Even History Changes

The Morton Homestead was completely dismantled during restoration. The homestead was first identified as a historic site in 1862, and later it was believed to be the birthplace of John Morton, a signer of the Declaration of Independence. In 1957, after extensive research, the Pennsylvania Historical and Museum Commission was reluctantly forced to conclude that John Morton's birth at the Morton Homestead had not been proved, and the findings raised a storm of local controversy. The State of Pennsylvania then renamed the site Morton Homestead. It was considered a fine example of Swedish colonial log architecture, but research continued in 1988. The property was jointly owned by Morton Mortonson, great-grandfather of John Morton, and Jan Cornelius, though maps of the time seem to show that only Jan Cornelius occupied the homestead. Researchers also came to doubt that the building's architecture was purely Swedish: it included double-notched Atlantic White Cedar logs characteristic of Scandinavia, but the floor plan and other White Oak logs were typically English. It may be one of the first truly American buildings, a practical blend of techniques and materials from many sources. The site's chronology spans periods of Indian presence before 1638, New Sweden from 1638 to 1655, Dutch dominion from 1655 to 1664, English rule from 1664 to 1681, the Pennsylvania colony from 1681 to 1784, Americans from 1784 to 1870, suburban development from 1870 to 1935, building restoration from 1935 to 1937, and a historic park from 1937 to the present.

Prospect Park, Pennsylvania · United States