The Judge Morris Estate

The Judge Morris Estate. Home of Prominent Attorney and Judge. , The Original Structure , The original structure was a 22-story gray fieldstone house built in the 1790s by John Barclay. The home was purchased by Andrew Gray in the 1820s. Gray made additions to the structure and named it "Chestnut Hill.", The Gray family lived at Chestnut Hill for more than 50 years. Andrew Gray served in the state senate and was instrumental in passing legislation that founded a state college in Newark. That school became the University of Delaware., Judge Hugh M. Morris, a native of Delaware, purchased the house and surrounding acreage in 1933 as a home for his family., Judge Hugh M. Morris , Morris was a respected attorney, distinguished judge and was president of the University of Delaware's Board of Trustees from 1939 to 1959. He left instructions that the house and land be given to the University of Delaware upon his death. The University of Delaware named one of its libraries the Hugh M. Morris Library in his honor., The Estate , In 1998, the Delaware Division of Parks and Recreation purchased the land from the University of Delaware to preserve it as part of White Clay Creek State Park., Today, the Estate is available to the public to enjoy the grounds and for tours and programs hosted by the park. It may also be rented for special events.