by Tatiana Paden | May 31, 2024 | Uncategorized
A scenic trail in Wissahickon Valley. The trails are stewarded by many, including Friends of the Wissahickon, who are celebrating their 100th anniversary this year.
Friday, May 24, 2024
By Alex Bartlett, Chrissy Clawson, and Krista Gebbia of the Chestnut Hill Conservancy
As National Trails Day on June 1 approaches, it is fitting to reflect on the rich history of the Wissahickon Valley’s trails. Traversing the Wissahickon Valley, many of its trails echo a history dating back over 200 years. These paths served as vital arteries, providing access to the numerous mills that once lined the banks of the Wissahickon Creek and its tributaries, connecting them with farms, businesses, and residences. The Lenni Lenape may have even established some of these paths. Today, these trails serve a different purpose—recreation and contemplation of the beauty of the Wissahickon.
The paths began transitioning to the trails we know today as efforts were made to safeguard the city’s water supply. Beginning in the 1870s, in response to urbanization pressures, the city of Philadelphia initiated a program to acquire and demolish mills. This initiative, coupled with subsequent donations of land from families like the Houstons and Woodwards beginning around the turn of the 20th century, led to the creation of Wissahickon Valley Park.
As a result of these donations, the park’s boundaries expanded significantly. Farmers abandoned farms, and roads fell into disuse, eventually becoming overgrown and obsolete. As the 20th century progressed, many of these roads were repurposed into trails, integrating them into the park’s trail system, and now Friends of the Wissahickon (FOW) maintains them. FOW also donated and continues to support the Wissahickon collection in the Chestnut Hill Conservancy archives. The collection includes historical information and photographs of the trails; use the link below to learn more.
One of those roads, later transformed into a trail, is Thomas Mill Road/Spruce Mill Road. It once linked Germantown Avenue in Chestnut Hill with Township Line Road (now Old Line Road) in Andorra. Originating before 1808, it persisted in use until the early 20th century. A segment of the road served as access to a farmhouse until around 1950 when developers cleared the area to build houses along Manatawna Avenue, Caledonia Street, and Clyde Lane. The FOW’s Yellow Trail now partially follows its path in Andorra, while the White Trail in Chestnut Hill runs along the right-of-way between Chestnut Hill Avenue and Forbidden Drive.
The conversion of these roads into trails mirrors the dynamic evolution of the Wissahickon landscape. From its agricultural origins to its current status as a recreational sanctuary, the Wissahickon continuously adapts to shifting societal needs and ecological considerations. As the seasons turn and usage patterns shift, the Wissahickon continues to be a hub for athletic pursuits, artistic inspiration, and moments of tranquility. Efforts to preserve this area for everyone must also address the evolving ecology.
In its centennial year, FOW remains dedicated to stewarding these trails. Reflecting on the trails’ transformation as National Trails Day approaches, it is essential to recognize that stewardship demands significant time, effort, and funding. FOW, the city of Philadelphia, Wissahickon Trails, and other organizations play a crucial role in preserving these trails. However, all users share the responsibility to ensure their preservation for future generations.
Thomas Mill Road is shown running from upper left to lower right, as published in an 1885 atlas by G. M.Hopkins.
Chestnut Hill Conservancy Archives.
by Tatiana Paden | May 21, 2024 | Uncategorized
Julia Hebard Marsden House has been altered and expanded over the years. It is now owned by Chestnut Hill Hospital. In 1977, it became the Chestnut Hill Health Care Women’s Center—Chestnut Hill Conservancy Archives.
Monday, May 13, 2024
By Chrissy Clawson, Programs and Communications Manager
Amid the backdrop of Historic Preservation Month, Chestnut Hill celebrates a significant victory—an outcome of collaborative efforts between the Chestnut Hill Conservancy and Temple Health – Chestnut Hill Hospital. At its May 10 meeting, the Philadelphia Historical Commission unanimously voted to list the Chestnut Hill Hospital’s Women’s Center at 8835 Germantown Avenue in the Philadelphia Register. Formerly known as the Julia Hebard Marsden House, the Chestnut Hill Hospital Women’s Center is a testament to the community’s resilience, having been crafted through the adaption of a former historic home.
