After inheriting his parent’s colossal Liseter Hall estate, John du Pont transformed the property into Foxcatcher wrestling camp & training facility. But what happens to a multi million dollar manor when the owner commits a cold blooded killing?
John Eleuthere du Pont was born into a life of privilege. A member of the one of the richest families in the country, the du Pont family originally found their fortune in the gunpowder business, expanding their wealth in the automotive and chemical industry. After his parents divorced, John lived with his mother at Liseter Estate in Newtown, Pennsylvania. John had little interest in taking the easy road his life could have afforded him. Instead of living as a trust fund baby, du Pont pursued higher educations in the sciences, earning a doctorate degree and working as an ornithologist, credited with discovering 24 new species of birds.
Inheriting the 440 acre Liseter Estate after his mother’s death, du Pont turned the land into Foxcatcher Farm and developed a word renowned wresting facility on the property, drawing champions from across the globe and renowned Olympians. “Team Foxcatcher” was named in honor of his father’s famous stables. He hosted many wrestling competitions, and allowed some athletes to live on the grounds of the sprawling Foxcatcher estate.
In various interviews friends have said that John du Pont’s love of sports (especially wrestling), truly made him come alive. But it was his involvement in wrestling that ultimately ended the life of Olympic medalist Dave Schultz. On January 26, 1996, du Pont shot Schultz in the driveway of the home he was living in, which was on the Foxcatcher Farm property. There has never been a solid motive for the spur of the moment killing, but it was known that du Pont was suffering from paranoia and mental illness. At trial, the jury refused du Pont’s plea of not guilty by reason of insanity, and sentenced him to 13-30 years in jail. On December 9, 2010, he died in a Pennsylvania jail from COPD. There has been a renewed interest in the case since the John du Pont movie ‘Foxcatcher’ premiered in 2014. Starring Steve Carrell and Channing Tatum, the film has received critical acclaim and nominations for both The Golden Globes & Oscars. The picture is loosely based around John du Pont’s wrestling recruitment and training of athletes for Olympics, and the murder of Schulz.
With du Pont in incarcerated, Foxcatcher Farm began to lose it’s luster. The manicured lawns became overgrown with weeds, and once stunning buildings fell into disrepair. For years, du Pont was convinced the main estate on Foxcatcher Farms housed ghosts, and before long the mansion began to look like a haunted house. Shortly after he died in jail, the grounds were purchased by the Toll Brothers, a prestigious company specializing in luxury home building. Soon, Foxchaser Farms and it’s tragic past would be no more. The company demolished the property, and envisioned bringing Foxchaser back to its original regal roots.
The developers began rebuilding the property into a “master planned” community of 449 beautiful homes called Liseter, in homage to the original mansion built in 1922. They restored the famed carriage barn, and were able to repurpose materials from other buildings. The community includes five miles of bike and walking trails as well as a nature preserve. Below are photos of the community as it looks now – stunning!
