Grumblethorpe
Encyclopedia
Grumblethorpe, in Germantown, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
, was the home of the Wister family. It was built as a summer residence in 1744 by Philadelphia merchant and wine importer John Wister. It eventually became the family's year-round residence when they withdrew from the city during the Yellow Fever Epidemic of 1793
. The stones for the house were quarried on the property and the joists were hewn from oaks in Wister Woods, also owned by the family.
With its strong stone and oak facade, Grumblethorpe was known as "John Wister's Big House." In the early 19th century, Charles Jones Wister gave the house its name, from the popular comical novel Thinks-I-To-Myself by Edward Nares
.
In September 1777, the house was the scene of events in the Battle of Germantown
. While the Wisters were staying in another home, British General James Agnew
occupied the house as his headquarters during the battle. He was wounded and died in the front parlor, where his blood stains can still be seen on the floor.
The Wister family lived in the house for over 160 years. Diarist Sally Wister
(John's granddaughter) lived here from 1789 until her death in 1804. The house, which has been restored and refurnished to match the original period, now serves as a museum. The historic gardens are also being restored.
Grumblethorpe was listed on the National Register of Historic Places
in 1972. It is a contributing property
of the Colonial Germantown Historic District
, which has been designated a National Historic Landmark
.
Germantown, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
Germantown is a neighborhood in the northwest section of the city of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, United States, about 7–8 miles northwest from the center of the city...
, was the home of the Wister family. It was built as a summer residence in 1744 by Philadelphia merchant and wine importer John Wister. It eventually became the family's year-round residence when they withdrew from the city during the Yellow Fever Epidemic of 1793
Yellow Fever Epidemic of 1793
The Yellow Fever Epidemic of 1793 is believed to have killed several thousand people in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, United States.-Beginnings:...
. The stones for the house were quarried on the property and the joists were hewn from oaks in Wister Woods, also owned by the family.
With its strong stone and oak facade, Grumblethorpe was known as "John Wister's Big House." In the early 19th century, Charles Jones Wister gave the house its name, from the popular comical novel Thinks-I-To-Myself by Edward Nares
Edward Nares
Edward Nares was an English historian and theologian, and general writer.-Life:He was educated at Westminster School and Christ Church, Oxford. He was Fellow of Merton College, Oxford and became in 1813 Regius Professor of Modern History...
.
In September 1777, the house was the scene of events in the Battle of Germantown
Battle of Germantown
The Battle of Germantown, a battle in the Philadelphia campaign of the American Revolutionary War, was fought on October 4, 1777, at Germantown, Pennsylvania between the British army led by Sir William Howe and the American army under George Washington...
. While the Wisters were staying in another home, British General James Agnew
James Agnew
Sir James Willson Agnew, KCMG was an Irish-born Australian politician, who was Premier of Tasmania from 1886 to 1887.-Early life:...
occupied the house as his headquarters during the battle. He was wounded and died in the front parlor, where his blood stains can still be seen on the floor.
The Wister family lived in the house for over 160 years. Diarist Sally Wister
Sally Wister
Sarah Wister was a girl living in Pennsylvania during the American Revolution. She is principally known as the author of Sally Wister's Journal, a first-hand account of life in the nearby countryside during the British occupation of Philadelphia in 1777–78, when she was sixteen.-Family and early...
(John's granddaughter) lived here from 1789 until her death in 1804. The house, which has been restored and refurnished to match the original period, now serves as a museum. The historic gardens are also being restored.
Grumblethorpe was listed on the National Register of Historic Places
National Register of Historic Places
The National Register of Historic Places is the United States government's official list of districts, sites, buildings, structures, and objects deemed worthy of preservation...
in 1972. It is a contributing property
Contributing property
In the law regulating historic districts in the United States, a contributing resource or contributing property is any building, structure, or object which adds to the historical integrity or architectural qualities that make the historic district, listed locally or federally, significant...
of the Colonial Germantown Historic District
Colonial Germantown Historic District
The Colonial Germantown Historic District is a designated National Historic Landmark District in the Germantown and Mount Airy neighborhoods of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania along both sides of Germantown Avenue...
, which has been designated a National Historic Landmark
National Historic Landmark
A National Historic Landmark is a building, site, structure, object, or district, that is officially recognized by the United States government for its historical significance...
.
See also
National Register of Historic Places listings in Northwest PhiladelphiaNational Register of Historic Places listings in Northwest Philadelphia
This is a list of the National Register of Historic Places listings in Northwest Philadelphia.This is intended to be a complete list of the properties and districts on the National Register of Historic Places in Northwest Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, United States...
Further reading
- H.D. Eberlein and H.M. Lippincott, The Colonial Homes of Philadelphia and Its Neighbourhood, J.B. Lippincott Co., Phila. and London, 1912.
- Roger W. Moss, Historic Houses of Philadelphia: A Tour of the Region's Museum Homes, University of Pennsylvania Press, 1998.
- John L. Cotter, Daniel G. Roberts, and Michael Parrington, The Buried Past: An Archaeological History of Philadelphia, University of Pennsylvania Press, 1992.
External links
- Official site
- Listing, photographs, and drawings of Grumblethorpe at the Historic American Buildings SurveyHistoric American Buildings SurveyThe Historic American Buildings Survey , Historic American Engineering Record , and Historic American Landscapes Survey are programs of the National Park Service established for the purpose of documenting historic places. Records consists of measured drawings, archival photographs, and written...
- Listing, photographs, and drawings of Grumblethorpe Tenant House at the Historic American Buildings SurveyHistoric American Buildings SurveyThe Historic American Buildings Survey , Historic American Engineering Record , and Historic American Landscapes Survey are programs of the National Park Service established for the purpose of documenting historic places. Records consists of measured drawings, archival photographs, and written...
- Listing at Philadelphia Architects and Buildings
- Painting of Grumblethorpe