The magnificent 19th century Louis C. Gillespie Estate, originally known as Tower Hill, was acquired in 1929 by Archbishop Thomas J. Walsh Jr. to be the new American Motherhouse of the Religious Teachers Filippini. In 1930, he dedicated its Gilded Age Mansion as Villa Lucia. After years of his steadfast support, Villa Lucia was renamed in honor of Archbishop Walsh on his fortieth anniversary of priestly ordination in 1940.
The Tower Hill estate is also the Mother House and administrative offices to the Religious Teachers Filippini in the United States. The 100-year-old plus tower is a landmark of beauty and reaches six stories to provide a panoramic view of the surrounding countryside. Originally a source of water for the estate, the Tower stands as a treasured landmark upon the highest point in Morristown.
