Lotta Crabtree Cottage


Lotta Crabtree Cottage is a Shingle style house in the Breslin Park neighborhood of Mount Arlington, New Jersey. Designed by the noted Philadelphia architect Frank Furness, it is a contributing property in Mount Arlington Historic District.
Lotta Crabtree was an American actress and comedian, best known for her Western roles. Furness designed the Breslin Hotel - a 175-room resort hotel built on a hill overlooking Lake Hopatcong - along with a number of summer cottages surrounding it. A popular celebrity, Crabtree "was given this house as part of promotion for the Breslin Hotel." She named it "Attol Tryst", and summered there for 20 years.
The 18-room cottage sits on land that slopes down to Van Every Cove. It is 2-1/2 stories on the land side and 3-1/2 on the lake side. The exterior features Furness's "upside-down" chimneys, with corbels that flare outward near the top. An expansive porch/piazza, including a semi-circular section that traces the curve of the parlor, wraps around three sides of the house. The interior features Aesthetic Movement details characteristic of Furness, including a fireplace flanked by terra cotta dog-faced beasts. The billiard room's massive stone fireplace once featured a mosaic that spelled out "18 - LOTTA - 86" in gemstones.
A historical marker in front of the house reads:
Lotta Crabtree House - 1886

Summer cottage designed by architect Frank Furness for renowned 19th century actress. Located in Breslin Park, Lake Hopatcong's fashionable section during its great resort years.