"As a resident of Cheltenham Township around the turn of the century John Batterson Stetson, along with his hats and his concern for his employees was legendary. His residence on Old York Road near what is now Juniper Avenue in the area called Ashbourne, now Elkins Park, was a "palace" he named Idro. Built in the late 1880's of local stone, "Idro" means "cool and pleasant" in the Russian language. His business, however, was in Philadelphia."
From here.
Stetson, Idro
Hotchkin, Old York Road, 1892, p.95:
next to Roelofs "comes the still grander establishment
of John B. Stetson, the father-in-law of Mr. Roelofs. The
mansion, green-houses, and other buildings stand prominently in
view of the York Road, on a beautiful eminence. When Mr. Stetson
purchased the grounds, a heavy growth of trees, (forest trees),
covered them. Employing an experienced landscape gardener, many
of these were removed, whilst a great number still stand to adorn
and shade on of the finest lawns to be found anywhere in the
country. At the foot of the lawn, between that and the road, is
a lake of pure water, a very pretty feature of the place. On the
eminence, on which the house is locatde and a little to the east,
stands a tall green-house for tropical plants. Mr. Steson
occupies the mansion in the summer months, in the winter he lives
in Florida, where at Deland, he has extensive Orange Groves."
From here.
The house had its own power plant for steam and electricity, along with a conservatory.
Click here for another view of the house and the source of this information.
Idro letterhead from the Stetson U. Library Special Collection.
From here.
Stetson, Idro
Hotchkin, Old York Road, 1892, p.95:
next to Roelofs "comes the still grander establishment
of John B. Stetson, the father-in-law of Mr. Roelofs. The
mansion, green-houses, and other buildings stand prominently in
view of the York Road, on a beautiful eminence. When Mr. Stetson
purchased the grounds, a heavy growth of trees, (forest trees),
covered them. Employing an experienced landscape gardener, many
of these were removed, whilst a great number still stand to adorn
and shade on of the finest lawns to be found anywhere in the
country. At the foot of the lawn, between that and the road, is
a lake of pure water, a very pretty feature of the place. On the
eminence, on which the house is locatde and a little to the east,
stands a tall green-house for tropical plants. Mr. Steson
occupies the mansion in the summer months, in the winter he lives
in Florida, where at Deland, he has extensive Orange Groves."
From here.
The house had its own power plant for steam and electricity, along with a conservatory.
Click here for another view of the house and the source of this information.
Idro letterhead from the Stetson U. Library Special Collection.
