November 2010

Today the wonderful colonial house with its noteworthy 1824 alterations by William Strickland, and historic gardens invites visitors to view not only remarkable collections, but to experience through the lives of its owners the changing character of Philadelphia. They personify the city's leadership in business, natural history and science, education and social responsibility.

Wyck offers a variety of rich resources for both the general visitor and the scholar. Tours of Wyck give an overview of the history of the way of life in this family, and of Philadelphia history, using the furnishings and possessions accumulated over 300 years as illustrations. Significant 18th and 19th century furniture, ceramics and needlework bring alive the tastes and comforts of that time.

For many years the cavern lay in silence broken only by the sound of the water, the animals that called it home and the occasional human who made their way into it. It was home to many wild animals, used by local people as a home, celebrated by the Native Americans as a place to hold special meetings, a weekend hangout for local kids, and had many other varied uses down through the years. In 1991, it was opened to the public as a show cave for the first time in its long and varied history.

Since that time the caverns has had many visitors through its magnificent chambers. It is a bat sanctuary for the endangered gray bats as well as home to 6 other species Visitors may walk through the cavern and picnic on the campgrounds. For the more adventurous visitors, Explorer Tour or Wild Tour are available to do some crawling around in the undeveloped areas of the cavern.

Built in 1765 by merchant and businessman Charles Stedman, this elegant Georgian brick mansion was purchased by Samuel Powel in 1769 at the time of his marriage to Elizabeth Willing. Mayor Powel and his wife were well known for their hospitality and frequently entertained such notable guests as George Washington, John Adams, Benjamin Rush, Benjamin Franklin, and the Marquis de Lafayette.

Today, the rich history of the Powel House may be seen in its decorative arts collection, its portraits of Powels and Willings, and its formal, walled garden so typical of Colonial Philadelphia. Its beautiful entryway, ballroom with bas-relief plasterwork, and mahogany wainscoting give the house its reputation as perhaps America's finest existing Georgian Colonial townhouse.

Dr. Physick took up residence in the house in 1815 after separating from his wife, Elizabeth Emlen Physick, and lived there until his death in 1837. One of the foremost surgeons of the time, Dr. Physick was among the few courageous doctors who remained in the city to care for the sick during the yellow fever epidemic of 1793. Among his many patients were John Adams' daughter, Dolly Madison, Dr. Benjamin Rush, and Chief Justice John Marshall. President Andrew Jackson consulted Dr. Physick about lung hemorrhages and was told to stop smoking.

Built from stone quarried on and oak cut from the Wisters' extensive property, the house is a prime example of domestic Pennsylvania German architecture of the period. Intended as a summer retreat, the house was occupied also in winter in the year 1793 when the Wister family sought refuge from the yellow fever epidemic raging in Philadelphia.

Cornwall Furnace is indeed a unique survivor of the early American iron industry. Originally built by Peter Grubb in 1742, the furnace underwent extensive renovations in 1856-57 under its subsequent owners, the Coleman family, and closed in 1883. It is this mid-19th century ironmaking complex which survives today. At Cornwall, furnace, blast equipment, and related buildings still stand as they did over a century ago. Here visitors can explore the rambling Gothic Revival buildings where cannons, stoves, and pig iron were cast, and where men labored day and night to satisfy the furnace’s appetite for charcoal, limestone, and iron ore.

Cornwall Iron Furnace is part of a National Historic Landmark District by the U.S. Department of the Interior, National Park Service. It has also been designated a National Historical Landmark by the American Society of Metals, and a National Historic Mechanical Engineering Landmark by the American Society of Mechanical Engineers, citing Cornwall Furnace as “the only one of America’s hundreds of 19th century charcoal fueled blast furnaces to survive fully intact.”

The Andrew Johnson National Historic Site honors the life of the 17th President. Andrew Johnson's presidency, 1865-1869, illustrates the United States Constitution at work following President Lincoln's assassination and during attempts to reunify a nation torn by civil war. His presidency shaped the future of the United States and his influences continue today. The site includes his house, a visitor center, a museum, and his final resting place, the Andrew Johnson National Cemetary.

The museum opened in 1949 in an old wartime cafeteria. It was originally named the American Museum of Atomic Energy. Its guided tours took visitors through the peaceful uses of atomic energy. The present facility, opened in 1975, continues to provide the general public with energy information. The name of the museum was changed to the American Museum of Science and Energy (AMSE) in 1978.

The museum focuses on 19th-century clocks and watches, but has a wide variety of American and global timepieces for visitors to chart the history of time-telling.

Experience the adventure of traveling by a historic coal-fired, steam-powered locomotive on the same tracks miners, cowboys and settlers of the Old West took over a century ago. Wind through spectacular and breathtaking canyons in the remote wilderness of the two-million-acre San Juan National Forest for an unforgettable journey. Relive the sights and sounds of yesteryear for a spectacular journey on board the Durango & Silverton Narrow Gauge Railroad.