The Van Doren House Abandoned After Family Orchard Debt

The Van Doren family established Maplecrest House in 1907 after Pieter Van Doren inherited woodland farmland near Bellwood Crossing and expanded the residence for his family. Three generations lived there, including Pieter, his wife Anna, their children, and later grandchildren who helped manage the orchard, garden, and small produce business. The family earned income from apple cultivation, local market sales, and seasonal farm deliveries.

County agricultural records describe a well-maintained home with active gardens, a workshop, and orchard buildings before declining prices weakened the family’s finances.

The first warning sign appeared in 1927 when the Van Dorens received delayed payments from produce buyers after several poor harvest seasons. By 1929, the family dismissed farm workers and closed the upper observation room to reduce heating costs. Maintenance of the wraparound porch, orchard shed, and gravel paths was postponed as expenses increased. The agricultural downturn of the early 1930s caused unpaid equipment loans, mortgage payments, and supplier debts to accumulate. In 1933, the bank began foreclosure proceedings, and Pieter’s remaining family members left Maplecrest House for smaller housing in Bellwood Crossing.

Maplecrest House was abandoned in 1934 after foreclosure followed years of orchard debt, declining produce income, and the collapse of the Van Doren family business. No restoration occurred, and no Van Doren descendants returned after leaving Bellwood Crossing. County records noted unsuccessful attempts to sell the property and unresolved responsibility for maintenance. The remaining rooms stayed closed with farm papers, furniture, and household belongings left behind. Over decades, trees, grass, and weather damaged the residence and surrounding grounds. The house remains empty among the maple trees, continuing to deteriorate without restoration or confirmed future ownership.