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Take a Walking Tour of Tourison

Date: May 10, 2025, Saturday from 1:00 PM to 3:30 PM
Location: Meet outside at Lovett Library, 6945 Germantown Ave
Registration Fee: $34.00

Ashton Tourison, Sr., was born in Mt. Airy in 1851 to a former captain in the Civil War. Beginning in the 1870s, he had a grand vision for and confidence in the future of Cresheim, which was eventually renamed Mt. Airy. In approximately 1904, he purchased 125 acres between Chew and Stenton Avenues, from E. Durham Street to Meehan Avenue, and advertised his plan for Sedgwick Farms as “stone-built homes, planned on an architectural idea that makes each different from the other, yet in perfect harmony with all.” Along with creating timeless beauty, he provided practical houses that incorporated the core values of space, air, light, comfort, and good taste. With these core values in mind, this walking tour will tell the story of Ye Sedgwick Farms Company, comprised of Tourison, together with his four sons. This singular family’s vision has provided us with a legacy of beautiful, enduring architecture, consisting of a variety of designs primarily in the Tudor Revival, Colonial Revival, Neo-Georgian, and Victorian styles.

Elise Rivers, Esq., M.Ac worked in the field of historic preservation as Assistant Director of Preservation Worcester in Massachusetts and Executive Director of Landmark West, a historic preservation non-profit advocating for the Upper West Side of Manhattan. Her passion for beauty in architecture has never waned, and she was inspired to put together this walking tour after living in and loving her own Tourison home.

Night of Lights “Flip the Switch”

Night of Lights is a distinctive evening event that brings thousands to Chestnut Hill to experience Chestnut Hill Conservancy’s innovative public art streetscape exhibition. Night of Lights reflects Chestnut Hill, the business corridor, and one of America’s iconic main streets, Germantown Avenue.

Join us in 2023 as Chestnut Hill’s familiar commercial corridor transforms into a local history and Archive evening exhibition. Beginning as we “Flip the Switch” on Friday, October 6, at 6:45 PM, enjoy an interactive night filled with activities and celebrations as many stores and restaurants stay open late.

The celebrations continue until 9:00 PM as historical images and films project from the Conservancy’s Archives through storefront windows and onto exterior walls.

At the same time, neighboring historic buildings along the Avenue are illuminated with theatrical lights. Night of Lights is more than an architecture and Archives evening exhibition; it is a celebration of Chestnut Hill’s rich heritage, the vibrant spirit of its residents, and the thriving business community that contributes to its undeniable charm.