What is the Rural History Confederation?

Conrad Weiser Homestead

The Conrad Weiser Homestead is a Pennsylvania state historic site located in Womelsdorf, Berks County, Pennsylvania which interprets the life of Conrad Weiser. Weiser was an 18th century German immigrant who served as an Indian interpreter and who helped coordinate Pennsylvania's Indian policy. He played a major role in the history of colonial Pennsylvania. The Conrad Weiser Homestead includes period buildings, and a new orientation exhibit, on a 26-acre Olmsted-designed landscaped park.

Open on the first Sunday of each month from 12-4pm (April-Dec), events (including PHMC Charter Day) or by appointment; Grounds: dawn to dusk. 

For more information and a calendar of events, please visit us at:  www.conradweiserhomestead.org

Daniel Boone Homestead

As the birth site of the great American frontiersman in 1734, the Daniel Boone Homestead interprets the life of early English and German settlers in eastern Berks County, Pennsylvania. The site includes the Boone House, Blacksmith Shop, Barn, Bertolet Log House, Sawmill, Visitor Center, picnic areas, and trails.

Visitors Center & Tours: Saturday from 10am-4pm and Sunday from 12-4pm (changes seasonally)

Grounds: Tuesday-Friday from 9am-5pm, Saturday from 10am-5pm, & Sunday from 12-5pm

For more information and a calendar of events, please visit us at: http://www.danielboonehomestead.org/

Harriton House

This substantial stone house was built in 1704 by a Welsh Quaker named Rowland Ellis. The house was originally called "Bryn Mawr" (meaning "High Hill" in Welsh) and was later named "Harriton" by its second owner, Richard Harrison. Under Harrison, the site became one of the northernmost slave-run tobacco plantations. The house has been restored and furnished with a variety of late 18th century and early 19th century furnishings. It is best known as the home of Charles Thomson, the only Secretary to the Continental Congresses, who lived here between 1789-1824.

Open Wednesday- Saturday from 10am-4pm; Appointments preferred. Closed on major holidays. For more information and a calendar of events, please visit us at

http://www.harritonhouse.org

Hibernia Mansion

 This furnished 19^th century ironmaster’s residence and industrial complex ruins, was redesigned in the early 20^th century to emulate an English country house and estate. The evolution of the 19^th century iron plantation and the legacies of the mansion builders, ironmaster Charles Brooks and country gentleman Colonel Franklin Swayne, are explored through a self-guided Walking Tour of Hibernia’s Historic Ruins, mansion tours and special events. The 1,336 acre Hibernia County Park is open daily for recreational opportunities and self-guided tours of the grounds.

For more information and a calendar of events, please visit us at: http://www.chesco.org/ccparks/cwp/view.asp?a=1552&q=623997

The Highlands

The Highlands is comprised of an elegant late-Georgian mansion and nine outbuildings. It was built by prominent Philadelphian Anthony Morris in 1796. Its owners in the mid-19th and early 20th centuries enlarged the estate and created its magnificent formal gardens. Visitors to The Highlands can learn about the various owners and their imprint on the mansion and landscape. Tours include the mansion and gardens. Rental of the mansion may be arranged.

Open Monday- Friday, Tours given at 1:30 and 3:00, other times by appointment. Closed on major holidays. Admission is charged.

For more information and our calendar of events, please visit us at www.highlandshistorical.org.

Historic Fallsington

Historic Fallisington, Inc., is a private, non-profit historic preservation organization and museum. Since 1953, the organization has been dedicated to preserving and exhibiting the 300-year-old village of Fallsington. The village, consisting of more than 90 historic buildings from the 17th, 18th, and 19th centuries, was a significant religious, social, and economic center for the surrounding community. It also provided an important stopover point for stagecoach travelers. William Penn, while in residence at nearby Pennsbury Manor, attended religious services in Fallsington.

Open:  Mid-May through Mid-October, Tuesday-Saturday from 10:30-3:30PM; the remainder of the year Tuesday through Friday with confirmed reservations suggested. Closed on major holidays. Admission is charged. Reservations suggested.

For more information and a calendar of events, please visit us at http/:www.historicfallsington.org

Historic Waynesborough

Waynesborough (c. 1724) is the ancestral home of the famous Revolutionary War commander, General Anthony Wayne. The house is unique in that seven generations of the Wayne family have resided in the house from 1724 to 1966. Today, this elegant Georgian house exhibits the history of each generation, with emphasis on the General's life and military career. Waynesbourough is only five miles from Valley Forge and only a few miles west of the 1777 Battle of Paoli. The site also encompasses a meeting room, a gift shop, and picnic grounds.

Open Thursday-Sunday from 1-3pm (closed in winter) or groups by appointment. Closed on major holidays. Admission is charged.

For more information and a calendar of events, please visit us at  www.philalandmarks.org

Hopewell Furnace National Historic Site

From 1771 to 1883, the daily and yearly cycles of the blast furnace governed the workers of this rural, yet industrial community. Today, Hopewell Furnace is one of the finest examples of an early "iron plantation." The 848-acre site displays furnished homes such as the Ironmaster's Mansion, as well as other industrial buildings used by workers who lived in the shadow of the furnace.

