Find your home at PhilaLandmarks! 4 historic houses, each with a unique story to tell. "Like" us and discover something new!
Founded in 1931 the Philadelphia Society for the Preservation of Landmarks (PhilaLandmarks) has actively restored and preserved four of our cities greatest treasures: Powel House, Grumblethorpe, Physick House, and Historic Waynesborough. We believe that historic preservation illustrates the value of what endures in our society, and that this inspires people to learn about history and engage with t
heir community. We respect the uniqueness of each of our historic properties, and believe that their different programs, priorities, and places in their communities create great value. We invite you to visit our beautiful houses:
Powel House, 244 South Third Street (Society Hill)
Grumblethorpe, 5267 Germantown Ave (Germantown)
Physick House, 321 South Fourth Street (Society Hill)
Join us for a spooky night on Wednesday, October 12th at 7PM at the Powel House as Josh Hitchens reads from his new book “Haunted History of Philadelphia.” This collection of stories covers haunts from Old City, to Fairmount, and out to Chestnut Hill, and even features the Powel House! Books are available for purchase and signing. Act fast! Only limited number of books available!
09/23/2022
Grumblethorpe Historic House & Garden will be at Cliveden and their site will be open during the festival! Grumblethorpe was the historic home of the Wister family. During the British occupation of Philadelphia, the Wisters – who were Quakers – left Philadelphia; Grumblethorpe was then used as British General Agnew’s headquarters during the Battle of Germantown.
At the Revolutionary Germantown Festival, visit Grumblethorpe’s table to learn about the Wisters, those who couldn’t leave Philadelphia, and what life was like during the occupation of Philadelphia. Grumblethorpe’s house and grounds will be open from 12pm to 4pm. Tour the house and gardens!
Thank you to Heritage & Historic Preservation - NPS for awarding us $200,525.00 through the Save America's Treasures grant program for the Waynesborough Roof Restoration Project! We think that Historic Waynesborough is a national treasure, too. ♥️
This project will restore the cedar shake roof, stabilize the main block and porch roof, and repoint the chimney stonework of the roof line. The preservation work in this project is vital to maintaining the ancestral home of General Anthony Wayne (1745-1796), a leading general of Washington's army and cabinet.
WASHINGTON – The National Park Service (NPS) in partnership with the National Endowment for the Arts, the National Endowment for the Humanities, and the Institute for Museum and Library Services today announced $24.25 million in Save America’s Treasures grants to fund 80 projects in 32 states an...
09/08/2022
Assessment day for Grumblethorpe with 💕 time to fix this old girl up. It doesn’t hurt that it is a beautiful day in Germantown, too.
We're excited to host some of our favorites from Tiny Dynamite again this season at the Hill-Physick and Powel Houses! Tickets to their upcoming theatrical season are available on their website at tinydynamite.org 🎭
Tiny Dynamite's 2022-23 roster offers audiences the opportunity to experience theater with an accessible approach, featuring three special pop-up performances in collaboration with PhilaLandmarks along with a fully-produced production at the Drake Theatre.
08/17/2022
This Sunday, August 21st from 11am-1pm, join on a photo walk through Historic Germantown, stopping at along the way! All are welcome — you do not have to be a photographer to join! RSVP through the link in our bio to attend the photo walk 📸
A thoughtful, lively and scholarly collection of essays that look at the women who interacted with Washington or were influenced by his legacy.
07/21/2022
Night Music is coming to ! Join us for the third concert in the PhilaLandmarks Early Music Series as presents “Summer Serenades” on Thursday, August 4th at 6PM. Bring a chair and picnic while you enjoy classical music on the lawn.
Link to tickets in the bio!
07/21/2022
Night Music is coming to ! Join us for the third concert in the PhilaLandmarks Early Music Series as presents “Summer Serenades” on Thursday, August 4th at 6PM. Bring a chair and picnic while you enjoy classical music on the lawn.
Link to tickets in the bio!
07/06/2022
Thank you to everyone who came out to Historic Waynesborough on Sunday to celebrate Independence Day! We are so delighted that we were able to share Historic Waynesborough, and its history, with so many members of our community.
