Shadow Lawn (New Jersey)

Shadow Lawn is a historic building in West Long Branch, Monmouth County, New Jersey, United States. Since 1956, the building has been owned by Monmouth University as part of its campus.

Shadow Lawn
The Great Hall at Shadow Lawn
LocationCedar and Norwood Avenues, West Long Branch, New Jersey
Coordinates40°16′46″N 74°0′19″W
Built1927
Built byThompson–Starrett Co.[1]
ArchitectHorace Trumbauer, Julian Abele[2]
Architectural styleLate 19th And 20th Century Revivals
NRHP reference No.78001780
NJRHP No.2084[3]
Significant dates
Added to NRHPMarch 28, 1978[4]
Designated NHLFebruary 4, 1985[5]
Designated NJRHPAugust 19, 1977

History

It was built in 1927 for Hubert T. Parson, president of the F.W. Woolworth Company. Parson was financially ruined by the Great Depression and the house was sold in 1939 for $100. It became part of Monmouth University in 1956.[6]

The building stands on the site of Joseph Benedict Greenhut's earlier estate of the same name, which was destroyed by a fire. That building was the summer White House for President Woodrow Wilson in 1916.

Shadow Lawn was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1978 and then declared a National Historic Landmark in 1985.[2][5]

In 1982, the 130-room, 19-bath building was used to portray Oliver Warbucks' (Albert Finney) mansion in the film Annie.[6][7]

In 2004, the university tried to raise funds to restore the building.[5]

As the original building was once occupied by Wilson, the current building was renamed from Shadow Lawn to Woodrow Wilson Hall after Monmouth's acquisition of the estate, although Wilson died before the building was completed. In 2020, the building returned to its Shadow Lawn name, with the university citing racist policies of Wilson for the change.[8]

References
  1. "Early History of West Long Branch: Shadow Lawn". The West Long Branch Historical Society. Archived from the original on 2015-05-10.
  2. "National Register of Historic Places Inventory-Nomination" (pdf). National Park Service. Cite journal requires |journal= (help) and Accompanying photos (32 KB)
  3. "New Jersey and National Registers of Historic Places - Monmouth County" (PDF). New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection - Historic Preservation Office. January 10, 2010. p. 12. Archived from the original (PDF) on December 2, 2007. Retrieved April 7, 2010.
  4. "National Register Information System". National Register of Historic Places. National Park Service. January 23, 2007.
  5. "Shadow Lawn". National Historic Landmark summary listing. National Park Service. Archived from the original on 2007-02-25. Retrieved 2009-09-08.
  6. "History of Wilson Hall". Monmouth University.
  7. Turan, Kenneth. "Annie", The New York Times, p. SM 40, May 2, 1982.
  8. Budryk, Zach (21 June 2020). "Monmouth University renaming Woodrow Wilson Hall". The Hill. Retrieved 30 August 2020.
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