Part 18

Return, Montgomery County, Valley Forge road to “King of Prussia” Inn, built, 1749; continue on Gulph Road to Gulph Mills, stone, built, 1747, Boulder Monument, inscription, “Gulph mills, the main Continental Army commanded by General George Washington, encamped in this vicinity December 13 to December 19, 1777, on way to Valley Forge, erected by the Pennsylvania Society, Sons of the Revolution, 1892.” Over Gulph Creek near Gulph station, Philadelphia & Western Railroad, is stone bridge, inscription “Montgomery County, Upper Merian (Merion) Township, 1787; In the second year of the Foederal (Federal) Union.” WEST CONSHOHOCKEN. Matson’s Ford, over which Lafayette retreated from the British in 1778, continue along Schuylkill River drive to Belmont Avenue, through Fairmount Park to Philadelphia.

MONTGOMERY COUNTY AUTOMOBILE TRIP ON OLD YORK ROAD, TO DOYLESTOWN, BUCKS COUNTY, LEADING TO CENTER BRIDGE

Old York Road, original stage route to New York, laid out in 1711, from city line to Center Bridge. ELKINS PARK station. Residence of the late P. A. B. Widener, “Lynnewood Hall,” notable for one of the finest art collections in the United States; near by, residence of William L. Elkins has notable art gallery, both galleries may sometimes be seen by writing to owners for cards of admission. South of Chelten Avenue, stone bridge, two arches, date, 1793; opposite is only milestone of old series south of the Neshaminy, it is the seventh milestone mentioned in Washington’s orders for the attack on Germantown. West, is residence of the late Lucretia Mott, Oak Farm, near La Mott, now Latham Park. OGONTZ, residence of the late Jay Cooke, financier of the Civil War; named for an Indian chief whom he had met. Over Tacony Creek is stone bridge, inscription, “Cheltenham bridge, 1798, 7½ miles to Phila.” Church Road, near Myers Mill, Cheltenham, site, country residence of William Penn; on part of this land is country residence of the late John Wanamaker. At Washington Lane, southeast boundary of Jenkintown, is large oak tree where Washington rested his white horse.

A quarter of a mile east of Jenkintown is Abington Friends meeting house, organized, 1682, built, 1697 by William Jenkins from Wales; stone; long piazza; old shutters with strap hinges and iron hooks, door latch and knobs; all in keeping with its period of construction, fine old trees in grounds are well cared for. One mile north, RYDAL station, Ogontz School for Girls, lately in Jay Cooke mansion, organized about 1850, by Misses Bonney & Dillaye: Collegiate Gothic, built, 1917; architects, Cope & Stewardson, has Art Department. Through Meadowbrook, one mile east to BETHAYRES, residence, Henry McCarter, artist.

One mile north, BRYN ATHYN, name means “Hill of Cohesiveness,” a Swedenborgian educational community. Library contains the most valuable collection of Swedenborg’s writings in the world. Here is being erected a cathedral; architect, Ralph Adams Cram, gift of John Pitcairn; like the cathedrals of old, all work is prepared on the grounds; wood-carving and stonecutting by hand; glass manufactured, models made; the workmen in consultation with the donor and the architect to obtain the best results. Return to York Road. ABINGTON, library, originally Jenkintown Lyceum, built, 1830, lately remodeled, modern colonial, contains valuable collection of books bequeathed by John Lambert, artist, who also left $50,000 in trust for purchasing paintings by young artists at annual exhibitions in Pennsylvania Academy of the Fine Arts. Presbyterian Church built, 1714, is said to be third in this country; in 1740 George Whitefield preached here to three thousand persons in one day.

WILLOW GROVE PARK; pleasure resort; fine concerts given throughout the summer season, by _Sousa_ and others. North on Doylestown Pike, HORSHAM, Graeme Park, colonial, stone house, hipped roof, residence, Sir William Keith, from Scotland, Baronet of Ludquhairn, Aberdeenshire, Lieutenant Governor of Pennsylvania, 1717-26; he laid foundation of the military system, encouraged putting out paper currency, and inaugurated a military display at Penn’s death; property later owned by Dr. Thomas Graeme, his son-in-law; Governor Keith’s coat of arms is on a large iron plate in the fireplace; in the yard is an antique slave bell and stone strength tester. Quaker meeting house, built, 1803. Approaching HATBORO, stone bridge leads York Road over Pennypack Creek, inscription “Hatborough, 1780, 16 M. to P.” It is said this bridge was built in 1824, stone taken from an older bridge. Battle of “Crooked Billet,” name of near-by tavern, fought in 1778, a small company of Americans under Colonel John Lacy were attacked by British under Lieutenant Colonel Abercrombie, and nearly all killed; white marble monument was erected here in 1861. Continued in Bucks County.

