by Erin Feith, Coordinator of Research & Visitor Engagement
December 9, 2025
In 1865, decades before the ultra-rich flocked to Morristown, wealthy NYC merchant John T. Foote purchased property off James Street from William Whitney and erected a residence that overlooked the town. By the time of his death in 1902, the local landscape had changed dramatically, and the area was at the peak of its reign as a millionaire capital of the world. Expanded during his lifetime and under his son, Robert D. Foote, the estate became one of the largest in the area, ultimately spanning to Mt. Kemble Ave. Over its history, Spring Brook Farm, as it came to be known, provided an example of the unprecedented wealth and unmatched opulence of Morristown’s Gilded Age.
Upon inheriting the property, Robert D. Foote set about making improvements. Tearing down his father’s original residence, he employed the NYC architecture firm Hasselman and Freeman in 1904 to construct a 44-room, Georgian Revival mansion of brick and Indiana limestone for $400,000 (~$14.5 million today). Local newspapers reported that Tiffany Studios oversaw all interior decorations, which included intricate woodwork made of walnut, newel posts featuring carved ram’s heads, gilded light fixtures, and green velvet brocade wall coverings.
Spring Brook Farm’s sprawling grounds were also a sight to behold. As an avid outdoorsman, Foote devoted significant attention to the development of the property, which had a deer forest, pheasant pen, orchards, and stables. One of the most striking features of the estate was the sunken gardens, which were cared for by a staff of nearly 15 gardeners. The notable beauty of the estate even inspired well-known local artist and friend of the Foote family, Arthur Burdette Frost, to use the land as the background for several works.
The property saw several changes in the early 1920s, such as the lease of 180 acres to the Spring Brook Country Club (1921). After Foote’s sudden passing in 1924, the estate sold several times, ultimately being purchased by Welcome Bender in 1927 who gave it to the Society of Jesus. Nearly a century later, the Society continues to operate the site as the Loyola Jesuit Center, and with the exception of a few additions, Spring Brook Farm retains much of its original features, offering a glimpse into its gilded past.
