Graeme Park

Coordinates: 40°13′00″N 75°09′00″W / 40.21667°N 75.15000°W / 40.21667; -75.15000
Source: Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia.
For the DJ, see Graeme Park (DJ).

Graeme Park
Barn at Graeme Park
Graeme Park is located in Pennsylvania
Graeme Park
Location859 County Line Rd., Horsham, Montgomery County, Pennsylvania, U.S.
Coordinates40°13′00″N 75°09′00″W / 40.21667°N 75.15000°W / 40.21667; -75.15000
Area140 acres (57 ha)
NRHP reference No.66000672[1]
Significant dates
Added to NRHPOctober 15, 1966[1]
Designated NHLOctober 9, 1960[4]
Designated PHMC1965[2][3]

Graeme Park is an historic site and National Historic Landmark at 859 County Line Road in Horsham, Pennsylvania, United States. It is owned by the Pennsylvania Historical and Museum Commission and operated by the non-profit group, The Friends of Graeme Park. It is the only surviving residence of a colonial-era Pennsylvania governor.

Graeme Park was constructed in 1722 by

Philadelphia
. The house, originally known as Fountain Low, has been largely unchanged since its construction except for a restoration by Thomas Graeme in the mid-18th century and a minor restoration by the Pennsylvania Historical and Museum Commission in the 1960s.

Timeline

Keith House in 2010
Sir William Keith
The Keith House

thumbGreame Park in 1755

Dr. Thomas Graeme

1721

Construction of the malthouse begins.

A malthouse is a building in which

Christiana River near New Castle, Delaware. The malthouse was constructed during a time of financial complications between Great Britain
and her American colonies. Trade was slowed tremendously and supplies of grain were rotting on the idled ships in the colonial ports in cities like Philadelphia. Keith took advantage of the need to have the grain processed and malting the grain was a good way to preserve it for a time.

1722 or 1723

Construction on the mansion at Graeme Park begins.

Graeme Park was originally called "Fountain Low" by Sir William Keith, its builder and first resident. It is also known as the "Keith House" in his honor. Fountain Low was built on 1,700 acres (690 ha) of land that Keith acquired as governor. He received the land for little or no cost as a debt payment given to the Provincial government of Pennsylvania by the estate of Samuel Carpenter, who had died with a considerable debt owed to the colony. Over 90 workmen worked to complete Fountain Low and its surrounding buildings. Keith even got the Provincial government to extend two roads to his property in Horsham. Evidence points to the assumption that Governor Keith rarely occupied Fountain Low, but instead spent the majority of his time at the governor's mansion in Philadelphia. The interior of the mansion was not painted until Dr. Thomas Graeme took ownership in 1739.

1739

Dr. Thomas Graeme acquires the property at Fountain Low and renames it "Graeme Park".

Dr. Graeme was the husband of Ann Diggs who was the stepdaughter of Sir William Keith. Graeme had arrived with Keith from

trustees. The estate was sold in 1738 to Joseph Turner, who then sold Fountain Low to Dr. Graeme in 1739. Graeme originally used the newly named Graeme Park as a summer residence and kept his primary residence in Carpenter's Mansion in Society Hill
, Philadelphia.

1755

Dr. Graeme begins interior renovations at Graeme Park.

He installed decorative devices that were common during the

noble would be proud to have ... by his house." (Letter to Thomas Penn
, 1755)

1765

Dr. Thomas Graeme retires from medical practice due to deteriorating health and the death of his wife Ann.

Following his retirement, Dr. Graeme began to spend a majority of his time at Graeme Park. Graeme's daughter

heart attack
while walking the grounds of Graeme Park on September 4, 1772. Ownership of the land was transferred to his daughter Elizabeth and her husband Henry Hugh Fergusson.

1778

Graeme Park is confiscated by the Continental Congress due to Henry Fergusson's loyalist sympathies during the American Revolution.

Elizabeth Graeme married Henry Fergusson on April 21, 1772, without her father's consent. This caused quite a problem for the newlyweds. Henry and Elizabeth had been introduced to each other by Dr.

traitor
by the Supreme Executive Council of Pennsylvania and Graeme Park was seized under the Confiscation Act of 1778.

1781–1795

Graeme Park is returned to Elizabeth Graeme Fergusson and she lives there in peace until 1795.

