Aug 16, 2023 Glen Manor House Celebrates 100 years with a Family-Friendly Open House
Over 150 guests celebrated the anniversary of Glen Manor House. They enjoyed live music by local favorite Deja Vu! Food trucks were on site (think Mexican, pizza and Ben & Jerry’s) and many brought a picnic. An exceptional talk on the History of Glen Manor House was presented by town historian, Jim Garman. Guests were able to tour the first floor rooms and imagined life in the 1920’s or wander the grounds and admire the beautiful landscaping.
This family-friendly event was brought to us by the Friends of Glen Manor, Portsmouth Historical Society and Russell Morin Catering & Events.
Glen Manor House History
The Glen Manor House is 100 years old in 2023! Construction of this “summer home” began in early 1922 and was completed late the next year. It became the centerpiece of Glen Farm which began to take shape in 1882 by Henry Augustus Coit (“HAC”) Taylor, a prominent entrepreneur of railroads and other business interests.
He hired nationally known architect, John Russell Pope (National Gallery of Art, Jefferson Memorial, et al.) to design the Manor House. Plans were drawn, using some of the features of the “Petit Trianon” at Versailles,
“HAC” Taylor died in 1921; work on the summer home continued under his son, Moses and his wife Edith, to completion. The beautiful grounds were landscaped by the Olmsted Brothers of Brookline MA.
After Moses’ death (1928) Edith lived at the Manor House much of the year. She was a generous donor to many activities of the town until her death (1959). Her heirs sold the Manor House to Elmhurst Academy of Providence who ran a school there until 1972.
The Town of Portsmouth purchased Glen Farm in two pieces in 1972 and 1989. A committee of townspeople restored the Manor House into a special events venue, which it continues to serve, now under a private operation agreement.
