Lotta Crabtree Cottage

The Lotta Crabtree Cottage is a residential house covered in wooden shingles with a design that emphasizes horizontal lines and flowing spaces. The building shows the hallmarks of this style period with simpler exterior forms clad in natural materials that blend with the surroundings.

Frank Furness designed this house in 1886 as a summer retreat during a time when wealthy individuals sought refuge from busy cities. The building came into being as American architecture was moving away from ornate Victorian styles toward simpler forms.

The cottage once belonged to Lotta Crabtree, a celebrated actress of the 1800s, and shows how wealthy performers chose to live away from city life. Her summer residence reflects the tastes of entertainment figures who wanted peaceful retreats to call their own.

The house sits in a residential neighborhood in Mount Arlington that is easy to walk around and fits the local character of the area. The best time to visit is during daytime when the details of the wooden exterior and surrounding grounds are clearly visible.

Frank Furness blended industrial themes with geometric patterns and natural elements in unexpected ways within this design. This combination of factory aesthetics with organic shapes made the work influential for architects who followed.

Location: Mount Arlington

Inception: 1886

Architects: Frank Furness

Architectural style: Shingle style architecture

GPS coordinates: 40.93244,-74.63418

Latest update: December 13, 2025 11:45