Mount Pleasant, located in Fairmount Park on the east bank of the Schuylkill River, has been called the most important Georgian architectural block in the Middle Colonies. Mount Pleasant was begun late in 1761 by one arm John MacPherson, Scottish sea captain who made a large fortune through privateering. The house was a showplace, both for its physical splendor and for the lavish entertainments which were constantly held. the mansion is probably the only surviving example in the Middle Colonies of a symmetrical late Georgian composition of three units, found so frequently in the Southern Colonies. The exterior is ruble masonry coated with stucco, scored to resemble stone masonry, with prominent brick quoins at the corners. The east and west facades are identical, with pavilions framing arched doorways, above which are Palladian windows opening onto each end of the second floor hall. It is also one of the finest and most elaborate examples of a late Georgian interior, not only in the Middle Colonies, but in all of American Georgian design. The first floor consists of a large, center entrance hall which extends from the east to west. The stairway is placed in the southeast corner in a separate hall. The three second story rooms are especially notable for their design and workmanship, most evident in the scrolled ornamentation and arched cupboard doors in the chamber on the southwest corner. Although the land around the house has been changed, Mount Pleasant still retains some of the imposing character it must have presented to the 18th century traveller as he approached its hilltop position.Around the house, a working farm or plantation was maintained. Maverick Macpherson lived on the banks of the Schuylkill with his wife and children for only a few years. His marriage fell apart. For a time, he was sentenced to house arrest in a nearby barn. His first son died early in the Revolution. After suffering financial setbacks, MacPherson sought the chief command of the American Navy at the outbreak of the Revolution. When he failed in that attempt, he leased Mount Pleasant to Don Juan de Merailles, the Spanish ambassador. Then in 1779 MacPherson sold the property to General Benedict Arnold, who was then in command of Philadelphia, following its evacuation by the British. He lived there with his 18 year old bride, Peggy Shippen, until its confiscation at the time of his flight to the British lines. Mount Pleasant was then leased to Baron von Steuben for a short time. After passing through several hands, it finally fell to General Jonathan Williams of Boston.
Mansion for a Privateer. John Macpherson had an arm shot off while gaining a fortune as a privateer. Now he wanted to enjoy the best of everything, including a summer mansion known today as Mount Pleasant. He hired the best architect and master builder, Thomas Nevell, who in turn engaged the city's premier carvers, turners and carpenters. John Adams said it best: "the most elegant seat in Pennsylvania."
The main block of Mount Pleasant is two-and-one-half stories high, with rubble masonry walls 18 inches thick, upon a base of grey ashlar, 6 feet high. The outside walls are stuccoed with yellow buff roughcast, scored to resemble ashlar stone masonry. A horizontal belt of red brick runs around the entire house and heavy quoins of the same material frame the corners and are repeated on the sides of the pavilions on the east and west facades.
Ionic pilasters also form the interior frame for the Palladian windows located at either end of the main hall.
a drawing room extends the full length of the house, dominated by a great chimney piece with an over mantel ornamented with bands of Greek fret design. This is flanked by elaborately pedimented false doors which are balanced by shallow niches on the opposite wall,
An 18th century highboy carved by Philadelphia Master Carver Martin Jugiez (said to be the ugliest man in Philadelphia) stands aside the carved mantle piece also carved by Jugiez. The relationship between the classically proportioned and adorned mantle piece and the high boy are staggering.
For Mount Pleasant, Thomas Nevell hired the best carvers, turners, and carpenters in Philadelphia. The best carver by choice was Martin Jugiez who was credited with the elaborate wood carvings in the dining room, second story hall and drawing room. His style of C-scrolls, leaves and buds, and flowers is easily attributed to him. Jugiez went on to work at Cliveden and priceless caved Chippendale furniture. The hallway woodwork design matches the hall in the State House. Noticeable in other rooms are the Greek designs. Palladian windows, a roof balustrade, and flanking outbuildings all add to the symmetry design that the Georgian architecture illustrates.
The dining room to the south has a paneled chimney wall with semicircular headed side cupboards.
The doorways have eared frames and finely dentiled pediments with a pulvinated architrave frieze.
The doorways have eared frames and finely dentiled pediments with a pulvinated architrave frieze.
a drawing room extends the full length of the house, dominated by a great chimney piece with an over mantel ornamented with bands of Greek fret design. This is flanked by elaborately pedimented false doors which are balanced by shallow niches on the opposite wall,
The dining room to the south has a paneled chimney wall with semicircular headed side cupboards.
The dining room to the south has a paneled chimney wall with semicircular headed side cupboards.
a drawing room extends the full length of the house, dominated by a great chimney piece with an over mantel ornamented with bands of Greek fret design. This is flanked by elaborately pedimented false doors which are balanced by shallow niches on the opposite wall,
On the second floor, the junction of the two halls is marked by fluted Ionic pilasters in keeping with the lighter effect of the smaller scaled modillioned cornice.
The dining room to the south has a paneled chimney wall with semicircular headed side cupboards.
An 18th century highboy carved by Philadelphia Master Carver Martin Jugiez (said to be the ugliest man in Philadelphia) stands aside the carved mantle piece also carved by Jugiez. The relationship between the classically proportioned and adorned mantle piece and the high boy are staggering.
For Mount Pleasant, Thomas Nevell hired the best carvers, turners, and carpenters in Philadelphia. The best carver by choice was Martin Jugiez who was credited with the elaborate wood carvings in the dining room, second story hall and drawing room. His style of C-scrolls, leaves and buds, and flowers is easily attributed to him. Jugiez went on to work at Cliveden and priceless caved Chippendale furniture. The hallway woodwork design matches the hall in the State House. Noticeable in other rooms are the Greek designs. Palladian windows, a roof balustrade, and flanking outbuildings all add to the symmetry design that the Georgian architecture illustrates.
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