Elisha P. Wilbur – Born circa 1833 he was the son of a sea captain and his mother was the sister of Asa Packer.
Wilbur chose to build his brick mansion on Wyandotte Street, probably because of the proximity to the Railroad line.
The tower on the mansion’s north side was built to permit Elisha to keep an eye on the passing trains of the Lehigh Valley were Railroad and to be sure they were on time.
Artists came from Italy to hand carve the teakwood in the library and dining room. Marble was purchase to build a fireplace for the living room and enough furniture for 18 really big rooms, including seven bedrooms and seven baths.
No records are available to learn how much money was spent to build the mansion, however the Masonic Society (then called the Masonic Building Corporation) bought the property in 1924 for $70,000. The purchase was a real bargain.
One of the great mysteries of the mansion is who is buried in the old cemetery, now covered by the paved parking lot behind the mansion. Some say soldiers of the Continental Army. Some say no, they are buried beneath the nearby spur route. This is one mystery that may never be solved without an earthquake.
Bob Hahn Photo Blog 