We could not have pulled off such a fun and successful event without the help of Jeffrey A. Miller Catering, the Pennsylvania Society of Sons of the Revolution and their Color Guard, or our amazing House Committee members, volunteers, and staff.
Come visit us for free tours at Powel House from 11-3pm on July 1st
In the evening at 7pm, the The Chamber Orchestra of Philadelphia will be performing a free concert in our garden! Bring a lawn chair and a picnic basket and enjoy ”Benjamin Franklin’s Playlist”.
Annual series of celebrations leading up to Independence Day, held in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
06/14/2022
We’re celebrating by joining for the challenge!
PhilaLandmarks has a long history of celebrating Flag Day. Here are early PhilaLandmarks members celebrating at in 1932.
We are thrilled to announce that PhilaLandmarks has been awarded a $100,000 PHMC Keystone Historic Preservation Construction Grant for the Historic Waynesborough Restoration Project.
The Historic Waynesborough Restoration Project, with architectural plans from architect Daniel T. Campbell, AIA., includes replacing and restoring Waynesborough’s main block and addition roofs, porch roof, and bakehouse roof; restoring the soffits, cornices, cornice framing, structural stabilization on the main block and porch roof. In addition, adding modern structural support to the roof of the main block will ensure that the building is stabilized for many years to come.
We are super grateful to the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania for their support of this important project which will help PhilaLandmarks achieve the goal of replacing the roof to prevent moisture infiltration, to secure it against material decay and environmental threats and ultimately, protect and preserve the birthplace and home of General Anthony Wayne.
Thank you to the Society Hill Civic Association for their unwavering support of Hill-Physick House and Powel House. We appreciate your dedication to historic preservation!
The Philadelphia Society for the Preservation of Landmarks Executive Director, Kayla Anthony (right),and site manager for the Hill-Physick House, Megan Thibodeaux (left), receive two SHCA grants checks: $5,000 for the Hill-Physick House historic window repair project and $5,000 for the Powel House underground stormwater system pipe replacement project. (photo credit: Martha Levine)
05/31/2022
Opening this week!
Grumblethorpe Youth Farmstand opens this Saturday, June 4th 9:30am-1:30pm!
Make it your Saturday morning thing and support Germantown Farmers Markets. Eat Fresh, Eat Healthy, Eat Local!
Grumblethorpe Youth Farmstand is a nonprofit youth employment based urban farm and produce market with neighbors Philly Forests and Germantown Kitchen Garden Farm Stand and Plant Nursery. Support a local food system economy and nourish yourself this Summer at our local farmers markets.
Grumblethorpe is PhilaLandmarks Historic House in Historic Germantown with support for this season's operation, partnerships, and advertising made possible through an award from the American Public Gardens Association and U.S. Botanic Garden
So glad to see Grumblethorpe featured in this article!
From Wayne Junction to stately Cliveden, these are the best sites in Philadelphia’s Germantown, plus where to stop for coffee, jazz, and more.
05/11/2022
Missed out on the Hill-Physick Plant Sale or want even more plants for your garden?? 🌼🌿
Well, you’re in luck! is having a plant sale this Friday, May 13th from 4-7pm and Saturday, May 14th from 10am-2pm!
Come buy some flowers, herbs, and vegetable starts for your own garden, while supporting Grumblethorpe
Historic House & Gardens and our youth programs!
04/27/2022
Thank you to Philadelphia Cultural Fund for awarding us the 2022 Art & Culture Grant! This grant allows PhilaLandmarks to serve and nourish our community through art and culture — it especially allows us to continue our beloved Farmstand program, which connects Germantown youth with a summer job working on an urban farm to provide fresh food to their community. Mayor Jim Kenney PHLCouncil Councilmember Mark Squilla Cindy Bass Grumblethorpe
04/14/2022
Last night, we celebrated our 91st Annual Meeting at the Rosenbach Museum & Library — our first in-person annual meeting since 2019! Our members and staff were treated to a lovely evening in The Rosenbach’s garden, as well as to a private tour and access to some of their rare collections items. Thank you again to the staff at The Rosenbach and to Power Events for helping us throw a remarkable event for our very deserving members.
Want to attend our 92nd Annual Meeting? Become a member of PhilaLandmarks today!!
