Andalusia, also known as the Nicholas Biddle Estate, is a historic mansion and estate located on the

Delaware River The Delaware River is a major river in the Mid-Atlantic (United States), Mid-Atlantic region of the United States. From the meeting of its branches in Hancock (village), New York, Hancock, New York, the river flows for along the borders of N ...

, just northeast of

Philadelphia Philadelphia, often called Philly, is the largest city in the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, the sixth-largest city in the U.S., the second-largest city in both the Northeast megalopolis and Mid-Atlantic regions after New York City. Sinc ...

, in Bensalem Township,

Bucks County Bucks County is a county in the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania. As of the 2020 census, the population was 646,538, making it the fourth-most populous county in Pennsylvania. Its county seat is Doylestown. The county is named after the English ...

Pennsylvania Pennsylvania (; ( Pennsylvania Dutch: )), officially the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, is a state spanning the Mid-Atlantic, Northeastern, Appalachian, and Great Lakes regions of the United States. It borders Delaware to its southeast, ...

. The community surrounding it,

Andalusia Andalusia (, ; es, Andalucía ) is the southernmost Autonomous communities of Spain, autonomous community in Peninsular Spain. It is the most populous and the second-largest autonomous community in the country. It is officially recognised as a ...

, takes its name from the 225-acre estate.

History

The original house was built in 1794 by John Craig, who named it after the Andalusia region of

Spain , image_flag = Bandera de España.svg , image_coat = Escudo de España (mazonado).svg , national_motto = ''Plus ultra'' (Latin)(English: "Further Beyond") , national_anthem = (English: "Royal March") , i ...

. Craig hired architect

Benjamin Latrobe Benjamin Henry Boneval Latrobe (May 1, 1764 – September 3, 1820) was an Anglo-American neoclassical architect who emigrated to the United States. He was one of the first formally trained, professional architects in the new United States, draw ...

to expand the house in 1806 in a

Greek Revival The Greek Revival was an architectural movement which began in the middle of the 18th century but which particularly flourished in the late 18th and early 19th centuries, predominantly in northern Europe and the United States and Canada, but ...

style. In 1811, Craig's daughter Jane married prominent financier

Nicholas Biddle Nicholas Biddle (January 8, 1786February 27, 1844) was an American financier who served as the third and last president of the Second Bank of the United States (chartered 1816–1836). Throughout his life Biddle worked as an editor, diplomat, au ...

(1786–1844). Biddle and architect Thomas U. Walter expanded the house into a mansion in 1834–36. Walter is best known for his design for the dome of the

United States Capitol The United States Capitol, often called The Capitol or the Capitol Building, is the seat of the legislative branch of the United States federal government, which is formally known as the United States Congress. It is located on Capitol Hill ...

. Their most dramatic addition was a two-and-a-half-story wing, surrounded on three sides by massive

Doric Doric may refer to: * Doric, of or relating to the Dorians of ancient Greece ** Doric Greek, the dialects of the Dorians * Doric order, a style of ancient Greek architecture * Doric mode, a synonym of Dorian mode * Doric dialect (Scotland) * Doric ...

columns, that thrust southward toward the river. This contained twin parlors on the main floor, divided by

pocket door A pocket door is a sliding door that, when fully open, disappears into a compartment in the adjacent wall. Pocket doors are used for architecture, architectural effect, or when there is no room for the swing of a hinged door. They can travel on r ...

s that could be opened to create a single room. The wing ended in a

portico A portico is a porch leading to the entrance of a building, or extended as a colonnade, with a roof structure over a walkway, supported by columns or enclosed by walls. This idea was widely used in ancient Greece and has influenced many cult ...

, one that has become an icon of Greek Revival architecture. Across the north façade, a two-story block of new rooms created a grand entrance and service spaces. Some of Latrobe's 1806 spaces were retained in the 1830s alterations, including twin rooms with semi-octagonal ends. Notable Biddle family members include Nicholas's brother Commodore

James Biddle James Biddle (February 18, 1783 – October 1, 1848), of the Biddle family, brother of financier Nicholas Biddle and nephew of Capt. Nicholas Biddle, was an American commodore. His flagship was . Education and early career Biddle was born in Ph ...

(1783–1848), son Congressman

Charles John Biddle Charles John Biddle (April 30, 1819 – September 28, 1873) was an American soldier, lawyer, congressman, and newspaper editor. Biography Biddle was born and died in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. He was the son of Nicholas Biddle, president of ...

(1819–1873), great-grandson and aviator

(1890–1972), and great-great-grandson and

National Trust for Historic Preservation The National Trust for Historic Preservation is a privately funded, nonprofit organization based in Washington, D.C., that works in the field of historic preservation in the United States. The member-supported organization was founded in 1949 by ...

president James "Jimmy" Biddle (1929–2005). The property remains in the Biddle family. The house was declared a

National Historic Landmark A National Historic Landmark (NHL) is a building, district, object, site, or structure that is officially recognized by the United States government for its outstanding historical significance. Only some 2,500 (~3%) of over 90,000 places listed ...

in 1966. and According to the

National Park Service The National Park Service (NPS) is an agency of the United States federal government within the U.S. Department of the Interior that manages all national parks, most national monuments, and other natural, historical, and recreational propertie ...

, "Andalusia is one of the earliest and most pristine examples of the Greek Revival style in the country." Today it is operated as a house museum. 'BEFORE' MAIN HOUSE, CA. 1834 WATERCOLOR BY THOMAS U. WALTER - Andalusia, State Road vicinity (Bensalem Township), Andalusia, Bucks County, PA HABS PA,9-ANDA,1-35.tif, ''Andalusia'' (circa 1834), watercolor by Thomas U. Walter. This shows Latrobe's alterations from 1806. File:Andalusia, State Road vicinity (Bensalem Township), Andalusia, Bucks County, PA HABS PA,9-ANDA,1- (sheet 3 of 15).tif, First floor plan. File:NORTH ELEVATION - Andalusia, State Road vicinity (Bensalem Township), Andalusia, Bucks County, PA HABS PA,9-ANDA,1-43 (CT).tif, North façade.

References

External links

* * * * * *
Listing at Philadelphia Architects and Buildings
{{National Register of Historic Places in Pennsylvania National Historic Landmarks in Pennsylvania Houses on the National Register of Historic Places in Pennsylvania Houses completed in 1794 Museums in Bucks County, Pennsylvania Historic house museums in Pennsylvania Houses in Bucks County, Pennsylvania Historic American Buildings Survey in Pennsylvania Benjamin Henry Latrobe buildings and structures Pennsylvania state historical marker significations Biddle family residences National Register of Historic Places in Bucks County, Pennsylvania 1794 establishments in Pennsylvania Bensalem Township, Pennsylvania