The Ruins of Elm Court Mansion

As the Archaic lyrical poet Pindar (522-438 B.C.) wrote in Epode 5 of Pythian 8,

Σκιάς όναρ άνθρωπος.

Man is the dream of a shadow.

Born in the shadow of his père réputé, the late Frederick Koch likewise found solace in the dreams of mankind. Living in obscurity, the private connoisseur of art, literature, and performance chose to remain nameless. In the same way Odysseus deceived Polyphemus, Frederick similarly adopted the guise of being Nobody — his philanthropic donations remained anonymous as he evaded nearly all forms of publicity.

Equal parts collector and scholar, Frederick opulently cultivated artifacts rich in both aesthetics and anecdotes. Within every home he acquired, his staging of extraordinary relics made every room a separate chapter in his spatial narration. If the walls could talk, Frederick’s homes would be among the most eloquent.

Given the chance to peek inside his 1988 acquisition, the historic Elm Court mansion located in Butler, Pennsylvania, I noticed an architectural motif of mythology throughout the property. From the countless marble statues to the stained-glass windows and florid engravings in the wall, the abundance of classical imagery gave the impression that the estate could be a neoteric temple to the ancient gods. Above one door frame reads line 385 of Horace’s Ars Poetica, “Tu nihil invita dices faciesve Minerva,” meaning “you will say nothing and do nothing against Minerva’s will.” Minerva, the Roman goddess of wisdom and sponsor of the arts, is often depicted with the “owl of Minerva” as well as the olive tree, both of which appeared throughout the décor of the rooms. Similarly, as a sponsor of the arts in his own right, Frederick could be considered a modern Minerva of sorts.

While steeped in symbolism of the Greco-Roman world, the architecture proved to be inspired by the Gothic era of Europe’s Late Middle Ages. The Gothic construction of the mansion is apparent in the ogival arch structuring of the ceilings and entryways as well as the myriad of stained-glass detailing.

Built in 1929, this Pennyslavanian manision serves as a collector’s sanctum sanctorum, housing the famed Skinner Organ Opus 783 and a personal theatre, in addition to a multitude of marble statues, libraries, paintings, and antiques. Now, nearly a century later, the vacant Elm Court mansion contains the ruins of three separate eras — the Ancient, the Gothic, and the Gothic Revival of the 20s.