Kennett Square’s top tourist attraction, Longwood Gardens, is acquiring an estate belonging to the family that designed the property, writes Joseph N. DiStefano for The Philadelphia Inquirer.

Longtime owner of the recently acquired 505-acre estate, Irénée du Pont Jr., an engineer and heir to the chemical empire, passed away Jan. 16 at 103 years old.  

The estate comprises of woods, farmlands, and a hilltop castle-like mansion. A cousin of the late owner told the Inquirer that there were no plans for the estate yet, other than preservation.  

The Delaware property sits across the Brandywine River and First State National Historical Park. It’s also north of Brandywine Creek State Park. It sits in “chateaux country,” among estates, museums, and cultural centers that were built with profits from DuPont Co., which dominated the world in the 1950’s.  

Irénée Jr.’s father built the castle-like stone mansion, known as the Granogue house. The family will continue to live on the property.  

Read more about the Longwood Gardens acquisition in The Philadelphia Inquirer.  

The late Irénée Jr. took pride in his antique car collection.