"PARLAND HOUSE", HOUSE OF LELAND H. ROSS, MADISON, N. J.

  In 1921 Leland H. Ross(New Jersey Civil Engineer) builds a brick and limestone Georgian mansion on the foundations of "Cecilhurst", Adolph De Bary's mansion, which was destroyed by fire in 1912.  The fire was described as the most costly blaze in the history of Madison at a loss $300,000.00. Ross purchased property in 1914.  

"Cecilhurst"
Residence of  Adolphe De Bary, at Madison. 

  "Parland House" was built at a cost of $125,000, the property is surrounded by a four foot high wall made of rare pudding stone. Parthenia Burke was Leland's first wife, is was the combination of their first names that created the name for their new home, "Par-Land House". They were considered high society and their whereabouts, charities, life events, and scandals were chronicled by The New York Times. They divorced in 1928.

  Leland Hamilton Ross with his brother P. Sanford Ross Jr. ran a dredging company founded by their father P. Sanford Ross, which was based in Jersey City and Savannah, Ga. Ross Sr. owned a large portion of marsh land that was to become New Jerseys Meadowlands.   Leland dies at age sixty-six in 1948.

  Parthenia Burke Ross continues to live at "Parland House" after marrying Paul C. Dowing in 1931. He dies in 1933. Parthenia Burke Ross Dowing marries H.(Herbert)Mercer Walker, brother of G.(George) Herbert Walker(Bush). Parthenia Burke Ross Dowing Walker continued to live in Madison and built a Clarence Mack mansion in Palm Beach, Florida. 

  The Walker Estate was purchased by the Diocese of Paterson and named Bayley-Ellard High School. Declining enrollment forced closure of the school in 2005. Vacant for a number of years the mansion went through extensive renovations and now is home to St. Paul Inside the Walls: The Catholic Center for Evangelization at Bayley-Ellard. 

ENTRANCE GATE
HOUSE OF LELAND H. ROSS, MADISON, N. J. 
BEHR & SMITH, ARCHITECTS

HOUSE OF LELAND H. ROSS, MADISON, N. J. 
BEHR & SMITH, ARCHITECTS

  Concrete and steel construction topped by a soaring slate roof, the 228-by-100-foot, 27,000-square-foot mansion had 35 rooms and 11 full baths. Its main floor included a dining room, a drawing room, a morning room and a library. In the cellar were silver cleaning rooms, a wine vault and space for 80 tons of coal. Outside was an Italian garden with a columned pergola and conservatory built by De Bary. Ross dug a 20-by-60-foot swimming pool in the garden. Behr & Smith were New York City based architects.

HOUSE OF LELAND H. ROSS, MADISON, N. J. 
BEHR & SMITH, ARCHITECTS

HOUSE OF LELAND H. ROSS, MADISON, N. J. 
BEHR & SMITH, ARCHITECTS

HOUSE OF LELAND H. ROSS, MADISON, N. J. 
BEHR & SMITH, ARCHITECTS

HOUSE OF LELAND H. ROSS, MADISON, N. J. 
BEHR & SMITH, ARCHITECTS

FIRST FLOOR PLAN
HOUSE OF LELAND H. ROSS, MADISON, N. J. 
BEHR & SMITH, ARCHITECTS

SECOND FLOOR PLAN
HOUSE OF LELAND H. ROSS, MADISON, N. J. 
BEHR & SMITH, ARCHITECTS

STAIR-HALL
HOUSE OF LELAND H. ROSS, MADISON, N. J. 
BEHR & SMITH, ARCHITECTS

VIEW FROM RECEPTION-ROOM INTO DINING-ROOM 

HOUSE OF LELAND H. ROSS, MADISON, N. J. 
BEHR & SMITH, ARCHITECTS

VIEW FROM ENTRANCE, MORNING-ROOM TO THE LEFT
HOUSE OF LELAND H. ROSS, MADISON, N. J. 
BEHR & SMITH, ARCHITECTS

MORNING-ROOM
HOUSE OF LELAND H. ROSS, MADISON, N. J. 
BEHR & SMITH, ARCHITECTS

DETAIL OF DOOR IN HALL
HOUSE OF LELAND H. ROSS, MADISON, N. J. 
BEHR & SMITH, ARCHITECTS

DINING-ROOM
HOUSE OF LELAND H. ROSS, MADISON, N. J. 
BEHR & SMITH, ARCHITECTS

Carved wood decorations in the manner of Grinling Gibbons surround the over-mantel panel in one of the rooms of the home of Leland H. Ross at Madison, N. J. House & garden, 1922

VIEW FROM DINING-ROOM INTO DRAWING-ROOM
HOUSE OF LELAND H. ROSS, MADISON, N. J.
BEHR & SMITH, ARCHITECTS

LIBRARY
HOUSE OF LELAND H. ROSS, MADISON, N. J.
BEHR & SMITH, ARCHITECTS

The Tudor atmosphere is crystalized in the stone surrounds and paneling of this fireplace in the home of Leland H. Ross, Madison, N. J. 
F. G. Behr and O. B. Smith, architects. House & garden, 1922

Carriage house pictured from the time estate was "Cecilhurst".

The carriage house was razed in 2003 to make way for Sunrise Assisted Living on four acres off Danforth Road, subdivided from the original property.
Click HERE for more photos.

Sunken rose garden from "Cecilhurst" .

Conservatory overlooking sunken rose garden at the time of "Cecilhurst".

Lined on one side by a phalanx of Roman columns, the sloping stretch of land where the pool was located is set to become an outdoor worship space, complete with terraced seating, an altar and a pulpit.
Click HERE for more photos.

Wikimapia location. Bing. Historicaerials.com from 1957.