The Hill-Physick House is proud to be an integral part of Philadelphia’s rich medical history!
Philadelphia has a passion and appreciation for science and medicine because it is part of our history as home of the first hospital, medical school, women's medical school, children's hospital, medical society, medical library, college of pharmacy, first biomedical research institution and so much....
03/18/2022
🌸The Annual Hill-Physick House Spring Plant Sale is returning to the garden on Friday, April 29th & Saturday, April 30th!🌸
Come join us and shop a variety of hanging baskets, annuals, perennials and herbs to create stunning window boxes and gardens.
If you simply cannot wait until April to shop, we will be open for pre-orders soon, so stay tuned!!🌷
03/17/2022
“You will see from this list that places of interest and importance are to be found in every section of Philadelphia, but how long they will be found is another question. How many years will it take to educate the public to preserve landmarks?” - Frances Anne Wister
Today we recognize and celebrate the life and legacy of our founder, Frances Anne Wister, who died on this date in 1956. [Third from left]
03/09/2022
We recently acquired this William Birch (1755-1834) engraving, “View in Third Street, from Spruce Street Philadelphia” c.1799, which depicts the Powel House in the background. This Birch engraving, along with four others, was generously donated by Graham Arader, III.
03/04/2022
Come join us for a tour!!
Our two downtown historic house museums (Hill-Physick House & Powel House) will once again open their doors to public tours beginning tomorrow, Saturday, March 5th!
*Please note, both museums will only be conducting tours on Saturdays (from 11:00 A.M. - 3:00 P.M.) and Sundays (from 12:00 P.M. - 3:00 P.M.) through the end of March. All tours begin promptly on the hour. Beginning in April, we will be open for tours Thursday-Sunday.
[Hill-Physick photo by ]
12/24/2021
This yeasted Christmas cake recipe is part of collection. In a time before standard baking measurements and oven temperatures, ingredients were measured in pounds and you had to bake in a “smart oven,” which means something a little different now.
Have a happy and safe holiday from all of us at PhilaLandmarks!
12/10/2021
Thank you to all who supported and attended the 2021 Powel Holiday Party! We are delighted to, once again, continue this tradition and ring in the Holiday Season alongside our friends and neighbors.
We owe a special thanks to the Powel House Committee for their hard work, which made Sunday evening possible, as well as to for their joyous caroling! 🎄🍾
12/04/2021
Thanks for the shout out, The Daily Antiquarian!
"Waynesborough," erected in five steps between 1724 and 1902, is today a large stone gable-roofed house with a U-shaped plan. The oldest postion, now the west or left wing, was built by Anthony Wayne's grandfather in 1724. This wing is a two-story stone structure with gable roof that is about 20 feet wide and 18 feet deep. The center and main section of the existing house was built in 1735. About 40 feet wide and 33 feet deep, the stone center is two-and-one-half stories high and has a gabled and dormered roof with two interior chimneys. The first story of the east or right stone wing was added in 1792 and its second story in 1860. The wing, also covered with a gable roof, is about 17 feet wide and 32 feet deep. On the north, or rear, end of the east wing is the small final addition to the house, which dates from 1902. The east service wing contains the kitchen, breakfast room, laundry and storage rooms.
—National Register Nomination
• • •
Historic Waynesborough, Paoli, Chester County, Pennsylvania.
11/30/2021
Giving Tuesday is a worldwide celebration of generosity. We ask that you extend your generosity to PhilaLandmarks and help us continue to bring life to our historic buildings and communities. Your support helps PhilaLandmarks continue to preserve our four houses, educate visitors, and provide educational and cultural programming. We are grateful to our community and all you do to support our work!
Giving Tuesday is a worldwide celebration of generosity. We ask that you extend your generosity to PhilaLandmarks to help us continue to bring life to our historic buildings and communities. Your support helps PhilaLandmarks continue to preserve our four houses, educate visitors, and provide educational and cultural programming. We are grateful to our community and all you do to support our work!
Prize #3:
-Selection of six (6) bottles of the finest Pinot Noir wines from around the world: Burgundy, France; Chile; Sonoma, California; Oregon; and, Germany.
