Historic Mansion

Historic Mansion

If These Walls Could Talk: The History of the Park Savoy

The Park Savoy, like all historic buildings, has had many lives and has even more stories to tell. Over a hundred years ago, it was home to an early Florham Park family. In fact, at the very heart of the present-day building, the bones of that 1870 house still exist. It was built in the Second Empire style fashionable at the time and the style’s characteristic mansard roof is visible today in the building's roofline. The house and the surrounding 150 acre dairy farm formed the homestead of George W. Felch (1822-1899), the patriarch of a prominent early family of Columbia, as Florham Park was known during the 19^th century. Felch was instrumental in the early planning and fund raising which led to the building of the town’s Little Red School House just down the road at the corner of Ridgedale and Columbia Turnpike. His son, George E. Felch, served as the town’s second mayor from 1902-1906 and was a key member of both the Board of Education and the fire department, helping to insure the importance of the Felch name in Florham Park history.

In 1918, nearly twenty years after his father died, George E. Felch sold the house and much of the property to Edwin S. Marston, a New York financier and the president of the Farmers Loan and Trust Company. The Marston’s remodeled and enlarged the house, transforming it into a showcase, described the Madison Eagle of May 11, 1923 as “pretentious.” As the Eagle reported, “[the house] measuring ninety-six feet by thirty feet, has gas, electric lights, steam heat and running water…four masters’ bedrooms, three tiled bathrooms. Outside, it boasted a “fully enclosed tennis court, rose garden, garage for two cars, with an adjoining shed suitable for four cars, and a large laundry.

The Marston era was short-lived however. Edwin Marston died suddenly at age seventy-one in October of 1922. By the following May, his wife Emma had decided to sell the property to Samuel “Schimmy” Blume and Jacob Weinberg of Newark. According to the Madison Eagle article mentioned above, they planned to use it as an “inn and dancing resort.” With this sale, a new and very different era in the house’s history began.

The 18^th Amendment to the Constitution prohibiting the sale of alcoholic beverages across the United States was ratified in 1919. As a result, prohibition, and the illegal activities to circumvent it, were well underway when Blume and Weinberg purchased the Marston property. They immediately remodeled the house and opened it as a speakeasy, taking over the name and the clientele of another Florham Park nightclub known as Canary Cottage which had just burned to the ground at the end of March, 1923. In 1924, Blume and Weinburg enhanced the venue by adding a nine hole golf course on the grounds.

The Canary Cottage soon became associated with a string of nightclubs operated by a New Jersey crime syndicate. Key figure in the syndicate included “Lucky” Luciano, “Longy” Zwillman and Willie Moretti. Known as the “Al Capone of New Jersey,” Zwillman was a founding member of the National Crime Syndicate and was also romantically involved for a time with the actress Jean Harlow. As Zwillman reportedly said to his partners, “We open good-looking joints…no riffraff. We get the most prominent citizens from the big city and the suburbs and we make ‘em feel comfortable.’ During this period, the Canary Cottage was renamed The Carriage Club and it attracted the wealthy and the powerful, including Charles Lindbergh and Charles Edison, the son of Thomas Edison.

When prohibition was repealed in 1933, Schimmy Blume changed the name of his establishment back to Canary Cottage and painted the building bright canary yellow. For the next twenty years, the nightclub continued to attract clientele from all over North Jersey for dancing and cocktails. It was known as the Blue Elms Country Club for a brief period of time before it became the semi-private Florham Park Country Club in 1959 which remained in operation until 1981.

In 1982, the current owner, Alan Weinstein, purchased the property and renamed it The Park Savoy. Originally opened as a restaurant and dance club. In 1993, Mr. Weinstein began a restoration process that has restored the elegance and grandeur of this 19th century landmark.

The Park Savoy is now a completely restored historic mansion used exclusively for hosting one wedding at a time. The fireplaces, original antique furnishings and the exquisite bridal suite create an atmosphere that is warm and intimate. Floor to ceiling windows, beautiful vistas, and formal gardens provide a spectacular setting for outdoor wedding ceremonies and cocktail receptions. The Park Savoy fulfills Lucky Luciano and Longy Zwillman's desire to create a venue where "the most prominent citizens from the big city and the suburbs would come and we make 'em feel comfortable."



