Bolton Museum Vandalized In Lower Bucks County

BRISTOL TOWNSHIP, PA — A fundraiser has been launched for repairs and increased security at the historic Bolton Mansion, which was vandalized and suffered property damage recently.

A GoFundMe page has been launched by Linda Scott on behalf of the Friends of Bolton Mansion.

So far, the GoFundMe page has raised over $1,000 of its $2,500 page goal.

"We are incredibly disappointed to report that we discovered damage to the Mansion caused by sledding activity," organizers said. "Chains that had been installed to block access to the newly repaired steps were broken, and sledders used the steps as a sled run, damaging the brand-new treads. Unfortunately, this is not the first time the steps have required repairs due to sledding, which is why the chains were put in place — to prevent further damage after the repairs had been completed. Sadly, those efforts were not successful."

The Friends of Bolton Mansion preserves and promotes the history and legacy of the Pemberton family through historic tours, community events, and the restoration of the mansion, its website states.

Historically and architecturally, the house is one of the most significant in Pennsylvania; nearly every one of its inhabitants since the days of William Penn has influenced the course of history in the state.

The Friends of Bolton Mansion said that in addition to the damage to the steps, a garbage can left out by our house manager was overturned, its bottom broken out, and trash scattered across the property.

In the past, the volume of trash and broken sleds left behind has been so extensive that it filled the bed of a pickup truck of a kind neighbor in just one to two days, mansion officials said.

"While on site in the evening to clean up and reinstall the chains, our house manager encountered older teens and young adults throwing chunks of ice at the Mansion, damaging shutters and smashing ice on the porch," the Friends stated.

The Friends of Bolton Mansion said they do not yet know the full cost of repairing the steps and likely won’t until spring. Any donations raised will go directly toward the restoration and maintenance work at the Mansion.

The group will seek estimates to install additional security cameras and signage to help protect the building.

"We were able to have the steps repaired, the beautiful new railings built and installed — using a photo from the 1930s when there were railings to replicate it as closely as we could, and have started to replace the electrical work. The support of our community has helped up to be able to complete these," the Friends said.

The Friends of Bolton Mansion said the mansion is entirely volunteer-run and funded solely through donations and private support. The property and mansion are also not public property.