Very interesting place to find out about local historical figures, and the facts of life back then…read more Though we've seen lot's of historic houses, but still discovered for ourselves something we didn't know before. Too bad not much of information about this place on the internet, but we were very glad to discover it and recommend it to everyone loving the history of this country.

This place never disappoints! You need to go back each season to appreciate the changing landscape…read moreand step back in time!

A Suitable place to spend a weekend or a day visiting. A semi-rural community located 25 miles west…read moreof Philadelphia along the banks of the Brandywine Creek. Chadds Ford Township is a unique mix of rolling hills and expansive vistas juxtaposed against busy suburban communities to the south, east and north. Home to many historic sites including the Brandywine Battlefield. The historic district of Chadds Ford consists of 17 well-preserved buildings that include the Chads Ford Inn and Merchant Mill.

Not as amazing as some of the other battlefields we've been to other surrounding areas and states…read morebut a cool visit nonetheless. The visitors center had a mini museum and someone in period clothing of said war time also giving a your as well that you would pay extra for.

Just nice to visit and walk remember those who served our country would be better if they had more…read moresites to visit and houses weren't built on !

Little-known cultural jewel in Delaware County! I believe when we took the tour they said this is…read morethe oldest structure still standing in Delco! First, yes, this is kind of out of the way of more obvious places, and is on some "back roads" for those not familiar with that part of Delco ("back roads" as in winding through the residential parts of Brookhaven/Upland, not as in some rural route). You will literally have to drive through a neighborhood of 20thC homes in order to get to Race Street, where what remains of the plantation is located. But it's easy enough to get to, with "Pusey Plantation" signs pointing the way when you are close, and definitely worth the trip. The address says Brookhavem but it really seems like it is in Upland, FYI. The location is kind of behind some project housing, which is so bizarre given the fact that this used to be a homestead on a 100-acre farm. But don't think you are in the wrong place, just keep going until you see it around the corner. The heavily constructed area will open up to a small park and the old home. It's a little oasis in the middle of sprawl and creeping citification. The tour (offered May - Oct), is really intimate in the tiny house, and the antiques and period items are very cool to see up close. The guide was personable, and very friendly about asking questions and showing her love of local culture and the history of the home. They host a fall festival which is great for kids (as is the tour, which they adjust for kids' interest levels). Here is info from their website: "Built in 1683 and occupied by Caleb Pusey, this is the only building still standing which can claim documented association with the Proprietor, William Penn, and which he is known to have visited on several occasions. This unique English Vernacular house stands beside Race Street, the small road once paralleling the millrace that brought water from Chester Creek to power the mills."

I visited Winterthur for the first time with my mom on Christmas Eve for their Yuletide exhibit…read more I'd been mildly curious about the mansion over the years, and it seemed like a fun thing to do on my day off from work. The mansion is ornate, truly massive, and opulent. It's a true peek into the lifestyles of the rich. The Yuletide theme this past year was centered around Christmas and children's books, like Alice and Wonderland, Twas the Night Before Christmas, etc. When we arrived, we were a bit confused on where to park, as my mom has a handicap sticker. We ended up parking right at the visitor's center where the tram retrieves guests. We didn't have a long wait. On the tram, the driver recommended starting at the house and then walking down to the galleries. She didn't mention the enchanted woods/garden, so I didn't even realize they were there until I got home later that night -- bummer. Some of the folks working the rooms were pleasant, others felt like security guards. One chided my mom for leaning her hand against a wall at one point. Some were knowledgeable, and others clearly didn't want to be there. I appreciated the girl in the garden entry room who snapped our photo with the decorated trees before we stepped into the house! I took many pictures while in the house, and then we traipsed over to the galleries. The gallery building had a doll house, a really well-done gingerbread train station, furniture and other exhibits on the ground floor, and a rotating, very interesting exhibit on African American history on the second floor. After the galleries, we stopped by the museum store, and while most everything was dramatically overpriced, I did find a few cool items in my price range. We were on the grounds for roughly 2-3 hours I'd say before having lunch nearby. Arriving early was a good choice. They do offer reciprocal garden access with other garden memberships (I have one at home in Richmond, VA), so perhaps one day I'll use that access to see the gardens that I missed!

This was not on our list of museums to hit but since the weather was so darn hot we changed what we…read morewere going to do after spending the morning at Longwood Gardens. It helped that we got free admission with our reciprocal museum membership. It was 2:30pm we when we arrived so we didn't have a lot of time. We were given good advice on what to do in our limited time from the folks at the ticket office. We took the garden tram tour which was educational and got off at the house where we did the self guided tour. You only see a small fraction of this giant mansion but that was enough for me. While most of the docents had interesting facts the actual contents of the collection were not that interesting to me. If you are really into this era of American decorative furnishing supposedly they have more in-depth guided tours. We still had time to see a bit more of the grounds around the house but with big thunderstorms rolling in we headed out. I am guessing for some this place is a must... I am glad we got free admission.

