Pennypacker Mills
Pennypacker Mills is a Colonial Revival mansion surrounded by 170 acres (0.69 km2) of farmland located in Perkiomen Township near Schwenksville, Pennsylvania on the shore of the Perkiomen Creek, approximately 35 miles (56 km) northwest of Philadelphia. Originally built around 1720 by Hans Jost Hite, it was purchased in 1747 by Peter Pennebacker, and remained privately owned by Pennypackers for eight generations. In 1976, the house was added to the National Register of Historic Places.[2]
Pennypacker Mansion | |
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Nearest city | Schwenksville, Pennsylvania |
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Coordinates | 40°15′15″N 75°27′28″W |
Area | 5.5 acres (2.2 ha) |
Built | 1903 |
NRHP reference No. | 76001657[1] |
Significant dates | |
Added to NRHP | November 07, 1976 |
Designated PHMC | September 24, 1946 |
During the American Revolutionary War, George Washington used Pennypacker Mills in the fall of 1777[3] as a headquarters prior to the Battle of Germantown, and also as a field hospital for injured soldiers after the battle.
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Pennsylvania governor Samuel Pennypacker made the Mills his summer home in the early 1900s, and lived there for much of his term in office (1903–1907). After his term, he lived at the Mills year-round until his death in 1916.[4] He was an avid collector of antiques and manuscripts, and many of these can still be found on display at the Mills, along with letters and orders written by George Washington.[5]
Pennypacker Mills is open to the public for tours Tuesday - Saturday from 10:00 am – 4:00 pm and Sunday 1:00 - 4:00 pm with the last daily tour at 3:30 pm. Admission is free. It also hosts special events such as Civil War reenactments on a regular basis.
References
- "National Register Information System". National Register of Historic Places. National Park Service. March 13, 2009.
- "Pennypacker Mills". Historic sites. Montgomery County, PA. Retrieved December 30, 2013.
- "Pennypacker Mills | History & Events | Patriot Trails". www.valleyforge.org. Retrieved 2016-02-25.
- "Governor Samuel Whitaker Pennypacker | PHMC > Pennsylvania Governors". www.phmc.state.pa.us. Retrieved 2016-02-25.
- "Pennypacker Mills Scope of Collections". Montgomery County, PA. Archived from the original on December 31, 2013. Retrieved December 30, 2013.
External links
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Wikimedia Commons has media related to Pennypacker Mills. |
- Pennypacker Mills visitors website
- A History of Schwenksville, including detailed history of Samuel and the Mills
- Montgomery County website, including a photographic tour of Pennypacker Mills.