Lemon Hill Mansion

08/25/2023

A tradition for more than a decade, Philly's Naked Bike Ride is Saturday August 26. Start location is Lemon Hill Mansion at 5 p.m., following a pre-body paint session from 2-4:30 p.m. Riders will cycle in various states of undress on a course that includes jaunts down Market Street, 13th Street, 21st Street, South Street and Broad Street, among others. Event is free; registration is not required. https://www.instagram.com/philly_naked_bike_ride/

07/01/2023

Another project completed by RCL! Thank you Lemon Hill Mansion for this amazing opportunity!

06/05/2023

Even though Henry Pratt owned multiple properties around Philadelphia, he would take his family seaside in the summer months. After losing his second wife and a child to Yellow Fever in 1793, this prompted him to purchase Robert Morris's The Hills estate in 1799 when it came up for auction. Not entirely sure where this summer home once existed, but it was probably in Cape May. By the early 1800s a number of small NJ shore enclaves would be developed and later come well-known resorts by the mid-19th century.

05/24/2023

Check out June tour dates at neighboring Fairmount Water Works. Tours are free although reservations requested in advance.

🕬Exciting news!!🕬

If you missed our May tours, you're in for a treat! Our historic preservation tour dates have been extended!

Step back in time with this unique tour, where the past comes alive! 🕰️ Explore the exterior grounds of our National Historic Landmark, immersing yourself in the captivating ambiance that has captured the attention from visitors from all over the world.

Afterwards, visit our re-opened Engine House Theater, where an interactive experience awaits you. Prepare to be captivated by an award-winning 15-minute film, shedding light on the pivotal role this site played in Philadelphia's vibrant history. 🎥✨

Continue your journey through time as you explore our exhibit areas at your own pace.

Ready to explore the historic Fairmount Water Works? Don't miss out on this unforgettable adventure! Book your spot today at www.fairmountwaterworks.org.

05/19/2023

Tomorrow, May 20, the Lemon Hill Neighbors Association is hosting a clean up from 10 a.m. to 12 noon of the nearby Glendinning Rock Garden. Volunteers still needed for trash pick up, clearing excess debris from pathways, stairs and the pond, and maybe some trail trimming on the back end of the Lemon Hill Trail. Contact:

Discover unique and fun giving and volunteer opportunities at Lemon Hill Neighbors! Get involved in your community and make an impact today!

05/19/2023

Jazz returns to the Hills this weekend! Bring friends and family. Open to all ages. From 4-6:30 p.m., Sunday May 21.

05/10/2023

05/08/2023

Two hundred years ago and more, Lemon Hill Mansion once boasted having one of the finest horticultural landscapes in the world. Perhaps the hill will again someday be among the great gardens of the world.

Spring is here, and there's no better way to celebrate the season than by immersing yourself in the beauty of nature. With over 30 public gardens and arboretums within 30 miles, Philadelphia is America's Garden Capital.

Wander through acres of gardens and arboretums bursting with color and life. From peaceful Japanese gardens to enchanting greenhouses, there's a world of natural wonder waiting for you to discover. Don't wait - plan your visit to America's Garden Capital this spring and let the beauty of nature inspire and uplift you: https://americasgardencapital.org

05/06/2023

05/06/2023

Did you know that May is ?

Take in an outside guided tour of the Fairmount Water Works, a National Historic Landmark.

Afterwards, head inside to tour the Interpretive Center’s exhibit areas on your own, see the award-winning 15-minute narrated historical film, and enjoy our latest exhibition, “POOL: A Social History of Segregation”.

RSVP at www.fairmountwaterworks.org.

04/13/2023

Spring is here and so are the tours 🌷🌱 Join the Association for Public Art and Preservation Alliance for Greater Philadelphia for “Public Art, Landmarks, and Transformations along the Schuylkill” – a walking tour along the Schuylkill River on Sunday, May 28th at 2pm. Presented in celebration of National Historic Preservation Month, this tour will cover the changes and development along the lower Schuylkill River and the industrialization that followed in historical landmarks, and public art spanning the early 18th to the mid-19th century.

Space is limited! $10 for aPA members and Preservation Alliance members, $15 for non-members. Registration and more info ➡️ https://bit.ly/3mjcze9

03/22/2023

Onward to Sedgley!

The historic Gulf station will be moved to Fairmount Park as the Parkway Corp. prepares to construct a new office tower on the site.

03/17/2023

Lemon Hill Neighbors Association is hosting a trail cleanup day from 10 a.m. to noon, Saturday, March 18. Group will meet up at the Poplar Dr./Poplar St. (by the baseball diamond/playground). This work will focus on cleaning up areas where the Easter Egg Scramble will take place next weekend! Please register if you hope to attend.

https://www.givepulse.com/event/362747?fbclid=PAAaYpYLE4lSEvtixj2dlla71sp5Rk4DxmbT52GxulqW7D0hjVS0RqMCFezJY

We will be tackling some overgrowth at the trail heads, a little trail building, trail cleanup for trash and debris.&nbs...

03/15/2023

BIG NEWS: On Monday, March 20, Boathouse Row will be going dark for eight months while the iconic lighting system receives a major glow-up. Fairmount Park Conservancy is partnering with Philadelphia Parks & Recreation to replace and upgrade the existing light system, thanks to funding provided by the Joanna McNeil Trust and the City of Philadelphia.