..historic, timeless and elegant.	Historic Mansion If These Walls Could Talk: The History of the Park Savoy The Park Savoy, like all historic buildings, has had many lives and has even more stories to tell. Over a hundred years ago, it was home to an early Florham Park family. In fact, at the very heart of the present-day building, the bones of that 1870 house still exist. It was built in the Second Empire style fashionable at the time and the style’s characteristic mansard roof is visible today in the building's roofline. The house and the surrounding 150 acre dairy farm formed the homestead of George W. Felch (1822-1899), the patriarch of a prominent early family of Columbia, as Florham Park was known during the 19^th century. Felch was instrumental in the early planning and fund raising which led to the building of the town’s Little Red School House just down the road at the corner of Ridgedale and Columbia Turnpike. His son, George E. Felch, served as the town’s second mayor from 1902-1906 and was a key member of both the Board of Education and the fire department, helping to insure the importance of the Felch name in Florham Park history. In 1918, nearly twenty years after his father died, George E. Felch sold the house and much of the property to Edwin S. Marston, a New York financier and the president of the Farmers Loan and Trust Company. The Marston’s remodeled and enlarged the house, transforming it into a showcase, described the Madison Eagle of May 11, 1923 as “pretentious.” As the Eagle reported, “[the house] measuring ninety-six feet by thirty feet, has gas, electric lights, steam heat and running water…four masters’ bedrooms, three tiled bathrooms. Outside, it boasted a “fully enclosed tennis court, rose garden, garage for two cars, with an adjoining shed suitable for four cars, and a large laundry. The Marston era was short-lived however. Edwin Marston died suddenly at age seventy-one in October of 1922. By the following May, his wife Emma had decided to sell the property to Samuel “Schimmy” Blume and Jacob Weinberg of Newark. According to the Madison Eagle article mentioned above, they planned to use it as an “inn and dancing resort.” With this sale, a new and very different era in the house’s history began. The 18^th Amendment to the Constitution prohibiting the sale of alcoholic beverages across the United States was ratified in 1919. As a result, prohibition, and the illegal activities to circumvent it, were well underway when Blume and Weinberg purchased the Marston property. They immediately remodeled the house and opened it as a speakeasy, taking over the name and the clientele of another Florham Park nightclub known as Canary Cottage which had just burned to the ground at the end of March, 1923. In 1924, Blume and Weinburg enhanced the venue by adding a nine hole golf course on the grounds. The Canary Cottage soon became associated with a string of nightclubs operated by a New Jersey crime syndicate. Key figure in the syndicate included “Lucky” Luciano, “Longy” Zwillman and Willie Moretti. Known as the “Al Capone of New Jersey,” Zwillman was a founding member of the National Crime Syndicate and was also romantically involved for a time with the actress Jean Harlow. As Zwillman reportedly said to his partners, “We open good-looking joints…no riffraff. We get the most prominent citizens from the big city and the suburbs and we make ‘em feel comfortable.’ During this period, the Canary Cottage was renamed The Carriage Club and it attracted the wealthy and the powerful, including Charles Lindbergh and Charles Edison, the son of Thomas Edison. When prohibition was repealed in 1933, Schimmy Blume changed the name of his establishment back to Canary Cottage and painted the building bright canary yellow. For the next twenty years, the nightclub continued to attract clientele from all over North Jersey for dancing and cocktails. It was known as the Blue Elms Country Club for a brief period of time before it became the semi-private Florham Park Country Club in 1959 which remained in operation until 1981. In 1982, the current owner, Alan Weinstein, purchased the property and renamed it The Park Savoy. Originally opened as a restaurant and dance club. In 1993, Mr. Weinstein began a restoration process that has restored the elegance and grandeur of this 19th century landmark. The Park Savoy is now a completely restored historic mansion used exclusively for hosting one wedding at a time. The fireplaces, original antique furnishings and the exquisite bridal suite create an atmosphere that is warm and intimate. Floor to ceiling windows, beautiful vistas, and formal gardens provide a spectacular setting for outdoor wedding ceremonies and cocktail receptions. The Park Savoy fulfills Lucky Luciano and Longy Zwillman's desire to create a venue where "the most prominent citizens from the big city and the suburbs would come and we make 'em feel comfortable."
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