Jersey Shore Magazine

J e r s e y s h o r e • s p r i n g 2 0 1 4 56 Lavelle said. "The front entrance had this beautiful wooden sunburst over it, above the front door. It was very unique." Lavelle can visualize the Swain brood enjoying the ocean breezes on the home's wrap-around porch. "The windows were most likely open, Swain and his family on the porch and carriages in the driveway… Summer would have been a happy, positive, busy time for the Victorian mansion," Lavelle wistfully imagined. One day in 1903, William Swain was eager to escape the dust and heat of Philadelphia and reunite with his family at the shore. To better enjoy the summer breezes, Swain decided to drive himself the seventy miles to Spring Lake instead of taking the train. This proved to be a fatal mis- take. According to his New York Times obituary, Swain contracted a cold on the drive, which developed into bronchitis and severe asthma. He passed away suddenly in one of the bedrooms of the Swain House. His son, William Mosley Swain, inherited the house and lived there until his retirement to a plantation in South Carolina. The home was then sold mid-century to another family. However, besides the "spinster twins," no one in town remembers seeing any residents in recent history. Except, perhaps, the ghost of William J. Swain. "Although it looked like the house has been re-shingled, a few windows had been replaced, and of course deterioration had set in, the house stood almost identical as to when Mr. Swain resided within its walls, including its accompanying guest and carriage house in the rear," Lavelle said. "I can only imagine the inside!" One can only imagine, as there is no historical record or photos of the interior. Lavelle speculates that the inside would have echoed the clas- sic Victorian exterior. Entering the home, one would be enveloped in dark wood and yards of sumptuous fabrics. Looking around, one would behold multiple carved cornices and etched mantles. "Victorian archi- tecture was very ornate, so every corner of the house would have been ornate," Lavelle said. "Because the exterior is so well-preserved; my goodness, I can't even imagine what the inside looked like." That is what most upsets McCusker and Lavelle. "The problem is that we can't do anything without the town passing an ordinance to preserve these properties," McCusker said. The Preservation Alliance of Spring Lake has presented the town with three potential versions of ordinances, including one with an "opt out" clause for property owners, which have not received support. "We need people to get involved. Spring Lake's beauty was created by private individuals—private individuals now have a chance to preserve that beauty," McCusker said. "Hopefully, this is not the last hurrah." It can cost millions to save historic properties; however, Lavelle proposes a feasible alternative. "I've learned that preservation is a money game," Lavelle said. "In an ideal world, I'd save all of these buildings. My goal is to take baby steps to help people understand what we have around here. This is old—why don't we just document it, record it, understand it, before destroying it?" Both McCusker and Lavelle hope that what happened to the Swain House will stimulate people to rethink historic properties in the town. "It's sad that it took something like this to get the dialogue going," Lavelle said. "I don't think Spring Lake will ever forget this home or what happened to this home," Lavelle continued. "I hope this inspires people to docu- ment and learn before it happens again." u For more information or to get involved: • Spring Lake Preservation Alliance: www.preservationallianceofspringlake.com. • Preservation Watchdogs, Monmouth County Chapter: This group was started by Brittany Lavelle, founder and owner of BVL Historic Preservation Research. Find it on Facebook or www.bvlhistoricpreservationresearch.com. • Spring Lake Historical Society: (732) 449-0772 www.springlakehistoricalsociety.com. JERSEY SHORE HOMES tHe SWAiN HOuSe, continued from page 55 Please refer to page 45 Please refer to page 27 a y 732-892-0465 732-892-1313 Limo Reservations Online @ www.briggstransportation.com 1-800-786-0447 Taxis • Limos • Airport Service Passenger & Wheelchair Accessible Vans Gift Cards Available 24 / 7 SeRViCe eST. 1959 Climate Controlled Indoor Pistol Range OPEN 7 DAYS A WEEK Open To The Public Gun Rentals Available Lessons And Sales No Age Requirement Ten Pistol Lanes Firearm Supplies Gift Certificates Available 730 Airport Road Lakewood, NJ Off Rt. 70 in the Lakewood Industrial Park 732-905-6888 www.shoreshotpistolrange.com

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