The Drawing for Prize #4 will be on: Monday, November 15th at approx. 3:00 P.M
11/03/2021
Spread cheer this holiday season by decorating with festive plants! 🎄✨
The Hill-Physick House Poinsettia Sale is accepting orders now through Friday, Nov. 19th. Pre-order on our website, link in bio 👆🏻
Decorate AND do good by supporting the Hill-Physick House and purchase your plants this holiday season from PhilaLandmarks!
Pre-Orders will be available for pickup on Dec. 3rd, 10am-3pm at the Hill-Physick House.
Prize #2:
-A $300 voucher for tickets to any performance at the Kimmel Center venues: Kimmel Center, Academy of Music, and the Merriam Theater (excluding the Philadelphia Orchestra).
-A $200 gift card to any Jose Garces Restaurant (including Volvér
The Drawing for Prize #3 will be on: Monday, November 8th at approx. 3:00 P.M
Prize #1:
-$150 gift card for the Starr Restaurant Group
-$150 gift card for Schulson Collective
-Plus, 4 bottles of fine wines: 2 red & 2 white
The Drawing for Prize #2 will be on: Monday, November 1st at approx. 3:00 P.M.
10/22/2021
Just a note for everyone who has participated in the Hill-Physick Wine & Dine Raffle - - we have moved the Facebook live drawings for each prize to the Monday following the date on the Raffle Sheet. Thus, our first drawing will be this Monday, October 25th at approximately 3:00 PM.
Thank you and Good luck!
10/16/2021
Spooky stories and seasonal treats? Yes, please! Come out to next Sunday October 24 to hear ghost stories in the house. Seasonal snacks and crafts are available after the family-friendly tour. Tickets can be found on our website.
10/08/2021
Two weeks ago, we celebrated the 90th Anniversary of the founding of PhilaLandmarks! We could not have made it to this milestone without our founder, Frances Anne Wister, or without our many generous donors and sponsors.
Thank you to everyone who has helped make the last 90 years possible - - your generous donations over the years have made the 2016 Hill-Physick Roof project and the 2020 Powel House Restoration project possible! Your support of PhilaLandmarks allows us to continue our mission with capital campaign projects, like the upcoming restoration projects on Grumblethorpe and Historic Waynesborough.
Lastly, we owe a huge thank you to our staff, Board, House Committees, and Sponsors, as well as, DiBruno Brothers, Ocean Tents & Party Rentals, Jeffrey A. Miller Catering, Love 'n Fresh Flowers, PAPERTINI, John Milner Architects, Inc., The Franklin Quartet, and Denise Fike Designs, for helping us throw a fabulous party.
Cheers to many more years! 🥂
10/02/2021
Come and join us at Grumblethorpe today for the Revolutionary Germantown Festival! We are open for house and garden tours from 12-4 to share with you some lesser known stories of the Revolution.
09/30/2021
On September 29, 1793, Samuel Powel died of Yellow Fever. As Speaker of the Pennsylvania Senate, Powel saw himself as an essential worker and necessary to the city’s functioning. Despite urging from George Washington and Powel’s wife Elizabeth, Powel stayed in Philadelphia to serve the city in a time of crisis. 10% of Philadelphia’s inhabitants died and 40% fled the city in a span of only four months. Washington Square Park was the mass grave of the epidemic’s victims. Baltimore and New York refused Philadelphia refugees and placed a quarantine on all incoming goods. Philadelphia suffered outbreaks of the epidemic again in 1797, 1798, and 1799; Baltimore in 1794; and New York in 1791, 1795, and 1798. In 1881, Carlos Finlay, a Cuban doctor, discovered that mosquitos were the cause of Yellow Fever, inspired by Dr. Benjamin Rush’s notes from the 1793 epidemic.
Yellow Fever is a highly communicable virus spread by the Aedes aegypti mosquito. The virus is spread through the bite of the mosquito from infected humans or primates to other hosts. Symptoms of Yellow Fever include fever, chills, headaches, vomiting, and fatigue. Severe symptoms include high fever, yellowed skin, bleeding, shock, and organ failure. There is not a cure for Yellow Fever, so prevention is the only way to avoid the disease. Insect repellant, long clothes, and a single dose of the Yellow Fever vaccine developed 80 years ago is the reason Yellow Fever is a very rare disease for US travelers today.
