This is the Mercer Museum. It was built to house the many pre-industrial revolution items that Mercer collected, mainly from the 18th and 19th centuries.

Another view of the Mercer Museum.

Another view of the Mercer Museum.

The grounds surrounding the museum have a number of large, old trees.

In 2011 a new addition to the museum was opened, which can be seen in this photo and contrasted with the similar, older photos on this page.

The many varied windows that can be found on the building. This is a view of the back of the structure.

This is a reconstruction of a log cabin that stood on the same spot but was burned by vandals several years ago. The original structure, which looked virtually identical, was originally built in Doylestown in 1799 and was moved to the museum in 1911.

Another view of the cabin in Autumn, 2006.

Several of the museum's pieces on display in an outdoor shelter.

Close-up showing detail of a door at the back of the musuem.

Close-up of the museum's roofline.

Every spring since the early 1970's, the Mercer Folk Festival is held on the grounds of the Mercer Museum.

	Photo by Richard Hanauer, May 2007
Craftspeople from around the region sell their hand made crafts at the fair, including these antique-looking game boards.

Some participants dress up in period costumes to demonstrate a way of life that most have forgotten.

	Photo by Richard Hanauer, May 2007
Revolutionary War soldiers, with the Michener Art Museum in the background.

This demonstration table was for a cooper, also known as a barrel maker.

Before the days of power saws, trees had to be sawed by hand.

	Photo by Richard Hanauer, May 2007
Smaller saws were used on bones. This table displays various medical intruments a surgeon might have used in the days before antibiotics--and anesthesia. Amputations were a common occurence during the Revolutionary War, mainly from musketball and bayonet injuries. Such surgeries were often needed to remove limbs in order to save the injured individual from a life threatening infection, a reasonable risk to undertake considering that about two-thirds of patients succombed to the surgeries themselves.

Glassblowing is demonstrated here.

One thing that is becoming apparent at the fair is that a lot of the craftsmen and women are becoming older. Without younger people to take over these skills the knowledge of how things were done in the past could be lost to future generations.

	Photo by Richard Hanauer, May 2007
Wooden duck decoys being carved by hand.

Jugglers are always a popular attraction at the fair. These are the Give & Take Jugglers.

	Photo by Richard Hanauer, May 2007
Jugglling tennis rackets, with the Mercer Museum in the background.

This is Fonthill, Henry Mercer's home. It was built to look like a castle, and was featured on the Arts and Entertainment (A&E) network show, "America's Castles" in the late 1990s.

Another view of Fonthill

A closeup view of Fonthill. Part of this unique castle was built around an already existing old farmhouse, although it was completly engulfed by the concrete construction around it.

Fonthill seen through a stand of trees.

When Fonthill was originally built it was probably very much towards the edge of town. Today it sits surrounded by a lot more development but the property itself has been preserved as a park, providing about 70 acres of open space and forest for visitors to enjoy. The land was originally part of 9 separate parcels that Mercer purchased in 1907.

The stately entrance to Fonthill is lined by Sycamore trees. This is the view looking away from Fonthill towards the adjoining road.

Another view of Fonthill.

Almost everything at Fonthill is made from concrete, including the bridge in the foreground of this picture. Exacerbated by freeze-thaw cycles from winter, time eventually takes its toll and causes crumbling of the concrete. Restoration efforts will be continuously required if Fonthill is to remain standing for generations.

Nestled within the wooded grounds of Fonthill, hidden from view, is this old farmhouse which was on the property before Mercer built his castle. Abondoned and in disrepair, this building, lost to time, now looks like it could be the house from Grimm's fairy tale, Hansel and Gretel. Often referred to as "The Little House in the Woods", it was built sometime between 1765 and 1775.

Mercer donated the house to the Doylestown Nature Club. But Mercer did not leave this house untouched. In 1916 he replaced the roof with a concrete one and also provided his own style of detailing. Partly hidden by shadow in this photograph, across the eave are tiles which spell out the poetic stanza "WHO LEARNS WILL LOVE AND NOT DESTROY THE CREATURES LIFE THE FLOWERS JOY". The nature club held its first meeting in the house on May 1st of 1917 with 50 member attending.

A close-up of view of the short poem.

Below the eave on the outside wall is embedded another artistic tile creation. The image is of a bird on a flowering branch and underneath are the words "SILVA VOCAT", latin for "The forest calls".

A close-up of the old farmhouse.

The windows of the structure have been covered with boards and bars to prevent vandals from entering. Unfortunately, thoughtless individuals have still managed to desecrate the structure. This photo of the graffiti inside was taken through the bars of one of the windows.

This is a picture of Mercer's Moravian Pottery and Tile Works. It was built to look like a spanish mission and was used to make pottery and tiles. Some of these tiles can supposedly be found in the Pennsylvania State Capital Building and even in the Monte Carlo Casino. The Tile Works still makes tiles which can be purchased in their shop.

Another view of the Moravian Pottery and Tile Works.

Looking through the arches lining the inner courtyard.

The arches cast interesting shadows on the ground.

Another view of the Moravian Pottery and Tile Works.

A tile mosaic adorning the outside of the structure. This one says "PLVS ULTRA" which in latin means "More Beyond".

Photo by Arlene Hanauer

Pictured are examples of some of the tiles produced at the Tile Works. These are for sale.

Photo by Arlene Hanauer

Some of the tools used to make the tiles.

From the U.S. Library of Congress HABS/HAER (Historic American Buildings Survey and the Historic American Engineering Record) collection.

ca. 1913 photocopy of a photograph "SHOWING 1904 SOCIETY HEADQUARTERS AND THE EARLY PHASES OF CONSTRUCTION ON MERCER'S ADDITION"

	From the U.S. Library of Congress HABS/HAER (Historic American Buildings Survey and the Historic American Engineering Record) collection.
ca. 1916, photocopy of a photograph. The caption reads"SHOWING CONSTRUCTION ESSENTIALLY COMPLETED. MERCER'S CAPTION READS: 'ON SATURDAY EVENING, NOVEMBER 13th AT 5: 15 P.M. THE WORKMEN HAVING AT FIVE O'CLOCK FINISHED THE CONSTRUCTION OF THE NEW BUILDING OF THE MUSEUM OF THE BUCKS COUNTY HISTORICAL SOCIETY AT DOYLESTOWN, A BAND OF TRAVELLING MUSICIANS STOPPED UNASKED AT NO. 196 GREEN STREET OPPOSITE THE SOUTHEAST GABLE OF THE BUILDING AND I HEARD THEM PLAY THE GERMAN SONG SHOWN BELOW, TRANSLATED 'WE HAD BUILT A STATELY HOUSE, AND DEDICATED IT TO GOD, AGAINST RAIN, STORM AND DISASTER' I CALLED THEM BACK TO PLAY IT AGAIN, BUT THEY MISUNDERSTOOD ME AND WENT AWAY. HENRY C. MERCER'

	From the U.S. Library of Congress HABS/HAER (Historic American Buildings Survey and the Historic American Engineering Record) collection.
Two interior views of the mercer museum. Note the artifacts hanging from every possible space.

	From the U.S. Library of Congress HABS/HAER (Historic American Buildings Survey and the Historic American Engineering Record) collection.
A view of the Mercer Museum	Fonthill

	From the U.S. Library of Congress HABS/HAER (Historic American Buildings Survey and the Historic American Engineering Record) collection.
A view of the interior of Fonthill	Detail of a tile decoration on the Moravian Pottery and Tile Works

From the U.S. Library of Congress HABS/HAER (Historic American Buildings Survey and the Historic American Engineering Record) collection.

The library in Fontill