MONTGOMERY COUNTY AUTOMOBILE TRIP FROM CHESTNUT HILL TO CAMP HILL AND FORT WASHINGTON

(Return by Norristown to Philadelphia)

At Chestnut Hill, on Bethlehem Pike, we enter Whitemarsh Valley (Umbilicamince), named from mists of Wissahickon Creek; near by is ERDENHEIM, Carson College, on one hundred acres of ground, richly endowed by Robert N. Carson, for orphan girls, that they may have the same benefits which Girard College has accorded to orphan boys; the architect, Albert Kelsey, has planned his design to be an allegorical vision of woman’s life, combining beauty, utility, and sympathy; he eliminates the usual large central buildings, the administration and classrooms being in the nature of a college settlement which make up in beauty what they lack in size, and may be expanded as occasion demands. Passing the Wheel Pump and Black Horse, famous early hotels. Colonial houses; Presbyterian and Lutheran churches with their burial grounds; to junction with Skippack Road.

St. Thomas Protestant Episcopal Church, contains Communion service given by Queen Anne, first log chapel built by Edward Farmer, 1690; stone church built, 1710, on first site; during the Revolutionary War, church was occupied by various military forces, used as fort by British with guns in windows; the gravestones, long, flat pieces of slate on four columns, used as cooking stoves, with fires lighted underneath, upright stones were marks for target practice, bullet holes may still be seen in them. American forces camped here November 22, 1777; being warned by Lydia Darragh of a British attack, when the enemy made their appearance, General Wayne opened fire from Fort Washington, the British retreating with a loss of one hundred men. Whitemarsh church is repeatedly mentioned in Washington’s diary as a center of operations; present church, near first site, consecrated, 1881. Gothic, native stone, interesting interior, with high pointed roof and narrow lancet memorial windows, all made abroad but one, “Angel of the Resurrection,” by Tiffany; high on west wall is a rose window; three small lights in the George and Anna Catherine Sheaff window are said to have been painted by Albrecht Durer; reredos, “Christ Breaking the Bread,” painted in Italy; altar, Indiana limestone with carved angels kneeling; the rood screen with loft, English quartered oak, is exquisitely carved. Encircling a window is mural decoration by Marianna Sloan. In the burial ground is an Iona Cross, marking last resting place of Henry Howard Houston, for whose memorial Houston Hall was given to the University of Pennsylvania.

View from north door of church shows, east, Camp Hill; in valley below, Washington’s headquarters, stone house two and a half stories, one-half mile east from Camp Hill station, Pennsylvania Railroad, left wing of army, posted rear of house; here Washington decided to establish fortified encampment at Valley Forge; December 12, whole army ordered to march to Valley Forge, via Swedes Ford, Norristown, where they crossed the Schuylkill on a bridge of wagons, with rails laid over them; “Swedes Ford,” hotel built, 1723, still standing, at Bridgeport.

North of St. Thomas Church we locate Fort Washington by its flagstaff, in center of earthwork thrown up by General Anthony Wayne’s men. West, from Church, Militia Hill, where some of the stones, used as anchors for tents, are still in position; at foot of hill is Wissahickon Creek, over which leads the high railroad bridge belonging to the Trenton cut-off of the Pennsylvania Railroad. Passing Fortside Inn, north, on Bethlehem Pike, is stone marker, inscription “About 700 feet south of this stone is an American Redoubt and site of Howe’s threatened attack, December 6, 1777; from here Washington’s army marched to Valley Forge. Erected, 1891, by the Pennsylvania Society, Sons of the Revolution.”

Farther on Bethlehem Pike, over Sandy Run, is the village of FORT WASHINGTON, now home of the Darby School of Painting, a summer art school conducted by Hugh H. Breckenridge, member of the faculty of the Pennsylvania Academy of the Fine Arts, there science of color is taught in its fullest significance. On Engertown Road is old Friends meeting house. Farther, on Limekiln Pike, is Pennsylvania School of Horticulture for Women, post office, Ambler, founded in 1910, thorough training, through all seasons, eliminates waste of costly inexperience, and fits a woman for a life that is healthful, attractive, and remunerative. Near Sumneytown and Butler Pike is “Three Tuns Inn.” Gwynedd, meeting house, built, 1700, Welsh Quakers worshiped here.