Happy to see our Grumblethorpe youth programs featured in the Chestnut Hill Local! We are SO proud of our incredible Grumblethorpe Youth Volunteers and Staff.
Congrats to another wonderful year of farm stand!
If you know any teens looking for an awesome after school program, please reach out to our GYV Mentor, Margaret at [email protected] !
Grumblethorpe offers opportunities for young people to get involved with programs that local schools can participate in.
08/12/2021
Join us THIS SATURDAY at Grumblethorpe! Tour the house and gardens between noon and 4pm and don't forget to stop by the Grumblethorpe Farmstand and Chef Gail's cooking demonstration!
Be the first to know and let us send you an email when PhilaLandmarks posts news and promotions. Your email address will not be used for any other purpose, and you can unsubscribe at any time.
Videos
Hill-Physick Wine & Dine Raffle - Prize #4 Drawing
Prize #4:
-$250 DiBruno's Gourmet Gift Basket, including a bottle of wine
-$250 gift card for Williams Sonoma
-One bottle of wine from Italy
Hill-Physick Wine & Dine Raffle - Prize #3 Drawing
Prize #3:
-Selection of six (6) bottles of the finest Pinot Noir wines from around the world: Burgundy, France; Chile; Sonoma, California; Oregon; and, Germany.
The Drawing for Prize #4 will be on: Monday, November 15th at approx. 3:00 P.M
Hill-Physick Wine & Dine Raffle - Prize 2
Prize #2:
-A $300 voucher for tickets to any performance at the Kimmel Center venues: Kimmel Center, Academy of Music, and the Merriam Theater (excluding the Philadelphia Orchestra).
-A $200 gift card to any Jose Garces Restaurant (including Volvér
The Drawing for Prize #3 will be on: Monday, November 8th at approx. 3:00 P.M
Hill-Physick Wine & Dine Raffle - Prize #1 Drawing
Prize #1:
-$150 gift card for the Starr Restaurant Group
-$150 gift card for Schulson Collective
-Plus, 4 bottles of fine wines: 2 red & 2 white
The Drawing for Prize #2 will be on: Monday, November 1st at approx. 3:00 P.M.
Filament Rehearsal for PLEMS 2021
🎶Tickets are going fast for the last Early Music Concert of the Season!🎶 Get your tickets now for Filament’s concert next week in the Powel House Garden!! Here’s a 👀 and a 👂🏻of Filament rehearsing 🎼🎻 Info and tickets in bio. #earlymusic #gardenconcert #oldcityphilly #visitphilly #historichousemuseum
Our second Early Music concert is underway!
Our first Early Music concert is on! If you couldn’t make it, join us for our next program on September 3rd!
POSTPONED! Tonight’s PLEMS concert featuring Night Music has been postponed to this Sunday, August 9th.
🎶Tickets are still available! 🎶https://www.philalandmarks.org/philalandmarks-early-music-series
On the bright side, at least it wasn’t COVID-19 that postponed this event.
Help PhilaLandmarks support the 43rd Regiment of Foot's encampment at Grumblethorpe during the 2019 Revolutionary Germantown Festival & Oktoberfest!
The British 43rd Regiment of Foot is taking over the grounds of Grumblethorpe and camping out on Friday & Saturday nights. They need hay to keep their 18th Century-style bedding warm & dry and firewood for the campfire during the chilly night.
On Saturday morning October 5th @ 8:30am, our resident occupiers will be joined by even more reenactors as they muster in front of Grumblethorpe for the march up Germantown Avenue to Cliveden to partake in The Battle!
Join the 43rd after the battle back at Grumblethorpe's Oktoberfest for celebrations and revelry.
#revgtown, #grumblethorpe, #RGFOktoberfest
It’s time! The incredibly talented The Franklin Quartet is back performing tonight at the Powel House as a trio with special guest artist Eve Friedman!
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#philalandmarksearlymusicseries #historichousemuseum #classicalmusic #earlymusic #strings #18thcenturysalon #powelhouse #franklinquartet #jamcatering #violin #cello #viola #periodinstruments #traverso #mozart #foundingfatherswerehere
The Musick Art is rehearsing for our first concert of the season this THURSDAY at Hill-Physick House ! The concert is pay-what-you-wish with interspersed educational commentary and a complimentary wine and cheese reception with the musicians. RSVP at https://www.eventbrite.com/e/philalandmarks-early-music-series-the-players-fancy-by-the-musick-art-tickets-53657775852 !