Open Wednesday through Sunday from 9am-5pm (changes seasonally); Grounds: Dawn to dusk.  Closed on some Federal holidays and major holidays. Admission is charged.

For more information and a calendar of events, please visit us at http://www.nps.gov/hofu/index.htm

John James Audubon Center at Mill Grove

Built in 1762, Mill Grove is the first home in America of artist/naturalist John James Audubon, who lived here from 1803 to 1806. A National Historic Landmark, the house is now a museum with a gift shop, examples of every major work published by Audubon, including "The Birds of America" double elephant folio, and three floors of exhibits.

Situated on a bluff overlooking scenic Perkiomen Creek, Mill Grove is surrounded by 200 acres of forest and meadow designated as a wildlife sanctuary. Over five miles of self-guided hiking, bicycling and and nature trails thread through and around the property, connecting to the Lower Perkiomen Valley Park and the Perkiomen and Schuylkill River Trails.
 

Mill Grove is a Montgomery County historic site operated as a partnership between Montgomery County and the National Audubon Society.

Museum is open Tuesday- Saturday, from 10am-4pm & Sunday from 1-4pm; closed Mondays and major holidays.  Grounds: dawn to dusk at no charge; pavilion use by reservation only.

Admission includes a self-guided tour: $4.00/adult; $2.00/youth (5-17); $3.00/senior (60+).  Guided tours by reservation only.

The entrance to Mill Grove is located at the traffic light at Audubon Road and Pawlings Road in Audubon, Pennsylvania 19403. (GPS users please note that GPS does not recognize Audubon; it will read as either Norristown, Eagleville or Phoenixville.)

For driving directions, more information and a calendar of events, please visit us at:
pa.audubon.org and historicsites.montcopa.org/historicsites/cwp/view,A,3,Q,24466,historicsitesNav,|.asp

Margaret R. Grundy Memorial Museum

The Margaret R. Grundy Memorial Library-Museum Complex was established under the terms of the last will and testament of the late Senator Joseph R. Grundy in memory of his sister, Margaret R. Grundy.  The Grundy home, now a museum, overlooks the scenic Delaware River and is considered an excellent example of the decor and furnishings of a fine Victorian residence. Today, it continues to delight visitors with its warm atmosphere and representative architecture of this important era in American History.

Site open Tuesday-Saturday from 1-4pm during March-December, or by appointment.

For more information and a calendar of events, please visit us at: www.grundymuseum.org

Mennonite Heritage Center

Mennonites came from Germany and Switzerland to Penn's Woods over 300 years ago seeking religious freedom and economic opportunities. Settling an area stretching from the Schuylkill River to the banks of the Delaware River, they established farms, meetinghouses, schools, and communities. The Mennonite Heritage Center is devoted to interpreting the history of these rural Pennsylvanians, who strove to abide by their faith and their teachings of non-resistance, communal living, religious non-conformity, and mutual aid. The site includes permanent and changing exhibitions, historical library and archives, and a museum shop.

Open Tuesday-Friday from 10am-5pm and Saturday from 10am-2pm. Closed on major holidays. Admission is by donation.

For more information and a calendar of events, please visit us at http://www.mhep.org

Mill at Anselma

The Mill at Anselma stands as the most intact, authentic example of a small, water-powered grain mill in the United States and has been designated by the U.S. Department of the Interior as a National Historic Landmark.  The Mill illustrates the impact of changing technology on the milling industry over the course of three centuries and celebrates Chester County’s role as the breadbasket of colonial America. 

Morgan Log House

Reflecting the lifestyle of early pioneers to Pennsylvania, the Morgan Log House is a meticulously restored example of 18th century domestic architecture. Land origianlly owned and settled in 1708 by Edward Morgan, a Welsh Quaker, the Morgan Log House is administered by the Welsh Valley Preservation Society, and exhibits unique architectural features, fine antique furnishings, and period gardens. This National Historic Site offers guided tours, educational programs, and workshops throughout the year. A picnic grove is also available for visitors to enjoy.

Open Saturday and Sunday from 12-4pm (changes seasonally). Hours daily by advanced appointment year-round. Admission is charged.

For more information and a calendar of events, please visit us at http://www.morganloghouse.org

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The Newlin Grist Mill

 The Newlin Grist Mill is a private non-profit organization dedicated to historical and environmental preservation and education.  The mill was constructed in 1704 by Nathaniel Newlin – a prominent member of the Quaker community who settled in Concord Township 1683.  The mill continued operation until 1941 grinding grain for international markets and later the local community.  Today, the mill represents the intersection of industry, agriculture, and daily life in the 18th century. Visitors will experience the lives of those who lived, worked, and conducted business at the Newlin Mill, including the supporting trades and technologies.   