Down Butler Pike to AMBLER, residence of Dr. R. V. Mattison, built, 1890, Scotch baronial style, wrought iron gates designed in Munich; opposite is Trinity Memorial Church, Romanesque, noted for its beautiful windows, designed by F. S. Lamb, original, and adapted from paintings by world famous artists, of scenes in Christ’s life, made by J. and R. Lamb; interior paneled in oak, similar to House of Parliament, London; font, Italian marble, good design. Through Morris Road, over bridge crossed by Washington’s army, between Morris and Skippack roads, one mile west of Ambler, is stone residence, built by Abraham Dawes in 1736, was Washington’s headquarters, October 21, 1777.

Out Skippack Road, on road from Center Square to HEEBNERVILLE, Washington’s headquarters, October 16; residence of Peter Wentz, still standing, two story, stone, built, 1758. Out Township line to KULPSVILLE, on Sumneytown Road, Baptist or Mennonite meeting house, here are buried General Francis Nash of North Carolina, and other officers who died of wounds received in the Battle of Germantown. Northwest, one mile, HARLEYSVILLE, residence of Henry Funk, Bishop of Mennonite Church, who with the Dunkards of Ephrata, made translation, in 1748, from the German, of Tielman Jan van Braght’s great historical book of the Mennonites, termed the noblest specimen of American colonial bibliography; Henry Funk’s mill, still standing, known as Musselman’s Mill, contains a parchment deed, date, 1733, with great seal of the province and signature of Thomas Penn.

Return to Skippack Road, to Pennypacker’s Mills, SCHWENKSVILLE, residence of the late Governor Samuel Pennypacker, two story, stone house, Washington’s headquarters before and after Battle of Germantown; army marched down Skippack Road, 7.00 P.M., October 3, to attack the enemy; here October 7, Washington received a committee of Friends, appointed by the Yearly Meeting, against war; Schwenksville was settled by Schwenkfelders from Silesia in 1734; Casper Schwenkfeld preached, in 1523, doctrines accepted by George Fox in 1648, were forerunners of Quakers. Perkiomen Seminary, at Pennsburg, originated in a school founded by Schwenkfelders, 1764. Down Perkiomen Creek road, over finest old stone bridge in state, five arches, built, 1799, architect, George Lewis, carries Ridge Road over Perkiomen Creek at COLLEGEVILLE, Ursinus College; Co-ed Lutheran, portraits by Albert Rosenthal. And old Providence meeting house.

One mile west, at TRAPPE, Augustus Church, oldest Lutheran church in United States; built, 1743; unaltered; used as hospital for American soldiers during Revolutionary war; Henry Melchior Muhlenberg was sent from Halle, Germany, in 1742, to organize this church in Pennsylvania; first regularly ordained preacher, reports he sent to Halle supply much early, original information. His sons, born here, were General Peter Muhlenberg, pastor of church in Shenandoah Valley, who called on his congregation to enlist in the Revolutionary War, and Frederich Augustus, speaker, First National Congress, 1789. EVANSBURG, St. James Protestant Episcopal Church and schoolhouse, built about 1700, contains Bible, prayer book, and old walnut Communion table, sent over by the English Society in 1723, to its foreign mission. Revolutionary soldiers are buried in the church yard. Here is an eight arch stone bridge, date 1792.

NORRISTOWN, county seat, settled, 1784, population 32,319. Courthouse built, 1791, native white marble; on grounds is Rittenhouse monument, granite shaft, dedicated 1876, marks the meridian. Jail, built, 1851, red sandstone, castellated Norman, architect for courthouse and jail, N. LeBrun. Historical Society of Montgomery County has local historical collections. St. John’s Protestant Episcopal Church, Gothic, dedicated, 1815, Revolutionary soldiers are buried in its grounds. Montgomery Trust Company, Greek, Ionic, Westerly granite and Indiana limestone, facing public square, on site of first hotel in Norristown. In Montgomery Cemetery are buried Charles Heber Clark (Max Adler), and General Winfield Scott Hancock.

