History In Motion

The People of Whitemarsh Hall

Due to overwhelming interest in the encore presentation of “The People of Whitemarsh Hall” April’s showing has also SOLD OUT.

So nice, we decided to host it twice!

Please join us for this extremely unique, encore event being presented by Andy Logan (Stotesbury), Edward Zwicker III (Trumbauer and Smith), and Edward Zwicker IV (Duveen and Deschamps) at the Ambler Theatre.

 

 

Edward T. Stotesbury was a self-made man, having risen from the position of $200 per year office boy to that of senior partner in the firm of J.P. Morgan & Company, and its Philadelphia affiliate of Drexel & Company, worth over $100 million at his zenith. A widower for over 30 years after the death of his first wife, he then married Lucretia Roberts Cromwell, known to her friends as Eva. With this marriage his life would change dramatically from both a social and a financial perspective. Stotesbury built “Whitemarsh Hall”, a 120-room Georgian mansion situated on 325 acres in Springfield Township, as a tribute to Eva and her desire to gain them acceptance into the uppermost reaches of Philadelphia society.

This Gilded age “Versailles of America” magically appeared on a rise looking over the Whitemarsh Valley by 1921, and appeared to run as if by magic. The truth was that it was painstakingly created by a famous dream team consisting of architect (Horace Trumbauer), landscape architect (Jacques Greber), and art dealer (Joseph Duveen). Once built it took a staff of over one hundred to tend to the house, the grounds, and the Stotesburys themselves.

This upstairs-downstairs story will be presented in first-person by historical reenactors. Edward Stotesbury will welcome you and set the stage for the evening’s presentation. He will be followed by Horace Trumbauer and Joseph Duveen who will talk about the creation of “Whitemarsh Hall”. Hugh Smith (footman) and Maurice Deschamps (head gardener) will then talk about the running of the home and property.

The evening will be filled with never before told stories and memories taken from actual interviews of the staff from over thirty years ago, along with some of their personal photographs and videos taken in the early 1930’s.

A 30 min complimentary wine tasting by Chaddsford Winery will take place just before this enchanting evening begins! Whitemarsh Hall Merchandise will be available for Sale; Sally Yates Notecards, Whitemarsh Hall Tiles, Deming Collection Prints, and “Images of America WHITEMARSH HALL The Estate of Edward T. Stotesbury” will be available.

For more information call 215-233-4600