by Erin Feith, Coordinator of Research & Visitor Engagement
July 28, 2026
By the late 19th century, the Gilded Age had arrived in the Morristown area and with it came the mansions of millionaires such as Louis C. Gillespie. His sprawling estate, known as Tower Hill, typified the unmatched opulence of the day, undergoing extensive expansions during the family’s residency. Now one of only a handful of local mansions that remain, the Gillespie property stands as an example of a period of unprecedented wealth that left an indelible mark on Morris County’s history and landscape.
An importer of tung oil and shellac, Louis C. Gillespie was worth approximately $1 million dollars (~$33.4 million today) when he purchased 115 acres at the intersection of Western Avenue and Picatinny Road in 1878. Among the earliest Gilded Age millionaires on scene, Gillespie erected a home to use as a country retreat away from the heat of New York City during the summer months. Perhaps indicative of the area’s growing desirability, the original residence was also outfitted with furnaces and fireplaces that allowed for stays during the winter. Indeed, by the close of the 19th century, Gillespie sold his home in New York and moved his family to Morris Township to live year-round.
Shortly after relocating, Gillespie remodeled and enlarged his home. The original wooden mansion was surrounded with brick and adorned with white marble trim, a green tiled roof, piazzas, and Corinthian columns. Inside, the dining room, kitchen, butler’s pantry, cold room, linen closet, and servants’ dining room were relocated to a new addition to make way for a massive living room spanning 38 ft. by 45 ft. An electric elevator was also installed to connect all levels of the expanded home. Perhaps the most distinctive feature of the estate was found elsewhere on the property: a six-story stone tower built over a 417-foot-deep well. While functional and featuring a steam engine that pumped water to a fourth floor tank, the tower also acted as the perfect lookout for the family, who could catch a glimpse of New York City on a clear night.
Following Louis C. Gillespie’s death in 1911, the property remained in the family’s ownership until 1929 when his sons, Samuel and John T. Gillespie, listed the home for $125,000 (~$2.4 million today). Acquired by Archbishop Thomas Joseph Walsh Jr. to be transformed into the Motherhouse of the Religious Teachers Filippini, the estate was initially known as Villa Lucia, but was renamed Villa Walsh in 1940 as a recognition of Archbishop Walsh’s longtime support. Still today the site of the Motherhouse and administrative offices for the Religious Teachers Filippini, the campus is also home to Villa Walsh Academy, an all-girls, Catholic school. The mansion and tower remain a prominent part of the grounds, allowing this piece of the area’s Gilded Age to continue to shine.