SO COOL!! So much history here it's amazing to see. I was…read moreable to take our wedding photos here and I'll post them so you can see how amazing of a backdrop it is!! Totally recommend

One of the things I never realized until I left Philadelphia was the sheer mass of historical…read moreplaces and artifacts I was surrounded by. There are so many places that are important to understanding where we came from that some end up becoming obscure, unknown, sometimes demolished in the name of progress. Then there are those that are saved from that fate, usually by passionate historians and community members who lobby to save the place from being destroyed. In the case of the Lazaretto Quarantine Station and Hospital, they succeeded - just barely. It is a success story worthy of a Hallmark special. The Lazaretto Quarantine Station and Hospital was the first of its kind, built and put into service after the Fever of 1793 swept through Philadelphia, killing 25% of the city's residents. This Quarantine station was built by the City of Philadelphia, long before the Federal Government became interested in such matters, because of the devastation of 1793. The Station served as a first point of entry for ships coming from abroad, where passengers were screened for contagious diseases and either held until their health was assured, turned away or let pass. It, along with the more famous Ellis Island, served as a major portal for immigrants coming to the United States for over one hundred years. It ceased being an immigration point in 1895, after which it was used as a port for seaplanes, an athletic club, and for many years after that, an abandoned property. It was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1972, which gave it some protection. It was the threat of demolition that saved it, when a group of citizens and historians worked with Tinicum Township and the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania to restore the property. It is now home to Tinicum Townships' government offices. Walking around the building, still being restored, it's breathtaking. The long porch facing the river is stunning, the rooms all being carefully preserved while being updated with modern conveniences. I love that this has been done and love that it will continue to serve the residents of the Commonwealth, not from infectious disease, but serving as a place where they might get a building permit, enact ordinances, meet on issues concerning their community. Call this one a win for history.

Super cool landmark…read more As per the plaque: Constructed in 1860, the Gatehouse was designed by the Baltimore firm of Thomas and James M. Dixon. Built in Tudor Revival Style, it provided for two living units, one on each side of the archway. The Gatehouse resembled a Swiss chalet and became a trademark of the Sheppard. The neighborhood children viewed it as the home of Hansel and Gretel. A tenant alwavs lived in the Gatehouse until 2005. The beautiful Rhododendron Drive was historically entered by driving through the Gatehouse. In 2002 the entire Charles Street entrance was reconstructed and cars no longer entered through the Archway.

Going back over four hundred years, but only noted with this single marker that reads:…read more "John Grubb, one of the original English settlers in Delaware, acquired a one-third interest in a 600 acre tract of land at this location in 1680. Several generations passed and the Grubb family greatly increased their land holdings in the area and successfully opened leather tanning and iron manufacturing businesses. In 1783 one of John Grubb's great-grandsons, Amor Augustus Grubb, built a fieldstone home which is believed to be on the foundation of his great-grandfather's original house from 1684. The house and land would remain in the hands of Amor Grubb's heirs until 1913. In 1918 the house and surrounding land were bought by Edward Worth of The Worth Steel Company who would expand the house and double its size. The Worth family named the estate Ledgeworth. In 1952 the Catholic Foundation of the Diocese of Wilmington purchased the estate and sold it to the Holy Rosary Parish to be used as a convent for the Sisters of Saint Joseph. The Convent was closed in 1980 and the mansion was used for various activities and meetings as well as a retreat. In October 2011 the mansion was reopened after an extensive two year renovation as the Holy Rosary Parish Pastoral Center."

We discovered this wonderful place today. It's cluster of historic buildings that made up a town…read morecenter. The tour guides did a great job describing the use of the buildings and the objects. They were very knowledgeable about the history of the buildings. If you are looking for a different experience, check out this Historic town

From the owner: Historic Sugartown offer engaging tours and programs that provide meaningful connections to the…read morepast. Visitors will discover 19th-century village life through the c. 1880 General Store and School Room exhibits, the c. 1805 William Garrett House and the c. 1835 Hannah Cheever House and Barn. Historic Sugartown's Book Bindery showcases 2,500 bookbinding tools used to produce books in the early 1800s. The Carriage Museum exhibits an exceptionally rare and early collection of carriages and sleighs in partnership with the Chester County Historical Society.

Amazing property, it is a hidden gem. Went with my family for the tour and everyone enjoyed it!read more

Wow. What a unique, random gem and historic property. What is Fonthill and why is there a castle in…read moreDoylestown, Pennsylvania? Fonthill Castle was the home of archeologist and tile maker Henry Chapman Mercer. (Also in Doylestown are two more Mercer buildings you can tour - the Mercer Museum and the Moravian Pottery and Tile Works building, the business Mercer ran and where most of the tiles in the castle were produced.) Henry Mercer seems like he was an interesting guy, and you can see that in his home - 44 rooms, 18 fireplaces, 200 windows, who knows how many staircases...! And designed and decorated in a way I've never seen anywhere else. The castle is an early example of poured-in-place concrete building and is a mix of Medieval, Gothic, and Byzantine architectural styles. And there are, of course, Moravia tiles (and some historic and international tiles that he collected during his life) throughout the house - almost more than you could imagine. We visited last Saturday to experience their "Fonthill Castle Holiday Lights Meander Experience," which allows you to visit the castle through a self-guided experience (there were staff in various rooms who were happy to answer questions) and enjoy a series of Christmas trees on display throughout the home. I definitely enjoyed the experience but am definitely planning a return visit to see the castle in better light (not at night in the dark - which was perfect for the Christmas tree experience) - they offer 60-minute guided tours though the house for most of the year! The castle is pretty wild, and I look forward to visiting it again and experiencing it in a new way. If you are interested in architecture, art, crafts, the Arts and Crafts design movement, or just quirky, unusual places, definitely add Fonthill to your list and check it out!