Haas Family's Villanova Estate To Be Preserved As Public Garden
NORRISTOWN, Pa. (CBS) -- The Villanova estate of the Haas family – as in "Rohm and Haas" – is being donated to a land conservation group to become a public garden.
The 42-acre Stoneleigh estate sits on the northeast corner of Spring Mill and County Line Roads near the Villanova University Law School campus. The property came into the Haas family when Otto Haas, co-founder of the chemical company Rohm and Haas, bought it in 1932. His son John acquired the home in 1964 along with his wife Chara, building out the gardens over the next five decades.
"They felt this pang of there's just two of us, or a small family enjoying this space," said the couple's son, Leonard Haas, "and there are so many people out there who could really enjoy this."
As part of John and Chara's will, Stoneleigh estate is donated to Natural Lands Trust, and the gardens on the property will be opened to the public.
"This was our parent's wish," said the couple's other son, David Haas. "We didn't decide to do the donation, but I think we really worked to carry out their vision and I think they'd be very proud."
