plan was to restore the mansion and live there in historic Marietta PA, but my ex-wife could not be convinced to give up her modern home and live across the street from an industrial plant which blocked the original Susquehanna River view.
I loved that house. I could picture the fabulous parties that must have been given in the early days, with those beautiful center halls and stairway, and the linden trees for which it was named, that lined a walk all the way down to the river. I always felt that I was entering another century when I went into the back kitchen door of the house, with the walk-in fireplace. As soon as the door closed, all the modern traffic noise went away, and there was a certain serenity inside. I actually felt like I was communicating with the original builders as I uncovered their original materials.
Another corporation I started was Linden Realty, which I would have headquartered there. Unfortunately, I ran out of money after I had gotten the house back to its original configuration, removed 110 tons of debris out of it, saved it from condemnation, and made it weathertight again. I had to sell it at a loss in 1985 before I could start the actual restoration, after all the work I put into it. The mansion was subsequently allowed to deteriorate again.
Recently the present owner, who purchased the house in 2004, found me on Localism.com and contacted me! He was looking for early photographs of the house as he continues the restoration. I will have to look in my archives, because I too had searched for early photographs so I could do an accurate restoration. I also took many photos of the Linden House before and during my work on it. I'm looking forward to seeing the progress he has made. Don't ever believe that no one will see you on Localism.com!
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This is a fascinating story, Brian. I enjoyed it very much and could feel your passion for the mansion, and for those times when it was first built, come shining through.
I'm sorry you did not get to see your dream through to completion, however it sounds like you got the ball rolling and the new owner will carry forth with it. One day it may be back to it's former glory...now if only the industrial plant across the road would disappear and the linden tree walkway be brought back. Your descriptive writing enabled a clear vision of this property's former glory and graciousness.
thank you
Jo
Hi, Jo. I'm glad you enjoyed the story. I'm still looking forward to getting to seeing what progress the new owner has made on the inside of the house.
Thanks for commenting, Jean! I was the the 35th in a long line of owners. Apparently the mansion was too much for many of them to keep for long. I researched all the prior deeds. I'm sure your relatives must have been on the list.
The picture of a Cassel mansion that was not this one, was probably the Victorian mansion across the street that originally belonged to Henry Cassel's son Byrd.
I live right up the block from it.
Daniel, have you been able to see the interior recently?
No, I having yet but I want to.
Daniel, if you do get a chance to see inside, let me know how they're coming along!
Hi Linda, thanks for your comments. I know where the curve is, but I don't have any specific knowledge about former businesses there. The research I did was mostly about the Cassel family.