This victory marks a pivotal moment in the ongoing journey to preserve our community’s architectural and cultural legacy. Congratulations to both organizations and the Chestnut Hill community for this preservation win. The conservancy expresses deep gratitude to Councilperson Cindy Bass’s office and the Philadelphia Historical Commission for their ongoing involvement in the negotiations.
Designed in a Georgian-influenced Colonial Revival style by the accomplished and prolific architect Charles Barton Keen (1868-1931), the former Julia Hebard Marsden House is listed on the Chestnut Hill National Register Historic District as a significant architectural resource. Built in 1903 for Julia Hebard Marsden and her husband, Dr. Biddle Reeves Marsden, the house is a distinctive and characteristic example of the Colonial Revival style. Reusing the former home and doctor’s office into the Chestnut Hill Women’s Center is an excellent example of an institution evolving to benefit itself and the greater community’s needs. This transition from residential to institutional use is important for this building.
The Women’s Center, the last intact historic building on the hospital’s campus, enjoys a rich historical narrative. However, in 2021, discussions emerged about replacing this architectural landmark, prompting the conservancy to swiftly nominate it for preservation. A delicate negotiation ensued between hospital representatives and the conservancy, aiming to balance preservation concerns with the hospital’s operational needs.
Ultimately, a compromise emerged to protect the main building’s most visible parts while allowing for future growth by excluding the rear ell and carriage house from the designation.
Although the carriage house was excluded from the designation boundaries as part of the compromise, the commission encouraged collaboration between the conservancy and the hospital to document the Carriage House’s legacy for posterity.
The agreed-upon boundary, coinciding with the southern section of a larger parcel known as 8811 Germantown Avenue, encompassed the main block of the house along with its east and west wings. Notably, the rear wing lay outside the designated boundary, while the west wing, having undergone alterations, retained the potential for future modification or removal.
Future alterations or additions within the delineated boundary will undergo scrutiny by the Historical Commission, ensuring the property’s historical integrity for generations to come.
In navigating preservation challenges, the Chestnut Hill Hospital Women’s Center emerges as a success, where compromise facilitates the harmonious coexistence of heritage and progress. The compromise by the Chestnut Hill Conservancy and Temple Health ensures that the legacy of the Julia Hebard Marsden House endures as a testament to the community’s ability to grow and evolve and the preservation of its architectural heritage.
by Tatiana Paden | Jun 28, 2024 | Uncategorized
Louis Reid and her dog Timmy, 1942.
Chestnut Hill Conservancy Archives.
Thursday, March 4, 2024
By Tatiana Paden, Executive Office and Archives Coordinator
Andrew Jarvis contributed to this article.
Domestic work was among the few occupations available to Black women in the first part of the 20th century. And in Chestnut Hill, that was no different. Thanks to the work of Liz and Andrew Jarvis, we have the documented life story of one of those women, Louise Reid. On Sunday, January 10th, 1988, Andrew Jarvis sat with Louise and recorded her life story.
Louise Reid was born in Burkeville, VA, in 1906, the second youngest of five siblings. Her mother died when she was young, and so her father moved her and her siblings to live with their aunt and uncle in Powhatan, VA. She spent her childhood growing up on their farm and attended a small local schoolhouse for a few years until it was closed down. Her uncle and aunt were very humble and simple people. Her aunt, who was a freed slave, never got the chance to get an education and didn’t have any children of her own. Louise realized that her aunt did the best that she could for them.
Louise’s favorite thing when she was young was sewing. She taught herself to sew by hand. Cutting up anything she could get her hands on around the house. Her aunt was not too fond of it, as once she cut up her bonnet to make a dress for her doll. Her passion for clothes-making ignited after she got her first doll as a gift from her oldest sister.
