Look inside the McNeal Mansion, an abandoned 10,000-square-foot home from the 1800s that nature is reclaiming
Even today, the large 10,000-square-foot home in Burlington, New Jersey, is still a wonder to photographers and locals. New Jersey-based photographer Richard Lewis explored and photographed the crumbling mansion in 2016. He got into taking photos of run-down buildings after hearing that an abandoned Nike missile site near his home was going to be demolished for a housing development, “and decided someone had to photograph it for the record,” he said. “I thought, I now have a reason to photograph these abandoned buildings, and it’s to honor and preserve that history. A lot of these abandoned places that aren’t in great shape are eventually going to disappear,” he said.
Using the wealth he acquired from his successful company, McNeal built the mansion along the bank of the Delaware River.
The conglomerate also bought the mansion and began using the massive home as the company’s headquarters.
Following his departure from the mansion, the property was used for corporate reasons.
“It’s an odd building, because even though it was originally a mansion it became a company headquarters later on with office space,” Lewis said. “In the center, it looks very ornate and decorative, but when you look at the wings they look very strange because they’re just these big open spaces. Knowing the history really helped me photograph it.” The home was left to rot for years until the company sold the derelict property to the municipality in 1975, according to the Burlington County Times.
According to the Burlington County Times, one developer even purchased the home in 1987 with plans to convert it into a conference center, hotel, and restaurant. However, those plans never came to fruition, and the property was bought and resold multiple times.
However, much of the original structure is still standing.
“There’s a lot of interest. It really has the potential to be something interesting,” Jim Kennedy, the city’s economic development and redevelopment consultant, told the Burlington County Times at the time.
When developers opened up a bar and restaurant on the deck to raise some money for the restoration, Lewis visited with his wife and spotted the mansion from where they were sitting.
Lewis, who had a “great relationship” with the city manager, asked about the property and potentially photographing it.
“He said that a historian had come and taken photos of it on their cell phone, but didn’t even want to go inside,” Lewis said. “Since he knew I was insured, he said if I could sign a liability waiver he would give me free access to the place. I was allowed to go in there and spend as much time as I wanted taking photos, as long as I shared those images with the city and the Burlington County Historical Society.”
Lewis said that, over the years, he’s learned it’s important to get a lay of the land beforehand and watch where you walk.
“The McNeal mansion is a stone building, so structurally it’s relatively sound,” he said. “In a lot of other abandoned buildings with wood frames, I won’t step where there’s just floor out of fear I’ll fall through it.”
Lewis said he’ll wear a respirator, a hard hat, and steel-toed boots to protect himself should anything go awry while he’s photographing abandoned properties like the McNeal Mansion. He also lets the local police department know where he is and how long he’ll be there.
“When you share your images on social media, you’re automatically identified with what they call the ‘urban ex’ crowd,” he told Insider. “I’m big on getting permission, and by doing so you get a good reputation for the work that you do. You get to the point where people come to you and ask you to photograph places.”
