Dorrance Mansion
The Dorrance Mansion is a historic house built in 1862–63, located at 300 Radcliffe St., Bristol, Bucks County, Pennsylvania on the Delaware River in the Bristol Historic District. The house represents the lavish life of Bristol's early Victorian industrialists. It is considered one of the grandest homes on Radcliffe Street and is the only example of residential Italianate architecture in Bristol. The house was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1986. Architecture The brick mansion is nearly unchanged since its construction. An illusion of great height is given by the symmetrical front facade with the windows on the upper floors decreasing in their proportions. The rear three-story porch and five-story elliptical central tower are especially distinctive. The tower contains a winding staircase that extends from the basement to the top of the tower. The original kitchen is in the basement, and the tower contains a second staircase that connects the kitchen with the dining room. The river level foundation is built of random coursed fieldstone. History John Dorrance, Sr., bought an interest in Bristol Mills about 1827 and later bought out his partners. The mills themselves were constructed in 1701. Dorrance became a director in companies involved