Ellerslea - Morris Township

This magnificent turn-of-the century architectural gem was designed by architect George Augustus Mills and built by Wall Street investor Charles Winfield Armour. The home, named for Amour’s wife Ella, features both Arts and Crafts and Victorian styles. Construction of Ellerslie began in 1901, when the area became part of a development boom that produced many mansions for local millionaires. The neo-classical woodwork in the first-floor foyer and three-story staircase was hand-carved by European craftsmen and took eight years to complete. The dining room features a mahogany carved ceiling and original wall tapestries. The cost to build the 8,000-square-foot mansion on 15 acres, with 13 bedrooms and eight fireplaces, was $50,000 – a princely sum. Ellerslie and its contents were sold at auction in 1959. The original acreage was reduced by housing developments to the rear and sides of the mansion, with the carriage house and caretakers’ homes renovated into private residences.