Historic Germantown, Philadelphia

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National Historic Landmark–Cobblestone road!

(This is a more extensive post as it was a 2-day trip, but I think if you stay with it, you will find it interesting and informative.)

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Gardens at Wyck

Many people would not think of Germantown as a tourist destination, and although in recent decades there have been urban problems plaguing this part of Philadelphia, it also contains a wealth of beauty, charm, and historicity.  Once one of the most prominent neighborhoods in Philadelphia, there have been a large number of historic architectural gems preserved giving us a glimpse into its grand past.  There is a non-profit organization called “Freedom’s Backyard” which is a collaboration of 16 historical houses, destinations, and museums in Germantown.  This was an extremely helpful aid in facilitating the planning of this trip.  They even sell a family (of 4) package that is good for one year which gives you admission to all the sites.  I had personal interest in Germantown because both sides of my family originated here.  My maternal grandfather grew up in Germantown, and was the one who urged me to visit, as I share a love of history with him.  My paternal grandparents emigrated there from Germany in the 1930’s.  So it was a return to my roots that prompted me to go, but as I began to research, I realized what a fascinating trip this would be.  I planned a 2-day trip to cover as much as possible, but a day trip would be fine too, picking out a few of the highlights. A school field trip could cover 2 or 3 sites. We only took the two older children since we thought their attention spans could handle a trip of this nature.  We were delighted with their enthusiasm and interest, they exceeded our expectations! Take advantage of your child’s enormous capacity to learn.

The most prominent feature of Germantown is the main road, called Germantown Avenue, it is the only road in the United States to be a National Historic Landmark!  It is cobbled with inlaid railroad tracks, leftover from the mid-nineteenth century.  Most of the historic sites are located along this road making it easy to travel between sites by foot once you’ve arrived.   I will give a brief synopsis of each site we visited and mention a few more we did not have time for.  It is my hope you will be inspired to explore this little known gem in Philadelphia!

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Gardens at Stenton

Stenton—one of the earliest and best preserved historic homes in Philadelphia, it was built in 1727 for James Logan who was the secretary to William Penn.  It remained in the family for six generations, largely unaltered and well preserved, although the neighborhoods around Stenton have deteriorated making the estate and surrounding gardens a beautiful oasis in an otherwise questionable area.  This was the only site a bit far away from the rest of Germantown and I suggest driving to it; fortunately it has some on-site free parking.  The tour was interesting and thorough giving us a good idea of mid eighteenth century life for the upper crust of society at the time.  We learned how an African servant girl saved it from being burned down by British soldiers during the Revolution by her quick thinking and ingenuity!

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China collections at Wyck

Wyck—an eclectic collection of personal items, this home sheltered nine generations of the Wistar-Haines family…nearly three centuries!  The home was altered many times over the years but retains its historical feel.  The grounds contain a 150-year old rose garden, one of the oldest continually cultivated flower gardens in America!  On a beautiful day, this is a terrific place to relax and take in the beauty.  Peak season for the garden is in late May and early June.  The house tour was quick and casual, but worthwhile.  We learned about the family’s interest in china, as they have a vast collection of china from many different time periods.  We had lunch next door at a cute family run burger joint called “The Sugar Bowl.”  We also got milkshakes later in the afternoon after walking around, since it was a warm day.

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Ebenezer-Maxwell Mansion

Ebenezer-Maxwell Mansion—Philadelphia’s only authentically restored Victorian era home, built in 1859, this home is representative of the many country estates built in Germantown when the rail line came to the city in the 1830’s.  This allowed wealthy business men to live in the suburbs and commute to work.  The area surrounding this mansion is the Tulpehocken Historic District and is worth a walk through, as each home has unique architectural details and beautifully landscaped grounds.  The highlight of this house tour was the large, detailed girl’s dollhouse on the second floor.  My children noticed how vastly different the interior decorating compared to the colonial homes we visited.  (My grandfather’s cousin led the restoration efforts in the 1950’s, so there was a personal connection here for me!)

Chestnut Hill Historic District—just a short drive North, on Germantown Avenue, is the lovely, quaint upscale community of Chestnut Hill.  We came here to look around and eat dinner at the Iron Hill Brewery.  The downtown area hosts an abundance of cute, eclectic shops and restaurants, making it the perfect place for an evening stroll.  There is plenty of free side street parking, and the walk to our car was a feast for the eyes with all of the adorable Victorian twin houses!  (As a side note, the Morris Arboretum is located in this town—this would be a day trip in and of itself, similar to Longwood Gardens!)