PLYMOUTH MEETING, old Friends meeting house, built, 1715, stone, used as hospital during Revolutionary War, Thomas Hovenden, artist, buried in grounds; residence of Mrs. Thomas Hovenden (Helen Corson), was a noted underground railway station for refugee slaves. Stone bridge over Plymouth Creek, date, 1796; stone bridge carrying Germantown and Reading Railroad over Plymouth Creek, date, 1802. BARREN HILL, Lafayette and detachment of army attacked here by British, May 18, 1778. ROXBOROUGH, Philadelphia, St. Timothy’s Protestant Episcopal Church has frieze, procession of angels. Through Ridge Avenue to Wissahickon Drive, Fairmount Park, to Philadelphia.

XVI

DAUPHIN COUNTY

Seat of state capital; formed March 4, 1785; named for title of the Dauphin of France, then Louis XVI, in recognition of aid rendered to the colonies in Revolutionary War. Chief industries iron and steel; in the north, anthracite coal. High mountain ranges, with valleys of rich rolling farm lands, intersected with many streams, show much scenic beauty.

HARRISBURG, county seat; laid out in 1785; population 75,917. The state capitol’s best approach is from Third and South Streets, the massive pile looms up in exquisite proportion, one is impressed with the inherent dignity of the façade, controlled by a well-proportioned dome; dedicated in 1906; architect, Joseph W. Huston; Roman and Italian Renaissance, with influence of Greek Corinthian; dome suggests St. Peter’s in Rome; bronze doors, designed by J. W. Huston, were modeled by Otto Jansen; superb groups of statuary on either side of the main entrance typify, “The Joy, and Burden of Life,” sculptor, George Gray Barnard; within the rotunda is the splendid collection of battle flags, 378, owned by the state; one of the most interesting of the kind.

Mural decorations, the Rotunda; Economic “Triumphs of the State,” artist, Sir Edwin A. Abbey; from large lunettes show the “Spirits of Commerce, Oil (Light), Coal, Steel”; four pendentives contain single

allegorical figures, Religion, Art, Literature, Science; governor’s reception room; frieze, artist, Violet Oakley, “Foundations of the State of Liberty Spiritual.” Lunettes, artists, John W. Alexander and W. B. Van Ingen, “Growth and Expansion of the State of Liberty Spiritual,” by the establishment of various religious bodies that came to the new colony. House of Representatives; wainscoting of marble from the French Pyrenees; above the large windows are stained glass by W. B. Van Ingen; paintings by Abbey, “The Apotheosis of Pennsylvania,” with figures that stand as portraits, “Penn’s Treaty with the Indians,” and “The Reading of the Declaration of Independence,” planned by Abbey and finished in his studio after his death; the dome contains his exquisitely painted decoration, symbolical of the “Passage of the Hours”; only one of Abbey’s paintings for the senate room was finished, his “Valley Forge,” it has been placed with his others in the House of Representatives; Miss Oakley’s paintings were unveiled there in February, 1917; she will also decorate the Supreme Court Room.

The Moravian tiled pavement was designed and manufactured by Dr. Henry C. Mercer; these artists were all born in Pennsylvania; the consecutive line of historical and idealistic thought in the decorations was a conception of the architect. In Capitol Park, sixteen acres, notable for shrubbery and flowers, is a bronze equestrian statue, General and Governor John Frederick Hartranft; sculptor, Frederick W. Ruckstuhl; also Mexican monument, white marble, erected by the state in 1868, in memory of citizens lost in war with Mexico, 1846-48. An elementary course of art is taught in nearly every public school in Pennsylvania, prepared by the Department of Public Instruction at Harrisburg, the basis of all art instruction in normal schools; nearly every summer school in the state offers a course in freehand drawing, and special courses for both grade teachers and supervisors.

Harrisburg is famous for her park system, the 972 acres extend along the river front, and to the center of the city for over a mile. Harris Park, four acres, from Paxton Street to Mulberry Street; contains monument to John Harris, first settler, and John Harris, Jr., founder of the city; facing the park, below Mulberry Street, is the Harris residence, stone, built in 1766; little changed from the original form; Lincoln Park, two and one-fourth acres, from Mulberry Street to Market Street, contains memorial, “In memory of J. Conrad Weiser, 1696-1764, Provincial Interpreter, and his friend Shikellimy, 1683-1748, an Oneida Chief.” Erected about 1911. Facing this park is the building of the Historical Society of Dauphin County, with interesting museum. Promenade Park, three and one-half acres, Market to State Streets; and the D. W. Gross Park, two acres, Water to Herr Streets, with bronze memorial statue, a charging soldier, in memory of Sylvester P. Sullivan. Reservoir Park, eighty-eight acres, contains the city reservoir, giving a lake setting, with elaborate planting of flowers and shrubs; best scenic view is from this elevation. Wildwood Park, 666 acres, has a large lake for boating. The Boulevard or Parkway, 146 acres, is along streams, through ravines, and meadows; landscape architect, Warren H. Manning.

