The Fairchild Residence Abandoned After Jewelry Business Collapse

The Fairchild family established Bellrose Residence on Harrison Avenue in the town of Westfield in 1908 after Arthur Fairchild built the mansion while expanding his regional jewelry business. Arthur, his wife Eleanor, their two daughters, and Arthur’s younger brother lived in the three-story Queen Anne home. The family income came from jewelry manufacturing, retail shops, and custom commissions for wealthy clients.

Local records described Bellrose Residence as a neighborhood landmark, maintained through the success of the Fairchild jewelry company before economic changes damaged the business.

The first warning sign appeared in 1929 when luxury purchases declined and several major jewelry orders were cancelled. By 1931, Arthur received overdue notices from suppliers and lenders after store revenues weakened. The family dismissed household workers, closed the upper dormer rooms, and postponed repairs to the conservatory porch, copper roof, and damaged shutters. The jewelry business collapse of 1933 caused unpaid commercial debts, property tax arrears, and foreclosure proceedings. In 1934, Arthur and Eleanor left Bellrose Residence with their daughters, moving to a smaller apartment after losing ownership of the business.

Bellrose Residence was abandoned in 1935 after the jewelry business collapse, foreclosure process, and accumulated debts ended the Fairchild family’s ownership. No restoration occurred, and no Fairchild descendants returned to occupy the mansion. County records later documented failed auctions and repair costs considered too high for preservation. Furniture, business papers, and personal belongings remained inside while weather damaged the stone walls, marble columns, and copper roof. Over decades, flowering vines covered the brick paths and the fountain filled with stagnant rainwater. The Queen Anne Victorian mansion remains empty on Harrison Avenue, continuing to deteriorate without restoration or a confirmed future owner.