Every house has a story and there are plenty of beautiful houses to be found in Prospect Park South, where FNY toured in spring 2011 — have 4 years passed since then?
This magnificent Tudor was commissioned by Charles Stillwell, an associate of Thomas Edison. Stillwell, an inventor himself, unsuccessfully experimented with an incandescent bulb, but an accident in the laboratory rendered him blind. Edison married Stillwell’s sister. The building contains 8 wood burning fireplaces, and the “S” for Stillwell remains on the brick chimney.
More of Prospect Park South’s houses in Brenda Becker’s Crazy Stable.
4/9/15
3 comments
Although I don’t think there was a family connection between Charles Stillwell and the family from Gravesend whose name is on the street that goes to Coney Island, your comments would be appreciated.
Mary Stillwell Edison is buried in Mt. Pleasant Cemetery in Newark. His second wife is buried next to the great inventor on the grounds at Glenmont in West Orange.
My uncle bought this house sometime in the 1930s or 1940s and lived there until the 1980s. He was a physician (Dr Arthur Stern) as were many of the homeowners on this street. They found several pieces of furniture in the basement and attic and I still have a small spoon foot maple table that belonged to the original owner. i remember the raised fireplace area on the first floor. His office where he saw patients was on the right when you entered and the foyer was used as a waiting room.
the backyard had raised bed flower and rose gardens belonging to my aunt and I remember a beautiful copper sink on the back porch which was used for gardening.