Take a look inside the McNeal Mansion, an abandoned 10,000-square-foot home from the 1800s that nature is reclaiming

Using the wealth he acquired from his successful company, McNeal built a large mansion along the bank of the Delaware River.

The conglomerate also bought the mansion and began using the massive home as the company's headquarters.

Following his departure from the mansion, the property was used for corporate reasons.

"It's an odd building, because even though it was originally a mansion it became a company headquarters later on with office space," Lewis said. "In the center, it looks very ornate and decorative, but when you look at the wings they look very strange because they're just these big open spaces. Knowing the history really helped me photograph it."

The home was left to rot for years until the company sold the derelict property to the municipality in 1975, according to the Burlington County Times.

According to the Burlington County Times, one developer even purchased the home in 1987 with plans to convert it into a conference center, hotel, and restaurant. However, those plans never came to fruition, and the property was bought and resold multiple times.

However, much of the original structure was still standing as of 2016.

There were more fires at the property in 2021, according to local reports. Two buildings were destroyed and two further buildings were damaged in the incidents, but the main building was not affected, CBS News reported.

"There's a lot of interest. It really has the potential to be something interesting," Jim Kennedy, the city's economic development and redevelopment consultant, told the Burlington County Times at the time.

When developers opened up a bar and restaurant on the deck to raise some money for the restoration, Lewis visited with his wife and spotted the mansion from where they were sitting. 

Lewis, who had a "great relationship" with the city manager, asked about the property and potentially photographing it.

"He said that a historian had come and taken photos of it on their cell phone, but didn't even want to go inside," Lewis told Insider. "Since he knew I was insured, he said if I could sign a liability waiver he would give me free access to the place. I was allowed to go in there and spend as much time as I wanted taking photos, as long as I shared those images with the city and the Burlington County Historical Society."

Lewis said that, over the years, he's learned it's important to get a lay of the land beforehand and watch where you walk.

"The McNeal mansion is a stone building, so structurally it's relatively sound," he said. "In a lot of other abandoned buildings with wood frames, I won't step where there's just floor out of fear I'll fall through it."

Lewis said he'll wear a respirator, a hard hat, and steel-toed boots to protect himself should anything go awry while he's photographing abandoned properties like the McNeal Mansion. He also lets the local police department know where he is and how long he'll be there.

"When you share your images on social media, you're automatically identified with what they call the 'urban ex' crowd," he told Insider. "I'm big on getting permission, and by doing so you get a good reputation for the work that you do. You get to the point where people come to you and ask you to photograph places."

"I was surprised by how devastated the place was," Lewis said. "The McNeal Mansion was one of the most devastated buildings I've ever seen."

"Despite all of this ornate woodwork, there was nothing restorable," he said. "On the other hand, I was surprised by how much was still there. Inside and out, the building was solid stone. As devastated as it was, it was still standing."

"Anyone caught on the property will be charged and will be prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law," police Chief Alan Snow told the Burlington County Times in 2017.

"Trespassing on the McNeal Mansion is a very serious issue concerning public safety," he continued. "They're very dangerous properties. There are holes inside of these buildings, where you could drop a couple of floors at a time. There's sharp iron around the buildings. If someone were to trip, they could be seriously hurt."

The entire property has become reclaimed by nature, with debris and moss intruding into most rooms.

Lewis said he was surprised to find that although the roof had been damaged and was caving in in some areas, much of it was still intact when he photographed the mansion in 2016.

However, he explained that, as of 2021, most of the roof is now gone due to damage from fires at the property.

Fireplaces and arched doorways can be found throughout the property.

"I found my creative voice while photographing these abandoned properties," Lewis said. "I realized that this is not just local history, but it's New Jersey history, and needs to be preserved. Even though they've tried to restore the home, it's slated for demolition at this point."

After multiple fires, the home is now seemingly up for grabs again for developers who want to restore the property or simply demolish it.

"To my knowledge, the mansion is at the point now where you can't walk inside or you'll fall through the floors," Lewis said. "The roof is completely caved in ... even though it was once a beautiful structure, it's in really terrible shape."