#philalandmarksearlymusicseries #classicalmusic #strings #historichousemuseum #17thcentury #purcell #jenkins #gibbons #locke #18thcenturysalon
PhilaLandmarks Early Music Series: The Player's Fancy by the Musick Art
Our Early Music Series opens NEXT week! Catch a video of the Musick Art rehearsing for our opening concert below!
Come along on a journey across the pond, back east to England and back in time to the 17th-century. It was a time of brilliant musical fantasy, a time when violins, viols, and their plucked keyboard companions merged and mingled and gave life to music of incredible, even outrageous, beauty and expressive power. Join The Musick Art for an evening of these poignant, colorful, sometimes bittersweet tunes sure to engage the mind, tease the ear, and spark the imagination in the historic Hill-Physick House!
Feb 7th | 7:30-9:30PM
Hill-Physick House, 321 S. 4th Street
Pay what you wish! $25 suggested donation!
Chamber music concert, interspersed educational commentary by the artists and wine and cheese reception by Jeffrey Miller Catering.
https://www.eventbrite.com/e/philalandmarks-early-music-series-the-players-fancy-by-the-musick-art-tickets-53657775852
The beautiful Hill-Physick House garden. Springtime in Philadelphia sure is picturesque. Philadelphia -- visitphilly.com #HistoricPhilly
By, George!
Don’t miss the last concert of the PhilaLandmarks Early Music Series featuring @franklinquartet tomorrow night! April 12th at 7:30pm at the Powel House! Tickets available here: PhilaLandmarks Early Music Series | "By, George" by Franklin Quartet 🎼 #stringquartet #classicalmusic #18thcenturymusic #historicphilly #powelhouse #bygeorges #kinggeorgesofengland
Take a look at the Hill-Physick House's BEAUTIFUL new roof! This restoration was a long time coming and we couldn't be happier with the results! Special thanks to John Milner Architects, Inc., John D Reynolds Carpentry, the William Dietrich Foundation, and the Hill-Physick House Committee for making this project possible!
Sea Dogs arriving!
General Agnew has died!
There is nothing wrong with your smart phone. Do not attempt to adjust your screen. We are controlling transmission. This is a INSTAGRAM TAKEOVER. @hiddencityphila #battlebash2017
Listen to our Grumblethorpe Youth Volunteer president, Michaela Benjamin, discuss the Equality Day event at Grumblethorpe on G-town Radio this morning. Her vision is for all, no matter your background, to feel like equals at Grumblethorpe.
We are SO excited to be partnering with @homebrewedevents to present the "Paris in Summertime" garden party at the Hill-Physick House!
Hope to see you there on 7/13!
(Remember: PhilaLandmarks members get 20% off of this event! Keep an eye out in your email for more details coming soon!)
https://www.facebook.com/events/143285359565315??ti=ia
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#hillphysickhouse #philalandmarks #homebrewedevents #summertimeinparis #summertimeinphilly #craftbeer #craftcocktails
Founded in 1931 the Philadelphia Society for the Preservation of Landmarks (PhilaLandmarks) has actively restored and preserved four of our cities greatest treasures: Powel House, Grumblethorpe, Physick House, and Historic Waynesborough. We believe that historic preservation illustrates the value of what endures in our society, and that this inspires people to learn about history and engage with their community. We respect the uniqueness of each of our historic properties, and believe that their different programs, priorities, and places in their communities create great value.
For over eighty-seven years, The Philadelphia Society for the Preservation of Landmarks (PhilaLandmarks) has played a significant role in the historic preservation movement in Philadelphia by restoring, furnishing and presenting to the public its distinguished house museums.
