Ward Homestead is a notable landmark located in

Maplewood, New Jersey Maplewood is a township in Essex County in the U.S. state of New Jersey. The township is an inner-ring suburban bedroom community of New York City in the New York metropolitan area. As of the 2020 United States census, the township's populatio ...

, because it is the combined work of three great 20th century figures, architect

John Russell Pope John Russell Pope (April 24, 1874 – August 27, 1937) was an American architect whose firm is widely known for designing major public buildings, including the National Archives and Records Administration building (completed in 1935), the Jeffe ...

and landscape designers, the

Olmsted Brothers The Olmsted Brothers company was a landscape architectural firm in the United States, established in 1898 by brothers John Charles Olmsted (1852–1920) and Frederick Law Olmsted Jr. (1870–1957), sons of the landscape architect Frederick Law ...

.John R. Hardin. The Marcus L. Ward Home at Maplewood, N.J. Newark: Osbourne Company, 1928.

Marcus L. Ward Home

Ward Homestead was established as the Marcus L. Ward Home for Aged and Respectable Bachelors and Widowers in 1922 upon the death of Marcus L. Ward. Son of

Marcus Lawrence Ward Marcus Lawrence Ward (November 9, 1812 – April 25, 1884) was an American Republican Party politician, who served as the 21st governor of New Jersey from 1866 to 1869 and represented Essex County for one term from 1873 to 1875. Early life Marc ...

, one time New Jersey Senator and Governor, Ward died with a substantial fortune of over $4,887,517.40 of which the vast majority went to the newly created home.

John Russell Pope

After a site was selected in

was selected as the architect. The original three interconnected structures were built in a rusticated gothic style of stone and slate. Through careful investment of the original bequeathment, the Ward Home was constructed for $1,750,000 with over $5,000,000 still remaining in the bank. The home opened on August 31, 1927.

Ward Home today

The Ward Home foundation still exists in its original form. In the 1980s, women were finally admitted to the home. In the 1990s, a large expansion added numerous apartments and villas in an incongruous style to what were vast lawns, putting greens, and ancient trees. Currently called Winchester Gardens, the original Pope-designed portion of the home still features prominently in its advertising.

References

External links

New York Times Article regarding $5M donation
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