Fonthill Castle and Mercer Museum: Henry Mercer’s Concrete Wonderland in Pennsylvania

In the late 19th century, Renaissance man Henry Chapman Mercer traveled throughout France, Germany, and the United States studying and collecting pottery, tools, and spooky stories about the supernatural. Mercer believed that industrialization was endangering certain artisanal aspects of human culture, so he built an ornate castle in his home state of Pennsylvania to showcase the handmade items that he had collected.

In the early 20th century, Mercer constructed Fonthill Castle—a “New World” castle that featured elements of several different architectural styles, including Gothic and Byzantine. Fonthill Castle served as Mercer’s primary residence. The castle is filled with colorful ceramic tiles, books galore, and a concrete staircase lined with paw prints from Mercer’s beloved dog Rollo.

Mercer also constructed a six-story museum which he filled with pre-industrial revolution artifacts and tools. The museum features lanterns, horse-drawn carriages, and small wooden boats—among other items that powered American life prior to the widespread use of electricity. The Mercer Museum features over 40,000 objects that are tightly yet carefully displayed.

Henry Chapman Mercer’s work as an archeologist inspired him to collect the everyday items that most people discard without a second thought. Mercer believed that it was items such as cast-iron skillets, tortoiseshell combs, and stringed instruments that truly told humanity’s story. Mercer’s enthusiasm for these seemingly ordinary items shines in each carefully curated exhibit. Even the most ordinary item seems to have civilization-altering significance at the Mercer Museum.

Fonthill Castle and the Mercer Museum are located roughly one mile apart. Visitors can tour both buildings, but a separate entrance fee is required for each. Fonthill Castle features a 60-minute tour with a guide. The Mercer Museum offers self-guided tours with museum staff standing by to answer questions.

Fonthill Castle features steep stairs and narrow hallways, but viewing colorful tiles created by Henry Chapman Mercer’s own hand is certainly worth traversing a few tight passages. A bright sunroom filled with ferns and a cozy library lined with books that Mercer spent hours reading adds a feeling of lived-in warmth to the sprawling castle.

Henry Chapman Mercer wore many hats during his lifetime. His eclectic, sprawling home and the museum he built are a monument to his bright mind, love of humanity, and cornucopia of interests. Fonthill Castle and the Mercer Museum are excellent places to find inspiration and celebrate the art and industry of the past that have shaped the world we will in today.

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