The founding of PhilaLandmarks is an interesting story. In 1930, the Philadelphia Chapter of the American Institute of Architects undertook a Survey of "Old Philadelphia" to document details of all the important historic buildings. Within the first few months of the survey process architect H.L. Duhring alerted Frances Anne Wister of the fact that the historic Powel House might be headed for demolition to make way for a taxi cab parking lot. The long-time owner of the Powel House, Wolf Klebansky, was infirm. His nephew, acting as Klebansky's agent, invited people to tour the house prior to its being razed. In December of 1930 they toured the house and found most of the woodwork gone, the plaster cracked and falling, and the rear of the house open to the elements.
Frances A. Wister wrote:
"The plight of the mansion, far from deterring us, aroused a determination to save it...rooms of noble proportions, and the last house in the "Old City" where Washington was a frequent guest. It would have been a crime to destroy this historic mansion where the feet of so many patriots trod; a place which was the center for all the important people of the time in national and local history."
And so on February 27, 1931, Frances Anne Wister called the first meeting of The Philadelphia Society for the Preservation of Landmarks at the house of the Colonial Dames on Latimer Street. Her purpose was to rouse a group of strong supporters to save the Powel House. In attendance were members of many old Philadelphia families including well-known names such as Biddle, Barnes, Curtis and Lippincott. The group quickly raised the money to purchase the house as well as the property next door for $30,000 in May of 1931. They also persuaded private owners to return original parts of the house, including interior woodwork in storage at the Philadelphia Museum of Art.
In 1940, PhilaLandmarks took title of France's ancestral home, Grumblethorpe in Germantown, which had been owned by an independent group of 35 Wister heirs. It underwent a major restoration from 1956 to 1967, to become a museum focused on 18th-C Germantown history. Towards the end of the Grumblethorpe restoration period, PhilaLandmarks was approached by Ambassador and Mrs. Walter H. Annenberg about a house located a few blocks from Powel House in the now revitalized "Society Hill" neighborhood. Once owned by Frances' younger cousin Elsie Wister Keith, it was the sole-surviving freestanding Federal townhouse in the area. With support from the Annebergs, several Physick descendents, and prominent neighbors, the property was completely restored to the American Neoclassical style of resident Dr. Physick. It opened as a museum in in 1965.
In 1980 Easttown Township in Chester County purchased the farm estate of General Anthony Wayne with help from the National Trust for Historic Preservation and the Pennsylvania Historical and Museum Commission. PhilaLandmarks became a partner as the administrators of a newly opened house museum in 1981, along with the Anthony Wayne Foundation and (later) the Friends of Historic Waynesborough.
We invite you to visit our beautiful houses:
Powel House, 244 South Third Street (Society Hill)
Grumblethorpe, 5267 Germantown Ave (Germantown)
Physick House, 321 South Fourth Street (Society Hill)
Historic Waynesborough, 2049 Waynesborough Road (Paoli)
Grumblethorpe Historic House & Garden will be at Cliveden and their site will be open during the festival! Grumblethorpe was the historic home of the Wister family. During the British occupation of Philadelphia, the Wisters – who were Quakers – left Philadelphia; Grumblethorpe was then used as British General Agnew’s headquarters during the Battle of Germantown.
At the Revolutionary Germantown Festival, visit Grumblethorpe’s table to learn about the Wisters, those who couldn’t leave Philadelphia, and what life was like during the occupation of Philadelphia. Grumblethorpe’s house and grounds will be open from 12pm to 4pm. Tour the house and gardens!
Grumblethorpe Historic House & Garden will be at Cliveden and their site will be open during the festival! Grumblethorpe was the historic home of the Wister family. During the British occupation of Philadelphia, the Wisters – who were Quakers – left Philadelphia; Grumblethorpe was then used as British General Agnew’s headquarters during the Battle of Germantown.
At the Revolutionary Germantown Festival, visit Grumblethorpe’s table to learn about the Wisters, those who couldn’t leave Philadelphia, and what life was like during the occupation of Philadelphia. Grumblethorpe’s house and grounds will be open from 12pm to 4pm. Tour the house and gardens!
Independence Historical Trust is pleased to introduce our newest team member and Director of Development, Jonathan Burton!
