Wednesday, September 27, 2023 (continued)
Our tour of Fort Washington, PA began at the
Highlands Mansion and Gardens. Initially built as an escape from yellow fever epidemics sweeping through Philadelphia, it has become the focus of the Highlands Historical Society (1975), formed to preserve, restore and interpret the historic mansion and grounds from 1794 to the present.
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| Pasture |
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Ha-ha wall (c 1820-1825) between the mansion and the
pasture (designed to be invisible from the house) (KSS) |
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| Semicircular portico in the rear of the mansion (KSS) |
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| Icehouse (1799-1802) (KSS) |
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The Necessary (1794) (outhouse for wealthy
Americans) was moved and converted into
a garden house c 1820-1825 |
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| Arbor |
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| Crenelated wall (c 1844) on the northwest side of the garden |
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| Sinkler Garden (c 1920) ornament |
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Garden fountain and behind it the screening wall
(c 1920-1922) that hides the greenhouse |
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| Perhaps the tool or potting shed (c 1844) |
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| Kent departs through a gate in the crenelated wall |
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| Softball-sized Calvatia gigantea/Giant Puffball |
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| Gardener's cottage (c 1844) |
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| A peek into the gardener's cottage |
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| Greenhouse (c 1920) |
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| Another garden ornament (KSS) |
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| A smiling face wall ornament on the southeast wall (KSS) |
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| Smokehouse (1797, moved c 1922) |
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Outside the southeast wall with an exedra/a semicircular
recess with benches (on inner side) |
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| Barn (1799-1800) with access on three levels |
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| The lowest level of the barn, with ... |
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| ...goats! (KSS) |
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| Either a corn crib or a lath house |
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| Garage |
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| Smoking area for weddings and events? |
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Springhouse (1799-1800) has been converted into
a Necessary. for weddings and events |
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The Highlands Mansion (1794-1795, attributed to
Timothy Matlack, in late Georgian style) |
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| Another view of the mansion |
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Hope Lodge (1743-1748, by Edmund Woolley) is
finest example of Georgian Colonial style in town; in 1777
the house was used as a hospital by George Washington's
surgeon general, John Cochrane, and as quarters by
Major General Nathanael Greene
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| Hope Lodge Barn is hidden by tall hedges |
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| Side of the garage and a former privy |
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| Herb garden at Hope Lodge |
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| Pollinator Garden at Hope Lodge |
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Fort Hill in Fort Washington State Park seems to
have a wooden monster attacking a tree stump,
results of the EF2 tornado in 2021 (Hurricane Ida) |
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An observation platform on Fort Hill sits in the middle
of an earthenware redoubt that was Fort Washington,
established during the Whitemarsh encampment in 1777 |
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Clifton House (1801) was built on the site of Sandy Tavern
where Colonels Clement Biddle (the "Quaker General") and
and Stephen Moylan, and General George Wheedon, were
quartered during the Whitemarsh encampment in 1777 |
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Emlen House (1745) was briefly used as General
George Washington's headquarters during the
Whitemarsh encampment in 1777 |
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| Oh, look! Let's stop at IKEA for lunch! |
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Swedish meatballs with mashed potatoes, peas and
ligonberry sauce |
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Dessert was Swedish Daim Cake, made with the candy bar
Daim, a crunchy caramel almond bar covered with milk
chocolate; the cake was topped with almond brittle bits |
