Historic Germantown in Philadelphia

History in Philadelphia

Historic Germantown in Philadelphia

Philadelphia, Morton, Pennsylvania 19031, United States

Created By: PocketSights

Tour Information

Welcome to Lower Germantown, a region packed dense with the history and stories of Philadelphia and America.

The area described here runs from below Chelten Avenue south to Wayne Junction. Most of the historic sites are crowded along Germantown Avenue, like nails on a magnet. Many (though not all) of the sites are significant during the 18th century and specifically around the time of the Battle of Germantown.

Here visitors can see the house where George Washington stayed during the epidemic, the place where the first German Bible in America was printed, the studio of artist Gilbert Stuart, the site where the first protest against slavery was drafted, and the home of famous Philadelphian James Logan, to name a few.


Tour Map

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What You'll See on the Tour

Welcome to Germantown! The Germantown Historical Society is an educational and research center dedicated to preserving and interpreting the history of the original German Township in northwest Philadelphia. Encompassing the contemporary nei... Read more
The house was built in 1772 by merchant David Deshler, and a mere five years later it was in the middle of the raging Battle of Germantown. British General Sir William Howe occupied the house after the Battle. In 1793 the Yellow Fever epide... Read more
Grumblethorpe was the home of the Wister family. It was built in 1744 by Philadelphia merchant and wine importer John Wister as a summer home. It eventually became the family's year-round residence when they withdrew from the city during th... Read more
Trinity Lutheran Church now stands on the site of Christopher Sower's printing establishment. Sower is remembered as the printer of America's first German Bible in 1743. (The first Bible printed in America was in an Indian language. The fir... Read more
The Barron House was owned by Commodore James Barron from 1839 to 1845. During this time Barron was in charge of the Philadelphia naval yard. Previously, Barron was in command of the Chesapeake during the famous confrontation with the Briti... Read more
In 1692 Leonard Arets set aside by deed a half-acre of ground for burial purposes for Lower Germantown. By 1750 this cemetery was becoming crowded so the trustees limited burials to citizens of Lower Germantowns, and, as in so many cemeteri... Read more
Loudoun is one of the glories of Germantown and of Philadelphia. Built about 1801 by Thomas Armat, it commands a promontory and creates an illusion that we are back two centuries in time. Loundoun is currently closed due to damage from a se... Read more
Stenton was the home James Logan, the great Philadelphian citizen. Logan held several major public offices in the Colonies and made numerous contributions to the city. He served for years as secretary to William Penn. Logan's splendid 18th ... Read more

 

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