What the location has that we love are its two block walk from home, it's beautiful, and listed in the National Register of Historic Places to boot. The Third Street Alliance for Women and Children is the only social service program in the United States operating in a historically preserved house. Like many non-profits it struggles with limited resources and so, last but not least, celebrating there is our way of giving a little back to Easton, which has given us so much.
Their centennial anniversary takes place the same week as our own celebration. For 100 years, Third Street has opened its doors and arms for women and children in need. If you'd like to learn more about this remarkable organization's mission and a history of the mansion, please go to the jump (click "Read More").
Third Street Alliance is a 501(c)(3) non profit organization. From our beginning in 1909 as the Easton YWCA, we have served the community and worked to meet the needs of today's world. We were initially founded to help that new phenomenon "the working girl" and to help the influx of immigrants coming into the community. We were involved in education of young women working in factories and in the establishment of child labor laws. The early organization was also involved in the war effort and women's issues. In the 1980's, the agency took on the new problems of homelessness, child care for working women, and the care of older adults and became a human services agency.
The mission of Third Street Alliance for Women & Children is to empower women of diverse backgrounds to improve the quality of life for all women, their families, and their communities. In support of this mission, we provide:
¨ shelter for homeless women and children
¨ affordable child care
¨ stimulating compassionate adult care
¨ wellness and recreational programs
Welcome to the Herman Simon Mansion
Established in 1902 by the native German silk manufacturer Herman Simon, the Simon Mansion was built to be “the handsomest house in the Lehigh Valley for the ladies of the Simon family.” He also wished to “one up” a recently built home on North Second Street. In order to obtain these goals, Simon hired William M. Michler of Easton as the architect and brought artisans from America and Europe to work on his home. He chose to build on Third Street since it was where the local aristocracy lived. It took two years to finish this French chateau designed house and in total, Mr. Simon’s endeavor cost $250,000.
The house has an exterior of Indiana limestone with a granite base, and the roof is made of Vermont red slate with ornamentations in copper. The Ward House, or Bixler Building, located next door was built for Mr. Simon’s stepdaughter Grace in honor of her marriage. The house was built over the magnificent formal gardens of the Simon’s, which are only able to be seen today through pictures on the front cover and at the bottom of the staircase. Both houses are on the National Register of Historic Sites.
After the death of Mr. Simon in 1913, Mrs. Simon continued to keep residence in the house until 1930 when the Easton YWCA purchased the mansion as well as the Ward House for $110,000. Part of the settlement entitled Mrs. Simon and Mr. and Mrs. Ward to live in the Ward House until their deaths. In 1994, the Easton YWCA broke from the national YWCA and became a local non-profit human services agency with its present name, Third Street Alliance for Women & Children.
As you entered the building, you may have noticed the coat of arms located on the porch floor. The “F’ stands for “Frei” (German for free), symbolizing that Frankfurt was one of Germany’s free cities. Mr. Simon was from Frankfort and very proud of his German heritage. The floor was done in terrazzo marble, which is found throughout the house. On the top of the right hand column of the porch is the likeness of Mrs. Simon. Italian sculptors were known for their use of angels and cherubs, as well as incorporating the faces of their friends and the owners in the building. Another likeness of Mrs. Simon can be found directly inside the front door.
The conservatory is no longer in its original form. In 1955, a roof was built between the Simon Mansion and the Ward House, forming the lounge you see today. The outline of the conservatory can still be made out by following the border of the terrazzo floors. It is said that during Christmas time, a beautiful tree could be seen from the street through the conservatory window. Mr. Simon was raised in the German Reformed Church, but later he became a member of the Trinity Protestant Episcopal Church, located next door.
The original kitchen of the Simon Mansion, also known as the Delft Room, features the beautiful blue and white tiling. However, it is not Delft tiling as the name of the room might suggest, but rather, it is Amsterdam tiles and portrays scenes from that city. This room is now used by the Alliance for GED classes for shelter residents. The room next to the Delft room was a pantry and the original house ended here.
In 1950, a fundraising campaign was started in order to build the pool and gym extension. In 1955, the addition was complete, thanks to the generosity of Mr. and Mrs. Harvey Mack and the Easton area community. It includes the pool, used for various aquatic programs including arthritis treatment and water walking, and the gym, which holds many events and athletics, such as gymnastics and tae kwon do, as well as locker rooms and classrooms located below the gym and pool area.
On the way back toward the front of the building, notice the Bixler Building on your left through the playground windows. This building was a gift for Mrs. Simon’s daughter, Grace, on the occasion of her marriage to William Bixler. She and Bixler had four children, three daughters and a son. Bixler was a photographer, and it is thanks to him that there are pictures of the building in its original state. Later, Grace divorced Bixler and married Mr. Ward and the house became known as the Ward House. In recent times. the house has been more commonly called the Bixler Building.
As you pass by the windows of the dining room (the original exterior of the building), look closely at the columns. At the top of each, you can make out the “Tragedy” masks with the long triangular jaws.
