https://philadelphia.wiki/index.php?action=history&feed=atom&title=Cedar_GroveCedar Grove - Revision history2026-06-05T11:46:11ZRevision history for this page on the wikiMediaWiki 1.42.3https://philadelphia.wiki/index.php?title=Cedar_Grove&diff=4396&oldid=prevGritty: Humanization pass: prose rewrite for readability2026-04-23T17:04:08Z<p>Humanization pass: prose rewrite for readability</p>
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<p><b>New page</b></p><div>{{Infobox Park<br />
| name = Cedar Grove<br />
| image =<br />
| image_caption = Cedar Grove mansion in Fairmount Park<br />
| type = Historic house museum<br />
| location = Fairmount Park (West)<br />
| coordinates = 39.9870,-75.2000<br />
| area = Part of West Fairmount Park<br />
| established = Original house c. 1748; moved to park 1927<br />
| operated_by = Philadelphia Museum of Art<br />
| features = Colonial/Federal mansion, period furnishings, family history<br />
| hours = Limited—check Philadelphia Museum of Art<br />
| transit = SEPTA bus; drive recommended<br />
| website = https://www.philamuseum.org<br />
}}<br />
<br />
'''Cedar Grove''' is a historic house museum in [[Fairmount Park|West Fairmount Park]], remarkable for being moved stone-by-stone from its original Frankford location in 1927 to preserve it from industrial encroachment. The house spans five generations of the Morris-Wistar family from 1748 to 1888, with original furnishings and family belongings intact—a rare preservation of both architecture and contents.<ref name="cedargrove">{{cite web |url=https://www.philamuseum.org/visit/cedar-grove |title=Cedar Grove |publisher=Philadelphia Museum of Art |access-date=December 30, 2025}}</ref><br />
<br />
Cedar Grove offers an unusually complete picture of how one Philadelphia Quaker family lived across 150 years.<br />
<br />
== History ==<br />
<br />
=== Original Construction ===<br />
<br />
Built in '''Frankford''' around '''1748''':<br />
* Elizabeth Coates Paschall built the original house<br />
* Quaker family residence<br />
* Expanded over generations<br />
* Each generation added to the house<br />
<br />
=== Five Generations ===<br />
<br />
The house remained in one family line:<br />
* '''1748-1760s:''' Elizabeth Coates Paschall<br />
* '''1760s-1795:''' Sarah Wistar Morris<br />
* '''1795-1840:''' Isaac Wistar Morris<br />
* '''1840-1888:''' Lydia Thompson Morris and siblings<br />
* '''1888:''' Last family member died; house and contents preserved<br />
<br />
=== The Move ===<br />
<br />
Industrial development threatened the house:<br />
* Frankford became industrial area<br />
* '''1927:''' House moved to Fairmount Park<br />
* Dismantled and reassembled stone by stone<br />
* Contents moved intact<br />
* Preserved family history<br />
<br />
=== Significance ===<br />
<br />
Cedar Grove is exceptional because:<br />
* Original furnishings remained with house<br />
* Five generations' belongings preserved<br />
* Documents family life evolution<br />
* Quaker heritage intact<br />
<br />
== Features ==<br />
<br />
=== Architecture ===<br />
<br />
The house shows '''architectural evolution:'''<br />
* 1748 original Quaker farmhouse<br />
* Federal-era additions<br />
* Multiple building campaigns visible<br />
* Local stone construction<br />
<br />
=== Original Furnishings ===<br />
<br />
'''Family belongings intact:'''<br />
* Furniture from all five generations<br />
* Textiles and needlework<br />
* Ceramics and glass<br />
* Family portraits<br />
* Everyday objects<br />
<br />
=== Quaker Life ===<br />
<br />
The house reflects '''Quaker values:'''<br />
* Simplicity in design<br />
* Quality craftsmanship<br />
* Practical elegance<br />
* Family continuity<br />
<br />
=== Gardens ===<br />
<br />
Historic '''garden recreated:'''<br />
* Based on period documentation<br />
* 18th and 19th-century plants<br />
* Formal layout elements<br />
<br />
== Visiting ==<br />
<br />
=== Tours ===<br />
<br />
* Limited public hours<br />
* Check Philadelphia Museum of Art website<br />
* Special events occasionally<br />
* Group tours by appointment<br />
<br />
=== Getting There ===<br />
<br />
'''Location:''' Lansdowne Drive, West Fairmount Park<br />
<br />
'''By Public Transit:'''<br />
* SEPTA Bus 38<br />
* Driving recommended<br />
<br />
'''By Car:'''<br />
* Enter Fairmount Park<br />
* Parking near house<br />
<br />
=== Tips ===<br />
<br />
* Call ahead—hours are limited<br />
* The furnished interior is the highlight<br />
* Combine with other park mansions<br />
* Interesting for genealogy/family history enthusiasts<br />
<br />
== Nearby ==<br />
<br />
* '''[[Fairmount Park]]''' — Surrounding park<br />
* '''[[Sweetbriar Mansion]]''' — Nearby<br />
* '''[[Memorial Hall]]''' — Nearby<br />
* '''[[Philadelphia Zoo]]''' — Nearby<br />
<br />
== See Also ==<br />
<br />
* [[Fairmount Park]]<br />
* [[Fairmount Park Mansions]]<br />
* [[Strawberry Mansion]]<br />
* [[Woodford Mansion]]<br />
* [[Mount Pleasant]]<br />
<br />
== References ==<br />
<references /><br />
<br />
== External Links ==<br />
<br />
* [https://www.philamuseum.org Philadelphia Museum of Art]<br />
* [https://myphillypark.org Fairmount Park Conservancy]<br />
<br />
{{#seo:<br />
|title=Cedar Grove Philadelphia - Colonial House Museum Moved to Fairmount Park<br />
|description=Guide to Cedar Grove, a colonial house moved to Fairmount Park in 1927 with five generations of Morris-Wistar family furnishings preserved intact.<br />
|keywords=Cedar Grove Philadelphia, Fairmount Park mansions, Philadelphia house museums, Quaker history Philadelphia, colonial furniture Philadelphia<br />
|type=Article<br />
}}<br />
<br />
[[Category:Parks]]<br />
[[Category:Historic Sites]]<br />
[[Category:Fairmount Park]]<br />
[[Category:Museums]]<br />
[[Category:Architecture]]</div>Gritty