“Awbury Arboretum – The Historic Landscape” walking tour with George McNeely

Date: Saturday, September 14, from 1:00 to 3:00 PM
Location: Philadelphia, PA 19138

Experience the beauty of Awbury Arboretum firsthand with a guided walking tour led by George McNeely, a local architectural historian, lecturer, and writer of the “Our Town” column in The Chestnut Hill Local.

Awbury Arboretum is both on the National Register of Historic Place and a Philadelphia Historic District, and includes 55 acres of public land and 25 historically significant buildings, mostly single-family houses. The district is approximately half a mile northeast of busy Germantown Avenue, which has since the 17th Century been the central commercial spine of what is now Northwest Philadelphia.

Into the 19th Century, the area was farmland with copses of woods and scattered modest farmhouses.  Starting just before 1850, members of the extended Cope family began buying land and building what were originally summer houses, along with the necessary support structures. Those houses were designed by a number of important local architects, including Thomas Ustick Walter, Addison Hutton, Cope & Stewardson, and Duhring Okie & Ziegler.

Such country estates typically included a “home farm” that produced the family’s vegetables, fruit, and meats.  The home farm at Awbury was gradually removed as the farm fields were transformed into a Picturesque English-style landscape by several noted local landscape architects, including Thomas Saunders, Arthur Cowell, and Harrison Mertz & Emlen.  More recently, the Arboretum has recreated the traditional “home farm” with an active community hub for non-profits that focus on urban agriculture, including the Philly Goat Project, the Philadelphia Beekeepers Guild, and Food Moxie.

The lecture, led by George McNeely, a local architectural historian, lecturer, and writer of the “Our Town” column in The Chestnut Hill Local, will provide a deep dive into the arboretum’s historical context, touching on key moments and figures that contributed to its development.

This tour provides an immersive experience, allowing participants to connect with the history, architecture, and natural beauty of Awbury Arboretum. The exact meeting location for the tour will be emailed to registrants. Remember to plan your visit to Awbury with public transportation!

Space is limited; sign up today!

Disclaimer: Please wear waterproof shoes with no open toes and consider wearing pants, as the terrain is uneven, and there is a chance of encountering poison ivy. The tour will proceed rain or shine.

In addition to our generous sponsors and supportive businesses and members, the Discovering Chestnut Hill tour and lecture series is sponsored by event sponsor John B. Ward & Co. Arborists and supporting sponsor Cawley Masonry.