Elizabeth Graeme Fergusson

Elizabeth Fergusson may have delivered some letters, for her husband's sake, that called her loyalty into question, but she remained a patriot throughout the Revolution. She regained Graeme Park in 1781 thanks to the support of several close and influential friends. Among these were

Robert Morris known as the financier of the Revolution, and Benjamin Rush, a signer of the United States Declaration of Independence and the man who introduced her to Henry Fergusson. Elizabeth was able to live the rest of her life in peace and quiet. She sold Graeme Park to a pharmacist from Bethlehem, Pennsylvania
named William Smith. Elizabeth lived with her friends in Horsham until her death in 1801.

1801–1920

The Penroses care for Graeme Park

William Smith sold 200 acres (81 ha) of Graeme Park to Samuel Penrose of

Quaker congregation. They were the parents of 10 children, seven of which survived to adulthood. Their son William was married to Ann Larrett in 1810 and the Penrose built a second farmhouse at Graeme Park for the newlyweds. Samuel bought all of Graeme Park from his father in 1820 and with Sarah began the tradition of keeping Graeme Park in its original state while at the same time having a productive and profitable farm. When Samuel died in 1863 ownership was transferred to his third son, Abel Penrose. Abel and his wife, Sarah Beisel, continued to preserve Graeme Park for future generations. They even began to invite visitors to take tours of the former Governor's mansion. Morris Penrose was the fourth and final generation of the Penrose family at Graeme Park, beginning in 1893. He continued the tradition of hosting tours for school groups and historical societies. It was noted that 400 visitors walked to Graeme Park from the trolley
stop on Easton Road in Horsham.

1920–1958

The Strawbridges care for Graeme Park

Morris Penrose sold 191 acres (77 ha) to Welsh Strawbridge on March 20, 1920. Strawbridge was an investment broker with the firm J&W Strawbridge. He was a prominent member of Philadelphia society, serving as Master of the Hounds for the Whitemarsh Hunt Club. Strawbridge married Miss Margaret Ely Marshall in 1922. They lived in the 1810 Penrose farmhouse and continued the Penrose tradition of preserving the Keith House and sharing its history with visitors.

In order to ensure the preservation of this historic mansion, the Strawbridges donated the Keith House and the surrounding area to the Pennsylvania Historical and Museum Commission in 1958.

1958–present

Graeme Park as a Pennsylvania Historical Site

The PHMC did some minor restorative repairs to Graeme Park in the 1960s. The buildings and the grounds of Graeme Park appear in much the same state today as they did in colonial times. The original floor boards, paneling and paint from Dr. Graeme's restoration remain. They provide a glimpse into the world of Georgian architecture.

Haunting legends

Since Elizabeth's death in 1801 it has been rumored by the citizens of Horsham, Pennsylvania that the Keith House and Graeme Park are haunted by her ghost. These local legends have been embraced by The Friends of Graeme Park, who perform annual lantern tours of the Keith House.[6]

References

  1. ^ a b "National Register Information System". National Register of Historic Places. National Park Service. July 9, 2010.
  2. ^ "PHMC Graeme Park". Retrieved April 2, 2017.
  3. ^ "PHMC Historical Markers". Historical Marker Database. Pennsylvania Historical & Museum Commission. Archived from the original on December 7, 2013. Retrieved December 30, 2013.
  4. ^ "Graeme Park". National Historic Landmark summary listing. National Park Service. Archived from the original on October 7, 2012. Retrieved July 2, 2008.
  5. ^ *"THE PEOPLE OF GRAEME PARK... Elizabeth Graeme Fergusson". Pennsylvania Historical and Museum Commission. Retrieved March 11, 2007.
  6. ^ "Haunted Lantern Tours & Mini Paranormal Investigation". Graeme Park. Friends of Graeme Park. Retrieved October 10, 2019.

Further reading

  • H.D. Eberlein and H.M. Lippincott, The Colonial Homes of Philadelphia and Its Neighbourhood, by H.D. Eberlein and H.M. Lippincott, J.B. Lippincott Co., Phila. and London, 1912.
  • Long Stanley, Wendy (2019). The Power to Deny: A Woman of the Revolution Novel. Carmenta Publishing.
    ISBN 978-1-951747-00-8
    .

External links
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