Entering into the foyer, look directly up and you will see the stained glass window. The stained glass portion is located on the fourth floor with a skylight directly above it. The fourth floor, which once was a ballroom, has now been partitioned off in order to provide more shelter room. When the remodeling was done, the stained glass was boarded over in order to preserve it and for safety of the residents. Originally this would have been a source of light. When the house was built, an elevator used to run from behind the dining room to the fourth floor for the convenience of Mr. Simon’s guests. The solid brass doors to the elevator were found recently. Mr. Simon also decorated the ballroom with an extensive art collection.
As you look around, you can see the beautiful staircase with each stair rail being of the Ionic design used for larger columns. Beneath the stairs is a large bench with an intricate carving of a lion at one end.
The dining room is decorated with a boar hunt painting by Taylor Rue. This mural depicts the hunt of the boar and at the very end, shows its slaying. The picture is typically German; however, the riders wear the red coats of the English huntsmen. The mural was restored in the 1980’s in an attempt to brighten the colors. Also, notice the mahogany paneled walls, the magnificent fireplace, and the leaded glass china closets.
Across from the dining room is the parlour. The parlour is done in the style of Louis XVI, since it was very common for homes at this time to have at least one room done in a French design. The original furniture was gilt and brought in from France, as was the green marble mantle. The rug was a hand woven Aubusson. The walls were covered in green satin brocade, and on the ceiling is a painting on canvas, also by Taylor Rue. All of the decorations on the molding are gold leaf.
Behind the parlour is the 1971 addition whose first floor includes two offices and a large room, which is used now for adult daycare.
On your way up the stairs, take notice of the matted pictures on the easel. These pictures were supposedly taken by William Bixler and were recently remade from the glass negatives
As you continue up the stairs, take note that straight-ahead are various rooms that are used for daycare and learning center facilities that are part of the 1971 addition. As you follow the steps to the right, you will see the entrance to the library. In the library, please note the fireplace, made of Caen stone. Above it is a portrayal of the Devil’s temptation of Faust, the happy student. The Devil was promising him his youth in return for his soul. This picture was near and dear to Mr. Simon’s German heart, for the story of Faust was written by Goethe, one of the greatest German writers. Also worth noticing is the ceiling, which is covered in Spanish leather. The pattern on the ceiling is a design that depicts an ancient printer’s marks. A few original books remain in the library, including some works in German. The desk is also an original piece of furniture from the house, although it was not Mr. Simon’s own desk. All other original items from the house were sold in an auction in order to keep the YWCA operating in the early 1980’s. Everything was sold: the china, clocks, furniture, and artwork in order to stay open.
Next to the library is Mr. Simon’s personal den. It is a very Germanic room, and Mr. Simon himself chose the German sayings that are on the walls. They are (loosely translated):
“Love your work; Man lives only when he works.”
“What gives joy to the soul does the body no harm”
“When the hen crows and the rooster keeps silent, then the house is going to pieces.”
“With soft words asks the woman, with stern words the man; the first when she will, the other when he can.”
“God who gave us the thorns of life gave us also the roses.”
However, the main feature of this room is the fireplace. It came from Bavaria, and the tiles on the floor surrounding it are Mercer tiles, made by Moravian Tile Works in Doylestown, Pennsylvania. It is also said that Mr. Simon himself carved the crest of Frankfurt located on the door. Also adding to the Germanic style of the room, the stained glass windows portray images of castles on the Rhine River in Germany.
After exiting the library, go up the small flight of stairs on your left. The stained glass windows, also on the left, were crafted by Nicola D’Ascenzo, who was only thirty-one when he designed these windows for Mr. Simon. They were repaired and restored in the 1980’s. Two other pieces of D’Ascenzo’s work donated by the Simons can be found next door in the Trinity Episcopal Church. D’Ascenzo is now considered one of the most famous glass artisans in the world.
Straight-ahead is Mrs. Simon’s suite. It originally was three rooms connected, but in order to obtain additional office space, a wall now separates it. From this part of her dressing room, you can look out the side window and see the likeness of her daughter Grace on the side of the building (to the far left), who often watched the Italian artisans while they worked. Also, look at the columns on the outside of the library to see the “Comedy” masks at the tops. You can recognize them by the rounded half circles, which represent smiles. While in this part of Mrs. Simon’s quarters, you can look at the historic pictures of the early organization and of the building.
In the second part of her room is a fireplace, which Mr. Simon took from the Hess Building before he destroyed it in order to obtain more land for his house. In the bathroom, the original washstand, chandeliers, and also a beautiful terrazzo floor remain.
Mr. Simon’s quarters were located on the third floor, directly above the library and would have had a wonderful view of the gardens when the house was originally built. Our shelter now occupies the third and fourth floors. When the YWCA initially used the building, the rooms were rented to the women who came to Easton to work. In 1985, the rooms became a shelter for homeless women and children. Many people may think it is unusual to have a shelter for women in such a historic and beautiful place; however, we feel it is quite appropriate when considering Mr. Simon’s intent – a house for the ladies.
Thank you for visiting with us today. Please feel free to visit more on the first and second floors. Don’t forget to look up at the top of the doorway as you leave and wave goodbye to Mrs. Simon!
No comments:
Post a Comment