Pennsbury Manor

Pennsbury Manor is the recreated 17th century country estate of William Penn, founder of Pennsylvania.  Situated on 43-acres along the Delaware River in picturesque Bucks County, the site offers outbuildings, gardens, animals, manor house, and an award-winning exhibit.

Open Tuesday-Saturday from 9am-5pm and Sunday from 1-5pm. Call for specific tour times. Admission fees charged.

For more information, driving directions, and a calendar of events, please visit us at http://www.pennsburymanor.org

Follow @PennsburyManor

Pennypacker Mills

This turn-of-the-20th-century Colonial Revival mansion of former Pennsylvania Governor Samuel W. Pennypacker is in a landscape-architect-designed setting with a surrounding farm. The site has original Pennypacker family furnishings in a late Victorian interior. Pennypacker Mills was also a Revolutionary War encampment site. Exhibit galleries, nature trails, picnic area, creeks, a wildflower meadow, and small museum shop are also available.

Open Tuesday-Saturday from 10am-4pm and Sunday 1-4pm. Closed on major holidays. Admission is free.

For more information and a calendar of events, please visit us at: www.historicsites.montcopa.org

Peter Wentz Farmstead

 Peter and Rosanna Wentz began farming here in 1744. By 1758, they had completed the large, Georgian style stone house that reflects both their German heritage and their wealth as a successful farming family. They sold the property in 1784 to Devault Bieber, a distant relative through marriage. In 1794, Bieber sold the property to a minister of the Schwenkfelder faith, Reverend Melchior Schultz, and his wife Salome.

Open Tuesday-Saturday from 10am-4pm and Sunday from 1-4pm. Last tour starts at 3:30. Closed on major holidays. Admission is free; donations accepted. Group reservations required.

For more information and a calendar of events, please visit us at: http://www.peterwentzfarmsteadsociety.org/events.html

Schwenkfelder Library & Heritage Center

The center's collection records the lives of this small German religious group who, in the 1730s, abandoned their homes in Silesia in order to start their lives anew in southeastern Pennsylvania. The center's exhibits and collections document the Schwenkfelder culture from their arrival to the present, and the history of the Perkiomen watershed region. Initiated in the 1880s, the site has become an important resource for genealogical studies, the history of the German Reformation, Pennsylvania German culture, and Schwenkfelder studies.

Open Tuesday, Wednesday, and Friday from 9am-4pm; Thursday from 9am-8pm; Saturday from 10am-3pm and Sunday from 1-4pm. Closed on major holidays. Admission is free.

For more information and a calendar of events, please visit us at:www.schwenkfelder.com

Follow @Schwenkfelder

Springton Manor Farm

Originally part of the largest Manor reserved in Chester County by the Penn family, Springton Manor Farm has grown from a 265 acre tract surveyed in 1742. Abraham R. McIlvaine built the Manor House in 1833, and turned his father’s sheep farm into a diverse operation that produced grains, vegetables, wine and dairy products. George Bartol, Philadelphia businessman, later developed a gentleman’s country home reflecting his interests in architecture and agriculture.   Today, the 306 acre county park preserves and interprets Bartol’s late 19^th/early 20^th century farm.   A demonstration farm, agriculture museum, working barn, trails, butterfly house, tours and education programs are located on site and the Manor House is available for weddings, celebrations and meetings.

Washington Crossing Historic Park

This 500-acre historic park consists of two discontinuous tracts. The Lower Park interprets the story of General Washington and his army's crossing of the Delaware River in 1776 and subsequent victories at the Battles of Trenton and Princeton. This area includes the historic structures of the McKonkey Ferry Inn/Tavern as well as the 19th century village of Taylorsville. Recreational facilities with picnic pavilions, Visitors Center, replica Durham boats and museum store are also part of the Lower Park. The Upper Park includes Bowman's Hill Tower (a 1930's stone obersvation tower), the historic Thompson-Neely house and grist mill, picnic pavilions, a scout camping area, and a small military cemetery where members of Washington's army were buried during the 1776-77 encampment.

Bowman's Hill Tower open April-December, Tuesday-Sunday, 10-4, weather permitting; Closed certain holidays. Thompson Neely House and Lower Park open April-December, Thursday-Sunday, 10-4; Closed certain holidays. Recreatioanl facilities open all year, dawn to dusk. Reservations required for group tours and scout camping. Pavilions may be reserved for private events. Admission is charged.

For more information and a calendar of events, please visit us at: ushistory.org/washingtoncrossing

Follow @FriendsofWCP

William Brinton 1704 House and Historic Site

 The William Brinton 1704 House is one of the most authentic restorations in the region.  William Brinton built this stone house according to his recollections of the medieval mansions of his youth in the Midlands of England.  His growing family enjoyed a home of uncommon size and grace in what was nearly wilderness.  Room-by-room inventories taken upon Brinton's death in 1751 provided the guide for the restorers to collect an extraordinary collection of early American decorative arts.

For more information, please visit us at: http://www.museumsusa.org/museums/info/4291
Email: brinton1704@verizon.net