Jonathan Burton recently returned to the Philadelphia area after living in Colorado while his wife earned her doctorate degree. While in Denver he completed a Master of Science degree in Nonprofit Leadership from the University of Denver. Before leaving for Colorado in 2019, Jonathan was the Executive Director for the Philadelphia Society for the Preservation of Landmarks (PhilaLandmarks) for six years and managed the Powel House Museum on 3rd Street. He previously served on the Rutgers University-Camden advisory council for the historic preservation certification program at the Mid-Atlantic Regional Center for the Humanities and is a past grant reviewer for the Philadelphia Cultural Fund. Jonathan also served on the board of the Elfreth's Alley Association (Elfreth's Alley Museum).
Welcome, Jonathan!
🌸 Orchestra in the Garden returns on June 2nd for another series of open-air concerts in Philadelphia's most stunning garden spaces. Hear Vivaldi, Mozart, Handel, and more in 5 different locations throughout June.
Can't wait for year 2! Natural Lands PhilaLandmarks Bartram's Garden Christ Church, Philadelphia
Over 20 will be featured in , which include Reading Terminal Market, Hill-Physick House, The Athenaeum of Philadelphia, The Woodlands, and the Stenton Museum!
Over 20 will be featured in , which include Reading Terminal Market, Hill-Physick House, The Athenaeum of Philadelphia, The Woodlands, and the Stenton Museum!
Learn about these Wister Sisters in this month's podcast and their impact on Philadelphia: from SEPTA - iseptaphilly.com 's Broad Street Line, to PhilaLandmarks, and even PECO !
Grumblethorpe (5267 Germantown Avenue) will be open 12pm to 4pm for the Revolutionary Germantown Festival! Grumblethorpe was the home of the Quaker Wister family, who left Philadelphia during the British occupation in 1777. The home was then used by British General James Agnew as his headquarters during the Battle of Germantown. Visitors will learn about the people who were not able to leave the city, what their lives were like during British occupation, and are encouraged to take tours of the house and gardens. PhilaLandmarks
Grumblethorpe (5267 Germantown Avenue) will be open 12pm to 4pm for the Revolutionary Germantown Festival! Grumblethorpe was the home of the Quaker Wister family, who left Philadelphia during the British occupation in 1777. The home was then used by British General James Agnew as his headquarters during the Battle of Germantown. Visitors will learn about the people who were not able to leave the city, what their lives were like during British occupation, and are encouraged to take tours of the house and gardens. PhilaLandmarks
George Washington's Mount Vernon and PhilaLandmarks discuss the remarkable friendship of George Washington and Elizabeth Powel. The members-only livestream is now available to the public for replay.
We're connected to Powel House not only through George Washington but also through the Wallace and Maddox family. With the kind permission of Philadelphia Landmarks, reproductions of family portraits of John and Mary Wallace and Mary and Joshua Maddox that are now in the collection at Powel House are on view here in our historic house at Wallace House & Old Dutch Parsonage State Historic Sites where their subjects walked and lived.
Watch one of our recent members-only livestreams with the Washington Library's Samantha Snyder and Kayla Anthony, Executive Director of PhilaLandmarks, on the intimate friendship between the Powels & the Washingtons. Click the link below to watch it now, and learn more about our members-only livestreams at mountvernon.org/memberperks
🚨 Due to the chance of rain, today’s PhilaLandmarks’ History of Plague in Philadelphia: Walking Tour has been rescheduled for Sunday, November 1. Please check with PhilaLandmarks for more information.
Curious to find out what it was like in 1793 when Philadelphia was overcome with the Yellow Fever plague?
Join PhilaLandmarks and Christ Church, Philadelphia for an educational walking tour highlighting the horrors of the devastating Yellow Fever Epidemic of 1793. You will explore the impacts of the fever in Philadelphia by visiting the Hill-Physick House, Powel House, Dr. Rush's House, Washington Square Park, Christ Church Burial Ground, and more!
Tomorrow’s PhilaLandmarks' History of Plague in Philadelphia: Walking Tour is sold out! But you can still get tickets for their next tour on Sunday, October 25. Go to philalandmarks.com/events for more info and tickets!
Sharing from PhilaLandmarks. Grumblethorpe will be open this Saturday from 12 pm to 4 pm! Visit Grumblethorpe to learn about people who were not able to leave Philadelphia before the British occupation in 1777 and join in on the discussion of neutrality in times of uncertainty and crisis. See below for more information.