“She wasn’t around much after our mother died…she used to come down and bring me nice little dresses and things, so she brought me a doll, a great big doll like that…and I was so proud of it. And I always liked dolls because I like to make clothes for them.” Once Louise was old enough to work, she left the farm and took the train to Richmond, working as the nanny for a doctor with three sons and one daughter. At 16, Louise moved to Flushing, New York. She started working for the Melcher family after the woman hosting her saw an ad in the paper. This job was the start of a lifelong change for Louise. “I stayed with Mrs. Blannon three years…but all my happy days were after I came to your grandmother,” Louise told Andrew. When she first started working for the Melchers, she only had experience in childcare, less so cooking. The Melchers paid for Louise to take cooking classes, which she used to her advantage. Bill and Clarissa Melcher had two daughters: Deborah “Debbie” and Sally. Louise scratched her sewing itch by creating clothes for the Melcher girl’s dolls. A full photographed catalog of her creations is available in the Conservancy’s Archives collection.
Over the years, Louise and the Melchers would move a couple of times. First to West Orange, NJ, and settled in Chestnut Hill by the 1930s. During the Great Depression, Bill Melcher lost his job at Baldwin Locomotive Works and struggled to support the family. Even through this hard time, Louise decided to stay. “I stayed on, yes…because I tell you I didn’t mind, I didn’t have anywhere special to go either, so I was glad they was willing to let me stay on, you know?” she continues, “It would have been so hard for me to go and get some new job because by that time I had got very well adjusted to the family. It would have been hard for me to go off and find somewhere else.” While unemployed, Bill found a way to pay her $5 weekly until he found a new job at the Smythe Paper Company.
Louise continued to work for the Melchers as the years went on. Debbie and Sally would go on to have children of their own. She would care for their grandchildren as she cared for their mothers whenever they visited their grandparents’ house.
By the 1960s, Louise started taking summer vacation bus trips through the Chestnut Hill Travel Agency. On one trip, she began to notice the racial discrimination she experienced when traveling. “It never occurred to me…I made my arrangements with the lady…and I did ask her…will any colored be in the group…at first I wasn’t scary or nothing, but I felt a little funny…of course, the people was real nice, but some of them was looking at me, you know, but I didn’t let it…I always try to be nice to people.” She was always the only Black person on each bus tour she went on, but she had no problem with that. She would send postcards to the family while she was away, sharing her experiences as she traveled from Tennessee to California and even Canada.
After 52 years of working for the Melcher family, Louise would move from their house in Chestnut Hill to her own home in Germantown. Louise attempted to reconnect with her family in Virginia a few times but decided to stay in Philadelphia. She lived a happy, humble life until she passed away in 1994. Her ashes were interred beside Bill and Clarissa Melcher’s at the Presbyterian Church of Chestnut Hill. “I hope I said something that amounts to something…my life wasn’t exactly a happy one when I was a little child, but I had to live through it anyhow…but I am very happy and like my apartment here. I’m very happy now.”
by Tatiana Paden | Jun 28, 2024 | Uncategorized
Thursday, February 8, 2024
One of the wonderfully unique things about the Conservancy’s Archive is how locally complete its history is, from a house call in 1910 to the triumphs of a local legend like Grace Kelly. We aim to capture the subtle narratives of as many individuals as possible, encompassing the experiences of the local Black community. Every person deserves to have their life immortalized adequately for future generations.
We at the Conservancy ask that anyone in the Chestnut Hill community with old photographs, newspapers, letters, and ephemera associated with the Black community consider adding them to the Conservancy’s archives. The existing archive, however, does contain a surprising amount of information.
And this week, in celebration of Black History Month, the Conservancy introduces a part of that archive with local basketball legend Vincene “Vinnie” Morris, a 1994 Philadelphia University Athletic Hall of Fame inductee who was a three-time All-America selection while playing for Philadelphia “Textile” University’s women’s basketball team, now the Jefferson University Rams.
