Greentrees Ridgewood Rd Ithaca

Details
Address
Greentrees Ridgewood Rd Ithaca
Year Built
1913
Building Type
Residence
Construction
not specified
Description
This large Tudor-influenced home was designed for Frank L. Morse by Walter Burleigh Griffin, a prominent Chicago architect and former assistant to Frank Lloyd Wright. Built in 1913, the year Morse assumed presidency of the Morse Chain Company, it was Morse's second home in Ithaca and was known as Greentrees. 
The house was constructed of local stone and roofed with thick, square-cut slates. The garage/servant quarters' wing is connected to the main block by an arched tunnel, which opens on the backyard. Griffen landscaped the grounds, which extended to Highland Avenue and included a lovely, wooded glen.
Soon after the house was completed, it was used as a setting for a locally produced silent film, The Ruby Kiss of Death. It was depicted as a den of thieves.
After Morse died in 1935, the house was sold to the Cerberes Fraternity for $60,000, and Morse's widow moved into a new house built for her at 110 Highland Avenue. The former Greentrees is now owned by Phi Kappa Sigma fraternity.

Media (Photos, Videos, Audio Recordings)
Tax assessment photograph taken in 1954 for the purposes of government appraisal by Roy Wenzlick & Co.

Tax assessment photograph taken in 1954 for the purposes of government appraisal by Roy Wenzlick & Co. 1954

Add Source/NarrativeSources & Narratives
Greentrees
Phi Kappa Sigma

H. A. Manning Co, Schenectady, NY

Resident Household in 1920
NameSexAgeRelationOccupation
Frank L MorseM64HeadManufacturer
Cora P MorseF48WifeNone
Rowena A MorseF17DaughterNone
Anthony P MorseM8SonNone
Edith A BowersF66ServantNurse
Resident Household in 1930
NameSexAgeRelationOccupation
Frank L MorseM66HeadExecutive
Cora P MorseF58WifeNone
Anthony P MorseM18SonNone
Edith A BowerF77HousekeeperHousekeeper
Blanche E KellerF19ServantServant
Resident Household in 1950
NameSexAgeRelationOccupation
Robert G BumpM20StudentNone
John R MaloneyM22StudentNone
Robert K Van LeerM19StudentNone
Michael J RyanM20StudentNone
James J SmithM23StudentNone
Charles A Spiller JrM23StudentNone
Edward A MadisonM22StudentNone
Donald E HennM19StudentNone
Richard A BeattyM18StudentNone
Robert M JamesM21StudentNone
John D OrrM20StudentNone
Chester V E CalbickM20StudentNone
Thor S JohnsonM22StudentNone
Robert P CrandallM26StudentNone
Robert E VogelM20StudentNone
Alton W EvansM25StudentNone
Edward R FelshowM19StudentNone
Manuel V FerreiraM22StudentNone
Robert A GlahM18StudentNone
John R Little JrM19StudentNone
Frederick C LyfordM24StudentNone
David C WeatherbyM22StudentNone
Clement L Speiden JrM21StudentNone
Eugene Von Wening JrM23StudentNone
John R HagerM20StudentNone