The Eyrie MansionClifton Heights 1910
The Eyrie Sanitarium, licensed by the State of Pennsylvania for the care of 15 patients, was founded in 1911 by W> W> Hawke, M.D., it's present medical director.
It consists of a single stone building, and the actual number of patients is limited to eight.
Observation cases are preferred , and individual treatment, nursing and diet are given. Occupational work consists of farm and garden and general house work, carpentry, basketry and painting.
Dr. W>W> Hawke was formerly superintendent of the State Hospital at Warren, PA., and before that resident physician insane department, Philadelphia Hospital.
from The Institutional care of the insane in the United States and Canada, Volume 3
by William Francis, Henry Mills Hurd Richard Drewry
15 comments:
yes i know
so are you going to share with the rest of us...
the house is not there . the built the westbrook apartments at the site
It was the mansion on Springfield Road between Oak Lane and the driveway that leads up to the athletic field on the right hand side. I was actually in there!
This mansion was at Oak Avenue and Springfield Rd. It became a hazard and was torn down in the late 60's I think. The grounds surrounding the building were filled with all types of fruit trees. The driveway pictured is still there and leads to the back end of the Westbrook Park houses on Revere Road.
Wasn't that the "Gibson Estate" at the athletic field area near North Church Street and Springfield Rd? It was a 'mysterious' mansion back in the 1950s. Wonder what the interior looked like??
Definitely the Old Mansion at the corner of Oak Ave and Springfield Road in the upper part of the Athletic Field. I used to play in it when I was so young!! It was incredible inside. I think of it often and wish someone would have restored it. The other pictures are incredible. Emil Barycki was my Godfather. My maiden name is Juszczak. Thank you so much for taking the time to post all of these pictures. Most of these I had never seen before.
It "IS" the old Gibson Estate. In the 50's the Community "Y" held the Summer Fun Club there and what a wonderful time we had! The Y sponsored all kinds of day trips to places like The Philadelphia Bulletin, the Pepsi Cola Plant, and swimming at a camp in Downingtown. I loved going there every day for all the games and arts and crafts we enjoyed sitting on that big porch.
I only ever saw the mansion at the corner of Springfield and Oak after it was abandoned and a wreck. I lived in Westbrook park as a child, and it was a rite of passage to enter the mansion and look around. I believe it stood until some time in the mid-seventies. The 1902 atlas and census of Clifton Heights (posted on the Deleware County Historical Society website) lists the property at this corner as belonging to the Matthews family (Moses W. on the atlas; Theresa [widow of Harold], James and Malcom in the census). The Gibson estate is also pictured on the atlas, however it is further down Springfield road towards Baltimore Pike (where the current athletic field is located). Samual and Henry Gibson are listed in the 1902 census at this location.
Just wondering- does anyone have a photograph of the old Burn Brae Mental Hospital, which was located at Baltimore and Oak, current site of the Burlington Coat Factory?
The Eyrie mansion was on the south west corner of Oak and Baltimore Pike near Clifton Heights. The present location has a Pizza Hut and parking lot. It was an asylum near the turn of the 20th century. I confirmed the location using the postcard, 1940 period aerial photography from PennPilot, and topographical maps.
The Eyrie was a sanitarium at the corner of Oak Lane and Springfield Ave in Clifton Heights. It was established in 1911 by a Dr. W.W. Hawke (see The Institutional Care for the Insane in the United States, vIII, 1916). The Eyrie appeared in maps of Clifton Heights (next to the Gibson tract) at least until 1929. The building was abandoned and fell into disrepair by the 1960's and was demolished in the 1970's. Further down Oak Ave, just past Baltimore Pike was the much larger Burn Brae Asylum, which survived as a sanitarium until the late 60's but was demolished in the early 70's. Having grown up in Clifton Heights, I find it striking that our little boro hosted two institutions so close to each other for the mentally ill! If anyone has information about the fate of the Eyrie, or Dr. Hawke, I would be grateful to hear from you.
I grew up in Clifton Heights from the age of 2 until I was 22. What a great place to grow up. My memories are softball. My Dad, Juny, pitched for Broadway Cafe and Hillside Nursery and what great memories, what a great town. I personally don't remember any mental institutions, I also remember a mention of gypsies in Clifton for a period of time. What was that about? Afraid they would come in your home and steal things. Weird. Oh, and good old Rosies (the best store in town). She was absolutely awesome, so much fun for us kids. All kinds of trinkets, candy, etc. thanks for listening, June.
I grew up in Clifton from the time I was 5,till present, much older. That house was located as others said, on the corner of Oak Ave and Springfield Rd. The picture clearly shows some Westbrook Park homes behind it. Thanks for the memory.
I too grew up in Clifton Heights.
Went to Kindergarten at the foot of Clifton's old high School. What a great neighborhood to grow up in!
Always something going on, especially sports related, parades & during Holidays. Everybody knew their neighbors and crime was practically non existent.
It's a shame how the "old hood" looks now.
There were gypsies in clifton heights back in the late 60’s early 70’s. They resided in a old house on baltimore pike between the Bungalow bar and the now defunct I hop at the corner of Wilton ave. Directly across from the Penn Fruit( Burlington Coat Factory) I remember they used to sit out front and i would always be afraid to walk by them.
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