A privately owned West Goshen house that has remained vacant and been deteriorating for more than 20 years is now at the center of a preservation fight, writes Brooke Schultz for The Philadelphia Inquirer.
Built more than a century ago and once regarded as impressive, the three-story fieldstone house, unofficially called Forsythe Farm, with its private bridge and stone mason barn has since been described in court documents as an “attractive nuisance” and an escalating safety concern.
Owned by Joseph Kravitz since 2003, the property fell into foreclosure and was repeatedly listed for sheriff’s sale.
After township intervention, a judge will now decide whether the property can be restored or has to be demolished. Residents who oppose losing the home, even in its deteriorated condition, have launched an effort to preserve it.
They hope to prevent future development and convert the property into a heritage center highlighting Chester County’s Quaker history and its ties to the Underground Railroad.
“It’s a beautiful place,” said Stephen Lyons, who is leading the preservation group Save Forsythe Farm. “When you spend some time there, it’s like a window through time. It has a spirit of beauty.”
Read more about the preservation fight for Forsythe Farm in West Goshen in The Philadelphia Inquirer.
______
