A Hoarder’s House Full of Booby Traps: The Story of the Collyer Brothers

On March 21, 1947, New York’s 122nd Police Precinct receive an anonymous call that a strange smell is emanating from 2078 Fifth Avenue.

They arrive only to find the bodies of the Collyer brothers, Langley and Homer, buried underneath pounds of items. Over 100 tons worth of items filled the dilapidated house, but how did two sons of a wealthy family end up in such a tragic situation.

The History of the Collyer Family

In 1879, George J. Hamilton built a row of five brownstone houses in Harlem, NY. The Hamilton family occupied the corner house and 40 years later sold it to the Collyer family. Herman L.

Collyer, a Manhattan doctor, began working at Bellevue Hospital, which allowed him to pay for his wife, Susie, and their two sons to move into this beautiful building.

Langley Collyer Was In His Brother’s Shadow

Langley Wakeman Collyer was born in 1885, just four years after his brother, Homer. He attended Columbia University, where he studied engineering and chemistry.

He was the more vocal of the two brothers, and whenever reporters would stop by, he would speak to them, but not let them inside the house.

Homer Collyer

Homer Lusk Collyer, the older of the two, was born in 1881. He attended Columbia University with his brother, where he studied maritime law. Not many photos exist of Homer.

However, the above photo shows Homer arguing with police about the gas company wanting to remove gas meters from the house.

Secluding from society

Their father died in 1923, and their mother died six years later. The brothers, having never married or lived on their own, decided to stay in the house. However, two main catalysts forced them to stay inside.

First, was the brothers’ fear of Black people moving into Harlem. The second was Homer’s unexpected health problems.