The Ashford Family House on Willowmere Boulevard

The Ashford family established their residence on Willowmere Boulevard in 1907 after Charles Ashford commissioned the Carpenter Gothic mansion following his success as a regional lumber merchant. Three generations lived there, including Charles, his wife Margaret, their children, and later grandchildren who assisted with family affairs. Their income came from timber sales, construction contracts, and investments connected to local development.

Historical records describe the house as a respected Victorian residence with active parlors, upper bedrooms, and regular repairs. The veranda, tower rooms, and formal spaces remained in use during the family’s most prosperous years.

The first warning sign appeared in 1927 when Ashford Lumber Company lost several construction contracts and delayed payments to suppliers. During the economic downturn of the early 1930s, Charles reduced expenses by dismissing household staff and closing several bedrooms in the tower and upper floors. Repairs to the copper roof, wooden tracery, and veranda were postponed as business debts increased. After Charles died in 1932, disagreements among heirs delayed plans to sell or maintain the property. By 1934, unpaid taxes and inheritance disputes forced Margaret and the remaining family members to leave Willowmere Boulevard.

The Ashford House was abandoned in 1935 after foreclosure followed years of business decline, unpaid taxes, and unresolved inheritance disputes. No restoration occurred, and no Ashford descendants returned after leaving Willowmere Boulevard. Municipal records noted complicated ownership transfers and continued deterioration of the vacant mansion. The interior rooms remained closed, with household documents and personal belongings left behind. Over the following decades, moisture damage, structural wear, and neglect affected the Carpenter Gothic residence. The mansion remains empty on the residential boulevard, slowly deteriorating without restoration or confirmed future ownership.