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Concord School

Concord School and Burying Grounds—one of the early schools in Germantown, built on the eve of the American Revolution. It was a simple, one-room school house educating both boys and girls.  In the early 1800’s, a second story was added to provide room for local civic organizations to meet.  The Burying Grounds were established in 1692 as one of two places the early settlers used to bury their dead.  The oldest tombstone dates to 1716, although there were many burials previous to that whose records have been lost.  This site can be seen by private tour only and we had a very enthusiastic and knowledgeable guide who gave us many details (more than I needed, but the kids later said it was one of their favorite spots!!) It is a quiet, peaceful spot in the city good for reflecting on what life looked like hundreds of years ago.  The children enjoyed learning about what school was like for 18th century children, and they allowed us to sit at the desks and touch anything we wanted to!

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Mennonite Meetinghouse

Germantown Mennonite Meetinghouse—Built in 1770, it replaces an earlier log structure dating to 1708 on the same site, making it the oldest Mennonite meeting in America!  The main point of interest is a table supposedly used for the signing of the first formal petition against slavery in the new world in 1688, initiated by German Quakers who were disturbed that many English Quakers chose to own slaves (William Penn included). This site can only be seen by private appointment and it is best to contact someone through “Freedom’s Backyard.”  We saw this in conjunction with the Concord School as it was close by and a quick tour.

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Cliveden

Cliveden—By far the most iconic and authentic historical site in Germantown, this is a must-see if you visit!  For two centuries, this home was owned by the Benjamin Chew family, the patriarch was an influential and leading figure in early Philadelphia.  Cliveden was his country home, a peaceful retreat from the busy downtown.  The home has been maintained to give a sense of continuity and history, containing many valuable family pieces.  What makes Cliveden so special is that it is the only spot in Philadelphia where a battle took place during the American Revolution!  The British had seized the home and fired upon the advancing continental army.  Today you can still see the bullet holes in the stone exterior, the evidence of cannon fire on the front steps, and even several clean holes in the interior walls!  We took a public tour and learned many fascinating stories about the family and also the battle.  There’s even a 1950’s kitchen to tour, added by a recent descendent before the home was turned over to an historical trust.

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Rittenhousetown

Rittenhousetown—this is the oldest house in Germantown, built in 1690 and established as the first papermaking mill in British North America!  Much of the appeal of this site is the chance to experience what a majority of the homes looked like in early Germantown.  Now most have been either demolished or altered beyond recognition.  The rural setting of Rittenhousetown has also been preserved due to bordering Fairmount Park, and there are hiking trails going right past the site which could be utilized as well.  Unfortunately we were not able to take a tour as we went the end of May and their official tour season does not begin until June.  However the children enjoyed walking the grounds and playing in the peaceful creek that runs through the property. I will warn you though that parking was a nightmare as it is directly off Lincoln Drive which is narrow and people speed on this road.  Most of the parking spots were taken as there were a lot of hikers on the Saturday we went.  I would suggest calling ahead for specific parking directions!  You will not be able to walk here from the other sites as it is just outside the city.

Other sites include The Johnson House (interpreted as an underground railroad museum), Grumblethorpe (a 1744 Colonial German country seat), Deshler-Morris House (George Washington made this his summer home for a couple of years, otherwise known as the “Germantown White House”), Awbury Arboretum (Quaker home of Francis Cope and surrounding 55-acre landscape), and more!

Hours:  vary from site to site, but tours are generally from around 12noon -4pm

A good time to go is on Second Saturdays of the month from May to October, all 16 sites are open and typically more special events are happening.

Admission: pre-purchase a “Passport” for either an individual ($25) or family ($45).  This gives you admission to all sites, definitely a good deal if you are doing multiple sites. Otherwise you can just walk up and pay admission at each site.

Historic Germantown Preserved “Freedom’s Backyard”

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Kids looking at artwork at Stenton

5501 Germantown Avenue

Philadelphia, PA 19144
215-844-1683

See www.freedomsbackyard.com  and www.visitphilly.com for many more details, including individual site information!

Day Tripper Mom

Jeanette Knaub is a wife and an at-home mom to four children; Jackson (17), Eliana (15), Amalia (13), and Lilah (8). During the school year, she works part time as a Classroom Aide. In what little spare time is left, she enjoys volunteering at church and community organizations, reading, running, and of course researching and blogging about her family’s next trip!

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