Kensington Mansion Before the Restoration

Around 1940, the Hamers sold Kensington Mansion and the surrounding acreage to the federal government to be used for rural families relocated from areas being used for several government projects. However, the outbreak of World War II ended these plans and Kensington was eventually sold to a local Eastover family, the Lanhams. Although the Lanhams considered renovating the venerable old home, the cost was prohibitive. Instead, they built a modern ranch house in front of Kensington Mansion and used the house itself for storage.

Over the years, Kensington Mansion became the local "haunted house" and kids dared each other to enter the old building. Many people tried to come up with plans to save the rapidly deteriorating building. In 1971, citizens had Kensington placed on the National Register. However, no one individual could afford the enormous task of restoration.

For more than one hundred years, Kensington Mansion had withstood both man-made and natural disaster — it looked like time would be its final nemesis.