Fonthill, Mercer Museum and Moravian Pottery and Tile Works

Fonthill is a concrete castle-like structure with an irregular design that holds thousands of artifacts and handcrafted ceramics throughout its rooms. The interior combines living spaces with display areas where collections of tiles, ancient objects, and annotated books occupy nearly every wall and alcove.

A private collector built this concrete structure between 1908 and 1912 as an early example of this building method in America. The project embodied his desire to preserve his collected knowledge and artifacts within a personalized architectural statement.

Handcrafted tiles and collected objects fill the rooms, reflecting Mercer's passion for preserving different cultures and crafts. Visitors encounter these works integrated directly into the building's structure, creating a lived museum throughout the space.

Visitors navigate a maze-like building with narrow stairways and unexpected passages connecting the rooms. A guided tour helps visitors understand the collections and move comfortably through this intricate layout.

The building holds more than 6,000 books that the original owner personally annotated with his own notes during research. This level of personal documentation is rarely found so intact in historic house museums.

Location: Doylestown

GPS coordinates: 40.31690,-75.12500

Latest update: December 14, 2025 14:25