Visiting Chestnut Hill
Whether
you are a visitor or a resident, the Historical Society invites
you to learn more about Chestnut Hill's rich history.
A
Walk on Germantown Avenue
Germantown
Avenue has long been the heart of Chestnut Hill. This self-guided
tour gives visitors a sense of the social and economic history
of the neghborhood. It is available as a cellphone audio tour (just
dial 215 525-1539) and as a web tour
for your smartphone. A free map that shows all the sites on the
tour can be picked up at our headquarters at 8708 Germantown Ave.,
at the Chestnut Hill Welcome Center at 8426 Germantown Ave., and
at many merchants on the avenue.
20th
Century Architecture in Chestnut Hill
While
Chestnut Hill is generally known for its fine nineteenth and early-twentieth-
century architecture, there are also many excellent examples of
mid and late-twentieth-century homes by noted architects such as
Robert Venturi, Louis Kahn, and Romaldo Giurgola. A map and guide
to these homes can be purchased at our headquarters at 8708 Germantown
Ave. A web version is also available.
Walking
Tour of St. Martin's
The
St. Martin's area was at the core of Chestnut Hill's transformation
from a rural village to a suburban community served by two railroad
lines. Developed by Pennsylvania Railroad director Henry Howard Houston,
and continued by his son-in-law George Woodward, St. Martin's includes
several community institutions as well as many fine homes. A walking
tour booklet may be purchased at our headquarters at 8708 Germantown
Ave.
The
Archives
The Historical Society's
archives are available for those interested in researching topics
in Chestnut Hill's past. The collection contains architectural drawings
and other building records; more than 8,200 photographic images;
maps including real estate atlases from the 1870s through the 1930s;
prints, drawings, deeds, diaries, genealogical materials, books,
taped and transcribed oral histories, and selected objects. The
archives are open Tuesday through Friday from 9:30am until 2:30pm,
and most Saturdays from 11am until 4pm. Appointments for use of
the collections are preferred; call 215 247-0417 for more information.
The
Wissahickon
Chestnut
Hill borders the Wissahickon section of Philadelphia's Fairmount
Park. The 1800 acre park's 57 miles of trails can easily be accessed
at several locations in Chestnut Hill. Our partners at the Friends
of the Wissahickon publish a trail map that you may purchase
at several locations.
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