Renovations Restore The Castle to Its 19th Century Heyday By Jessica Reyes Long before the stone fortress at the corner of 14th and Potter Streets was a residence hall for sorority sisters, it was a family home filled with the pitter-patter of four children and the liveliness of Chester’s elite social scene. The house—rightly named The Castle—was home in the late 1800s and early 1900s to Richard Wetherill, a banker whose business partnerships made him one of the wealthiest men in Chester, and his wife, Ella L. Larkin, whose father was the first mayor of Chester. Known for entertaining, the couple would invite politicians and friends to their elaborate three-story stone home designed in the popular Romanesque Revival-style. Once inside, guests were most likely impressed by the fine details—an elaborate wood-carved staircase spiraling upwards, fireplaces in nearly every room, and first-floor ceiling murals depicting angels tucked between the clouds of heaven and pink flowers. The guests were wined and dined by the Wetherill’s servants, who passed between the carriage house and servants’ quarters via an underground tunnel, now sealed off, that was built to protect them from the rain and cold. “The Castle was looked upon as one of the nicest homes in Chester during that period,” said Widener University 12
Professor Emeritus and Folklorist Emeritus Dr. J. Joseph Edgette. “When it came to that home, they didn’t spare any money.” Widener University, which acquired The Castle in 1967 and uses it today as a residence hall for the Delta Phi Epsilon sorority, recently completed a two-year project to renovate the house and restore the character that made it so popular in the late 19th century. The project is the latest in the university’s ongoing efforts to provide all students with state-of-the-art facilities where they can make the most of their Widener experience, both in and out of the classroom. A historically accurate transformation Renovating a house over 130 years old is no easy task, especially when trying to mix modern necessities with old-time charm. Last spring, the Office of Residence Life sought feedback on the upcoming renovations from students living in The Castle. The students worked closely with staff in Residence Life and Operations to bring the project to fruition. At the helm of the project was Michael Gaffney, the university’s operations and emergency management administrator. He oversaw essential upgrades to the sprinkler, electrical,