Hear About The Opulent "Shadow Lawn" Mansion Monday

The Middletown Historical Society is inviting the public to a special presentation called "Shadow Lawn: The Downton Abbey of the Jersey Shore." 

Storyteller and history enthusiast Glenn LeBoeuf told the Society he's been preparing this talk about his alma mater for 38 years. 

LeBoeuf will present a slideshow that tells a dramatic story. 
According to Monmouth County Historian Randall Gabrielan, John A. McCall built the first Shadow Lawn in 1903, but then lost it as he was caught up in a life insurance scandal. 

Woodrow Wilson used Shadow Lawn to conduct his front porch re-election campaign in 1916.

In 1927, the original Shadow Lawn was destroyed by fire.

The present Shadow Lawn was completed in 1930 by Hubert and Maysie Parson. Hubert Parson was the president of Woolworth's. He eventually lost the palace dubbed "the Versailles of American." The furnishings were auctioned in 1940, and he died two weeks later. 

Monmouth University rescued the neglected Shadow Lawn II in its middle age. The building, which was a location in the 1982 film "Annie," was designated a National Historic Landmark, the highest honor of recognition for a historic site.

The meeting will be held Monday, July 21 at 7:30 p.m. at Poricy Park, 345 Oak Hill Road in Middletown. The event is free, everyone is welcome and refreshments will be served.