The lights have experienced outages due to ongoing maintenance issues, and this new project will redo and upgrade the entire system on 15 historic buildings along Boathouse Row. Following the removal of the existing light system, the boathouses will have an opportunity to address any deferred building repairs that were previously inaccessible because of the lights. The houses will be dark for about eight months and are expected to shine again by the end of 2023. 💡

To learn more about this project, visit https://bit.ly/BHR-2023

02/20/2023

It's a go! Lemon Hill Mansion will soon have a new neighbor across the hill at the Sedgley Porter House.

A nearly century-old gas station at 20th and Arch Streets is getting moved to Fairmount Park in advance of a new office tower.

02/07/2023

There is a proposal under review with the Philadelphia Art Commission to relocate a historically protected former Gulf gas filling station from its current location at 20th & Arch Street to 3250 Sedgley Drive (by the Sedgley Porter House).
The meeting is on Zoom, beginning at 9:30 a.m., Wednesday February 8. Please note that the Filling Station proposal is one of the last items on a lengthy agenda. The former plan to move it to Aviator Park is off the table, due to objections raised by 3 nearby Parkway institutions.
More info at the links below:
Agenda and meeting instructions:https://www.phila.gov/.../Art-Commission-agenda-20230208.pdf
Submissions on meeting page: https://www.phila.gov/.../philadelphia.../public-meetings/

12/05/2022

Lemon Hill Mansion isn't open for 2022 Holiday Tours this year...Hope to return next year! But four of the mansions in East Fairmount Park are open from now through December 23...and a few the week before New Years Day. Come on out and enjoy history!

This December, an annual Philadelphia tradition returns with holiday tours of the historic houses of Fairmount Park.

12/03/2022

12/01/2022

In the 1870s, the Federal mansion got a makeover with a new Italianate roofline, a wrap-around porch and some other Victorian touches. In the 1930s, PMA's first director, Fiske Kimball, and wife Marie, restored the c. 1800 mansion to its original Federal appearance. These past few years, the mansion has been closed while it undergoes some much-needed updating. Hopefully, it will reopen for tours and programming in April 2023.

Postcard: Lemon Hill, Country Home of Robert Morris, Fairmount Park. Image Source: The Library Company of Philadelphia.

11/23/2022

PhillyChristmasTrees will begin 2022 holiday tree sales at Lemon Hill Mansion on Saturday, November 26. Open hours are 9:30 a.m. to 5 p.m., Saturdays and Sundays only through December, until supply runs out! For more information, go to http://www.phillychristmastrees.com/

10/25/2022

Lemon Hill, c1899 & today

Lemon Hill is a Federal-style mansion in Fairmount Park built from 1799 to 1800 by Philadelphia merchant Henry Pratt. The house is named after the citrus fruits that Pratt cultivated on the property in the early 19th century. - Wikipedia

09/26/2022

The 2022 Fringe Arts Festival will be at Lemon Hill Mansion Park on September 30 thru October 2! For details about schedules, fees and map locations, go to the Fringe Festival website. https://fringearts.com/2022-fringe-festival/

Performers include:

"Walking with Charles." Comedian Charles Blyzniuk goes live at 6 p.m., all three nights at Site 7;

"Centrifugal." Dancer Marybeth Tereszkiewicz invites audience participation at 4 p.m., Saturday, October 1 at Site 2;

"Ruciteme Karyenda Culture de Buyenzi" brings Burundian cultural and modern dance performance to the hill at 5 p.m., Saturday, October 1 at Site 1.

The 2021 Philadelphia Fringe

09/22/2022

Lemon Hill Mansion is still closed temporarily, but three other historic mansions are still open to visitors.

This Saturday, September 24, Edgley Field will be the host site for the first Philadelphia Polo Classic. The event is a fundraiser for Chamounix Stables "Work to Ride" program. https://philadelphiapoloclassic.org/

Some 3000 visitors are expected and event tickets are sold out. Although the event is open to ticket holders only, it's still possible to enjoy some of the festivities as the nearby historic mansions and grounds at Laurel Hill, Woodford and Strawberry Mansions will be open to visitors as usual from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.

Best views will be from Laurel Hill Mansion, located directly across from the Edgley Ball Fields. Perfect Fall weather is in the forecast! Bring a lunch, bring a blanket or folding chair, and enjoy a private picnic on the grounds of Laurel Hill Mansion.

Edgley Drive will be closed to cars and parking on Saturday, but all other access routes through the Park will be open. It's a short walk from Reservoir Drive to Laurel Hill Mansion. Septa's transit station at 33rd&Dauphin is a hub for more than half a dozen bus routes.

2022 Philadelphia Polo Classic Presented by MARS EQUESTRIAN™ and B&D Builders Presented by MARS EQUESTRIAN™ and B&D Builders Book Tickets Online Auction Get Directions About the Event Join us on Saturday, September 24, at Fairmount Park in Philadelphia for the inaugural Philadelphia Polo Classic...

08/29/2022

Please join us! Lemon Hill Neighbors Association is hosting a litter cleanup today (Monday, August 29) from 6-8pm at Lemon Hill. Meet at Poplar/Poplar Streets near the playground. All participants receive a voucher for a free scoop at Over the Moon Ice Cream on Girard Ave!

08/27/2022

Philly Naked Bike Ride Rides Again! Launch site is at Lemon Hill Mansion. Festivities start at 2 p.m. The Ride begins around 5 p.m. After party starts after 7 p.m. For more info go to https://philadelphianakedbikeride.wordpress.com/

https://www.inquirer.com/news/philadelphia/naked-bike-ride-philadelphia-2022-20220826.html

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