Constantia, located in Long Valley, was the creation Henry A. Butters (1850-1908) a capitalist and the president of the Northern Electric Railway Company. On March 10, 1898 he purchased Albert Ross ranch, that included a 17-room mansion that over the years referred to it as the White House. Butters transformed the ranch into small village complete with a general store, a Wells Fargo Office, dwellings for employees and a Catholic Church christened St. Mary’s Chapel. He named the place Constantia, after a city in South Africa noted for its vineyards. Butters boasted that he had 3,500 head of cattle and had an annual payroll of $10,000. It should be noted that Butters visited the property but did not take up residence there. In 1904, due to his divorce from his wife, Lucille, sold the ranch property for E.A. Jordan for an undisclosed amount.

Tim