Ebenezer Maxwell Mansion
a historic neighborhood
the arts, theater, and other attractions
schools and education in Germantown
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A Historic Neighborhood
Originally a separate city from Philadelphia, Germantown retains its historic flavor. During the 18th Century, it provided refuge from epidemics in the city for those who could move. It was the site of the Battle of Germantown, a pivotal engagement in the Revolutionary War. Germantown is one of the oldest racially-integrated neighborhoods in the country, and Germantown residents were active in the anti-Slavery movement and the Underground Railroad. Today, visitors can gain insights into 18th-century life by stopping at the historic houses. They can learn more about the neighborhood's fascinating history by visiting the Germantown Historical Society.
Visit Germantown United CDC's Directory of Businesses and Other Germantown Highlights
A Partial List of Germantown Historical Sites
| Contact Information | Notes |
The Colored Girls Museum is a memoir museum, which honors the stories, experiences, and history of Colored Girls. This museum initiates the ordinary” object—submitted by the colored girl herself, as representative of an aspect of her story and personal history, which she finds meaningful. |
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| Aces Museum 5801 Germantown Ave. Philadelphia PA 215-842-3742 |
The ACES Museum honors Black and minority veterans of World War II and is home to Parker Hall, which served as an unofficial USO and entertainment hall for black soldiers in World War II. In addition, it offers a range of educational and community-oriented programming. |
| Black Writers Museum Vernon House Vernon Park in Germantown 267.297.3078 |
The mission of the Black Writers Museum is to provide a venue and forum for the public to explore, celebrate, and experience the wonders of writing and reading through the exhibition and study of Black Literature.Ê Our mission is to inspire and cultivate another generation of writers, public speakers and literary giants that will tell the story of history as seen through their eyes and expressed in their vernacular. |
| Cliveden 6401 Germantown Ave. Philadelphia, PA 19144 215-848-1777 |
Built in 1767 by Benjamin Chew, Cliveden is richly furnished with Philadelphia period furniture. It was the center of the Battle of Germantown. |
| Concord School 6308 Germantown Ave, Philadelphia, PA 19144 215-848-4579 |
The Concord School House, the first English-language subscription school in Germantown, was opened to students in October, 1775. Anyone who could afford the fee could enroll their children, including African-American families. |
| Deshler Morris House and Garden 5442 Germantown Ave. Philadelphia, PA 19144 215-596-1748 |
The "Germantown White House," built in 1772. Deshler Morris was home to George Washington and his family in 1793-94 during a Yellow Fever epidemic in Philadelphia. (Closed for rehabilitation as of September, 2007.) |
| Ebenezer Maxwell House and Garden 200 W. Tulpehocken St. Philadelphia, PA 19144 215-438-1861 |
Built in 1859, this is Philadelphia's only mid-19th-century house museum. It is surrounded by a recreated Victorian garden. |
| Germantown Historical Society 5503 Germantown Ave. Philadelphia, PA 19144 215-844-0514 |
An excellent resource on historic Germantown. Exhibits may include period clothing, artifacts, and first editions of books. Archives and other materials also available for research. |
| Grumblethorpe House and Garden 5267 Germantown Ave. Philadelphia, PA 19144 215-843-4820 |
An excellent example of "Germantown Georgian"style, this house includes an upstairs bedroom furnished with the effects of Owen Wister, author of The Virginian. |
| Happy Hollow Playground (Est. April 29, 1911) City of Philadelphia Parks and Recreation Dept., Wayne Ave and Logan St., lower Germantown |
nfluenced by the Playground movement of 1905 , Mr. E.W. Clark, a prominent Philadelphian, purchased five acres of former quarry land with the intention of making it a playground after a young child drowned. He hired George T. Pearson a well-known architect to design the main building. It was known originally as the Quarry Playground House, completed in 1910 and still in use today. Mrs. Clark named the playground Happy Hollow. The Clark’s donated the state-of-the-art facility, to the Playground Association of Philadelphia. The opening of the Happy Hollow Playground was announced April 29, 1911. It is documented to be the city’s oldest playground/recreation center. Research substantiates that it was in fact the first recreation center in the state. We are now in the process of filing for a state historic marker. |
| Historic Germantown |
Historic Germantown has a relaxed, backyard feel. But our history wasn't always that way. It's where Philadelphia's only Revolutionary War battle was fought. Where the first-ever American protest against slavery was written. Where one of the few remaining houses on the Underground Railroad still stands. And where the story of every kind of freedom is told – in uniquely personal terms. |
| Johnson House 6133 Germantown Ave. Philadelphia, PA 19144 215-438-1768 |
An Underground Railroad station, now a Mennonite museum. |
| Historic Rittenhouse Town 206 Lincoln Drive Philadelphia, PA 19144 (215) 438-5711 information@rittenhousetown.org |
Historic RittenhouseTown, the site where William Rittenhouse founded the first paper mill in British North America and where his grandson David Rittenhouse, patriot and scientist was born, is dedicated to the preservation and interpretation of this National Historic Landmark. |
| Mennonite Meeting HouseGermantown Ave. Philadelphia, PA 19144 |
A well-preserved Mennonite church from the colonial period. |
| Stenton Museum 18th St. and Windrim Ave. Philadelphia, PA 19144 215-379-7312 |
Worth an afternoon's visit. |
| Tulpehocken Station Historic District Tulpehocken-Walnut Sts. Philadelphia, PA 19144 |
Bordered by Tulpehocken Street, Wayne Avenue, Germantown Avenue, and Walnut Lane, "the Tulpehocken Station Historic District … provides a unique case study on the rise of the American suburb." (livingplaces.com) |
| Upsala 6430 Germantown Ave. Philadelphia, PA 19144 215-842-1798 |
Upsala was built in 1795-98 and played an important part in the Battle of Germantown. |
| Wyck House and Garden 6026 Germantown Ave. Philadelphia, PA 19144 215-848-1690 |
Displaying its original furnishings, Wyck was home to the same Quaker family from 1689-1973. The 200-year old garden retains a major botanical collection. |