Emlen Physick Estate

Emlen Physick Mansion

The Emlen Physick Estate is a Victorian house museum in Cape May, New Jersey, located at 1048 Washington Street. The 18-room mansion, attributed to acclaimed American architect Frank Furness, was built in 1879 for Dr. Emlen Physick Jr. (1855-1916), descendant of a well-known Philadelphia family, his widowed mother, Mrs. Ralston, and maiden Aunt Emilie. The mansion is closely related to Furness's Knowlton Mansion (1880–81) in Northeast Philadelphia.

The Physick Mansion is an example of “Stick Style” architecture in America. Its exterior is distinguished by Furness’s trademark oversized features, including gigantic upside-down corbelled chimneys, hooded “jerkin-head” dormers, and the huge stick-like brackets on the porch. Many original furnishings are on display throughout the house.

The Mid-Atlantic Center for the Arts & Humanities (MAC) was formed in 1970 to save the Physick Estate from demolition. The city purchased the estate and MAC leases it from the city of Cape May. MAC has restored, maintains and operates the estate as a Victorian historic house museum and offers guided tours year-round. The four-acre estate also includes the Carriage House, which contains a ticket office, the Carroll Gallery and year-round exhibits, the Carriage House Museum Shop, the Carriage House Cafe & Tearoom, open for lunch from April through October, and administrative offices; as well as outbuildings such as Hill House, which contains a ticket office and administrative offices.

The Physick Estate was used as a location in the 1981 slasher film "The Prowler", which was special effects wizard Tom Savini's second movie.

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  Parlor.

• HABS Emlen Physick Estate.jpeg

  View from the southwest.

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  In 1961.

See also

• Cape May Historic District

Sources

• Emlen Physick Estate official site
• Photographs and drawings at the Historic American Buildings Survey
• building IX.