Chain of Colonial Houses

In Short

This architectural survey catalogues eight historic colonial and post-Revolutionary houses situated within Philadelphia's Fairmount Park, detailing their structural origins, stylistic transitions from Georgian to Greek Revival, and meticulous twentieth-century restorations. Spanning from early eighteenth-century stone masonry to nineteenth-century classical elegance, the text documents the preservation of these landmarks through the collaborative efforts of museums, civic committees, and generous benefactors. It concludes with practical transit directions for contemporary visitors seeking to navigate these preserved cultural sites across the city landscape.

The Story

The architectural journey begins with an overview of Philadelphia's prominent historical role, establishing the foundational importance of preserving its surviving eighteenth-century landmarks within Fairmount Park through museum leadership and civic generosity. The text outlines the chronological evolution of these domestic structures, moving systematically from early Georgian and mid-Georgian styles characterized by squared masonry, glazed headers, and bold classic doorways, through the refined Chippendale period, to the slender Adam proportions and Greek Revival details of the post-Revolutionary era.

Following this introduction, the narrative progresses house by house, examining the specific construction dates, original owners, and subsequent restoration histories of eight distinct properties. It details Sweetbrier, built in 1797 by Samuel Breck, and describes its classic architecture, period furnishings, and scenic river prospects. It then traces Cedar Grove, an ancestral home of the Morris family established in 1721 by Isaac Paschall and Elizabeth Coates, which was moved stone by stone in 1927 through the generosity of Miss Lydia Thompson Morris to preserve its historical integrity. The exploration continues with Belmont, developed incrementally between 1745 and 1760 by William and Richard Peters, showcasing early Georgian design and rich plasterwork ceilings.

The progression moves next to Strawberry, established in 1798 by Judge Lewis and later expanded by Judge Joseph Hemphill with Greek Revival wings, followed by Woodford, a historic estate with nine changes of ownership from William Penn's 1693 grant until 1800, ultimately restored via Naomi Wood’s bequest. The narrative then highlights Mount Pleasant, built in 1761 by John Macpherson and famously linked through ownership and tenancy to figures like Benedict Arnold, Peggy Shippen, and Baron von Steuben. It examines The Cliffs, built in 1741 by Samuel Rowland Fisher and retained by a single family until 1868, before concluding with Lemon Hill, erected in 1798 by Henry Pratt on the former grounds of Robert Morris's estate.

The book finishes by providing a comprehensive, highly practical index of bus and trolley routes across Philadelphia, detailing exact southbound and northbound paths for multiple public transit lines. This final logistical component connects the historical architectural discourse directly to contemporary urban transit, guiding readers on how to physically access these preserved cultural sites.

How It Unfolds

The foundational architecture The text opens by introducing the broad historical significance of Philadelphia's colonial landmarks and classifying the foundational architectural styles of the eight park houses. It establishes how early structures utilized squared masonry, glazed headers, and heavy Georgian proportions before transitioning into later classic designs, setting a rigorous standard for the architectural survey that follows.

The domestic evolution of early estates The narrative advances by detailing individual properties like Sweetbrier and Cedar Grove, chronicling their original construction dates by early owners such as Samuel Breck and the Paschall-Morris family. It highlights how these homes successfully preserved centuries of domestic furnishings, ranging from early William and Mary chairs to refined Heppelwhite sideboards and family heirlooms.

The growth of grand park mansions Subsequent sections trace the complex, multi-decade building phases of estates like Belmont and Woodford, noting how incremental stone and brick additions created evolving architectural landmarks. These chapters emphasize the essential twentieth-century restoration efforts funded by private trusts, museum advisors, and civic committees to rescue the deteriorating historic buildings.

The political and social histories The progression shifts toward properties deeply intertwined with prominent Revolutionary-era figures, detailing Mount Pleasant's dramatic history through its association with John Macpherson, Benedict Arnold, Peggy Shippen, and Baron von Steuben. It explores the transition of these elite country retreats through changing family ownerships well into the nineteenth century.

The final park landscape and transit The progression concludes by documenting the late-eighteenth-century origins of Lemon Hill on the former grounds of Robert Morris's estate and detailing the comprehensive network of twentieth-century bus and trolley routes servicing the park area. This final logistical beat bridges historical architectural preservation with municipal accessibility for the general public.

The People

The text features several key historical figures whose personal ambitions shaped these properties. Samuel Breck wants an elegant, comfortable country villa complete with productive out-buildings and picturesque river prospects, successfully establishing Sweetbrier in 1797 despite the shifting commercial landscape of the Schuylkill. William Peters and his son Judge Richard Peters want to build and expand a permanent family estate, overcoming decades of colonial and revolutionary upheavals to establish Belmont as an enduring early Georgian landmark that Richard occupies until his death in 1828.

John Macpherson wants an impressive suburban seat, resulting in the construction of Mount Pleasant in 1761, though political turmoil and treason stand in the way when subsequent owner Benedict Arnold never occupies the mansion and loses his life interest through government confiscation, forcing the property to be consolidated later by the Shippen family. Similarly, Robert Morris wants an expansive agricultural and horticultural showcase at his estate, but financial insolvency stands in his way, leading to the property's purchase by opulent merchant Henry Pratt, who transforms the site into Lemon Hill. Across these accounts, individual ambitions for domestic elegance constantly collide with economic pressures and political shifts, ultimately leaving these once-private domains transformed into publicly preserved civic museums.

In Its Own Voice

Describing the picturesque setting of his newly constructed home along the water, Samuel Breck records his vision of the landscape:

The prospect consists of the river, animated by its great trade carried on in boats of about thirty tons, drawn by horses; of a beautiful sloping lawn, terminating at that river, now nearly four hundred yards wide opposite the portico; of side-screen woods; of gardens, green-house, etc.—Sweetbrier is the name of my villa.

Detailing the historical acquisition of property along the Schuylkill, the text notes the establishment of an early family estate:

The land at Frankford was bought in 1714 by Thomas Coates of High Street, the father of Elizabeth Coates.

Recalling a correspondence regarding the use of a historic park residence during the post-Revolutionary period, Sarah Bache describes her new dwelling to her father:

this small, charming house which the French minister (who is delivering letter) will describe in detail.

What It's Really About

The book explores the intersection of domestic architecture, historic preservation, and civic duty in early America. It examines how physical structures—from modest stone cottages to grand Georgian mansions—reflect changing social aspirations, economic fortunes, and stylistic eras from the early eighteenth through the early nineteenth centuries. Beneath the inventory of furniture styles and architectural details lies a profound argument about the stewardship of national heritage. The text implicitly asks how a growing, modernizing city can honor its past, answering through the collaborative mobilization of women's committees, museum experts, and philanthropic citizens who rescue crumbling landmarks to forge a tangible, public connection to the nation's formative years.

Why Read It Today

Readers deeply interested in early American architecture, historic interior design, and local Philadelphia history will find this volume a rewarding, meticulous guide. Reading it feels like taking a quiet, deliberate walking tour through preserved rooms filled with authentic Chippendale furniture, Heppelwhite sideboards, and period textiles, all viewed through the discerning lens of mid-twentieth-century preservationists. However, contemporary readers must navigate certain structural limitations inherent to the text, notably its dry, catalogue-like inventory of furniture styles, room descriptions, and dense municipal bus routes that reflect its original mid-century function as a practical guide. Despite these dry informational passages, what stays with the reader is a vivid appreciation for the physical continuity of these historic houses and the collective civic dedication required to save them from demolition. Anyone drawn to the material culture of the past will appreciate how deeply these pages anchor history in tangible wood, stone, and fabric.