St. Patrick’s Procathedral; architect, George I. Lovatt; Renaissance; main altar, marble, is reproduction of Bernini’s altar in St. Peter’s, Rome. In Grace Protestant Episcopal Church is a painting by E. Irving Couse, “Adoration by the Shepherds.” Soldiers’ Monument, State and Second Streets, “To the Soldiers of Dauphin County, in 1861-65; erected by their fellow citizens in 1869.” Bronze tablet in west wall of the Camp Curtin School House, corner of Sixth and Woodbine Streets; commemorating site of old Camp Curtin, 1861-65; placed in 1911, by Keystone Chapter, United States Daughters of 1812. Memorial Market Street entrance to the City of Harrisburg; eastern approach to new bridge, formerly the old “Camel Back,” includes two columns from the old burned state capitol, and commemorative bronze tablets, designed by A. Sterling Calder; architect, Albert Kelsey; presented by the Henry McCormick Estate under auspices of the Harrisburg Civic Club; erected and dedicated in 1906.

HERSHEY, the chocolate town, a model village, out of which daily roll fifteen cars loaded with candies and chocolate; in 1915 Dunkards came from all over the United States to the annual conference of the “Church of the Brethren,” held in convention hall which seats six thousand, built for them by M. S. Hershey, largest meeting in the history of their church.

The Susquehanna River, one mile wide here, is spanned by three other bridges; Mulberry Street viaduct is said to be largest reinforced concrete bridge in the world, designed and erected by James H. Fuertes; stone arch bridge of the Pennsylvania Railroad at Rockville, said to be the largest four-track stone bridge in the world. Historic buildings; residence of William Maclay, first United States Senator from Pennsylvania, built in 1791; original building intact, with large wing added; on upper river front above South Street, used later by the Harrisburg Academy. Old Derry Church, Derry Township, a Presbyterian settlement since 1724, first log church built in 1732; present stone building on first site, built, 1883; has burial ground of much historic interest; Old Hanover Church, Presbyterian, eleven miles from Harrisburg, first log church built on Bow Creek in 1735; present building closed; the ancient burial ground is chief point of interest. Old Paxtang Church, Presbyterian, three miles east of Harrisburg, first log church said to have been built in 1716, with burial ground; present stone building built, 1740. Bronze gate and tablet at Paxtang Cemetery is memorial to soldiers of the French and Indian War and the Revolution; dedicated in 1906 by Harrisburg Chapter, Daughters of the American Revolution. Fort Hunter, five miles from Harrisburg on Fort Hunter and Fishing Creek Road, was laid out about 1760, on a high bluff facing the Susquehanna River, colonial house, built in 1814 by Colonel Archibald McAllister, is on foundations of an English blockhouse known as Hunter’s Fort.

XVII

LUZERNE COUNTY

Formed September 25, 1786; named in honor of Anne Cæsar, Chevalier de la Luzerne, minister from France to the United States 1779-83. Ranks third in number of inhabitants of Pennsylvania counties. Along either bank of the Susquehanna, a broad and shallow river, lie rich, fertile, alluvial bottom lands, mostly well cultivated; bounding them are ranges of hills and mountains 1200-1600 feet above sea level; other mountains in the northwest of the county attain an altitude of 2200 feet. In the northeast lies the historic Wyoming Valley, Indian name, Maughwauwama, or large plains, a long, oval basin from Campbell’s Ledge to Nanticoke Falls, some sixteen miles in length, with an average breadth of three miles.

Luzerne County lies within the limits of the Connecticut Charter, granted in 1662, and within the limits of the Pennsylvania Charter granted in 1681; this double ownership caused much contention in later years, finally the Susquehanna Company of Connecticut was victorious; settlers now came rapidly, and by 1778 were distributed in several villages, with schools, churches, and all the characteristics of New England orderliness and thrift, enthusiasm and devoted patriotism. The British leader, Colonel John Butler, saw that this settlement was exposed in position, and that they had sent the