Morris, named All-American from 1984-1986, holds the single-season rebound record with 374 in 1983-84. She scored a total of 2,180 points, making her the second-highest scorer in the school’s history and fourth all-time with 148 blocked shots and 209 steals.
After she graduated, Morris became a Philadelphia Police officer, made a career on the force, and eventually retired with the rank of sergeant. As a certified field training officer, she taught and supervised police personnel on community policing and conflict resolution.
Morris concluded her policing career as a supervisor of the 23 Police Athletic League (PAL) centers throughout Philadelphia. These centers provided a safe haven for children in high-crime areas with structured programming, educational assistance, and athletic experiences.
Later, Morris relocated to Charlotte, North Carolina, where she became a successful real estate broker. She focuses on helping people from underrepresented communities buy, sell, and rent properties throughout North and South Carolina.
Although she is no longer a Philadelphia resident, Morris remains a devoted Eagles fan and proudly represents her Philly pride.
For further information on donating objects to our collections, please contact Alex Bartlett at alex@chconservancy.org.
by Tatiana Paden | Jun 28, 2024 | Uncategorized
By Tatiana Paden, Executive Office & Archives Coordinator
As the Chestnut Hill Conservancy calls upon residents to contribute old photographs, newspapers, letters, and ephemera associated with the Black community, it celebrates the existing archive’s wealth of information, reflecting the diverse tapestry of Northwest Philadelphia’s history. Within this mosaic of stories lies the remarkable journey of Frederica Massiah-Jackson, born in 1951, whose life and accomplishments have left an indelible mark on Philadelphia’s legal and academic realms.
Born in 1951, Frederica Massiah-Jackson embarked on a journey that transcended mere professional achievements, resonating deeply within the fabric of Philadelphia’s legal and academic spheres. A product of Chestnut Hill College and the University of Pennsylvania Law School, she emerged as a beacon of resilience and trailblazing tenacity.
Her early career echoes a tale of determination as she navigated the corridors of justice, serving as a law clerk for Robert N.C. Nix, Jr., before striding at the Blank Rome Comisky & McCauley law firm. But in 1981, at 30, Massiah-Jackson etched her name into history, standing as the lone Black woman candidate in The Common Pleas Court Race.
Reflecting on those early days, she remarked, “I started off young… the double minority candidate… we have to let lawyers and defendants know that we won’t let society be ruled by a small minority of violent criminals,” as noted in the May 14, 1981, Chestnut Hill Local. Her victory in 1983 marked a pivotal moment, as she became the first Black female judge to preside over civil jury trials in Philadelphia’s courts, a testament to her unwavering resolve and dedication to justice.
Beyond the bench, Massiah-Jackson’s influence extended far and wide. From her tenure as President Judge from November 2000 to January 2006 to her role as Chief Counsel for the Senate Insurance and Business Committee, she left an indelible mark on the legal landscape. Yet, her impact transcended academia, as she imparted her wisdom as a Legal Studies and Business Law teacher at the prestigious Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania.
Her illustrious career, accolades, and honors adorned her path, from the NAACP’s Cecil B. Moore Award in 2010 to her inclusion among the esteemed women of color in the book Voices by the PA Commission for Women in 2005. A stalwart in her community, Massiah-Jackson remains actively engaged, lending her expertise to organizations such as the Forum of Executive Women, the Delaware Valley, Pa. Chapter of The Links, Inc., and Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority.
In 2021, the culmination of her journey was recognized with the bestowment of an Honorary Doctor of Laws Degree from Drexel University Thomas R. Kline School of Law, a testament to her enduring legacy and unwavering commitment to excellence. Frederica Massiah-Jackson stands as a symbol of progress and a beacon of hope, inspiring generations to come with her remarkable story of resilience and triumph.
For more information on donating objects to Chestnut Hill Conservancy collections, please contact Alex Bartlett at alex@chconservancy.org.
