Germantown Historic Sites

The Germantown Historical Society coordinates a annual pass program that grants admission to a dozen plus historical sites in and around the the Germantown neighborhood of Philadelphia. Most of the sites are open on Saturday afternoon. I figured this program could form the basis for a bike ride. Last Saturday, I set out to visit a few of the site and take pictures of the ones I didn't have time to stop and tour. I ended up touring three historic homes and taking pictures of six more.

My first stop was the Ebenezer Maxwell Mansion at Tulpehocken and Greene, a rare example of Victorian architecture and the only such home open for tours in Philadelphia. After buying my passport, I received a personal tour from a volunteer who knew the house's history very well. Next I rode to Cliveden, the estate of Benjamin Chew, a prominent lawyer in colonial Philadelphia. The battle of Germantown, an American loss that preceeded the winter in Valley Forge, was largely fought on the grounds. The red coats used the house as a fort to much success. The facade still bears cannonball pock marks from the battle.

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From Cliveden, I road south along Germantown Avenue. While it's among the least bike friendly roads in Philadelphia, most of the historic sites have address on this route, once a major thoroughfare to and from downtown Philadelphia. I rode passed the Johnson House, part of the underground railroad; Concord School, built in 1775 ; the Germantown Historical Society headquarters; Dreshler-Morris House, where Washington summered during his presidency; and Grumblethorpe. I also passed, but failed to notice ACES Museum and Wyck. Finally, I arrived at my last stop for the day, Stenton, the estate of James Logan, a contemporary of Benjamin Chew, who is best know of the secretary for William Penn.

Statistics
Length: 19.3
Ride Time: 1 hour 49 minutes
Total Time: 5 hours 28 minutes
Avg. Speed: 10.6 MPH
Avg. Cadence: 55 RPM