Philadelphia Society for the Preservation of Landmarks

Join us as we kick off the Hill-Physick House Spring Plant Sale!Enjoy drinks and nibbles with first access to the handpicked herbs, house plants, annuals, perennials, and hanging baskets.If you are unable to make it to the kick off party, be sure to come to the plant sale on Friday, May 2nd (10AM-5PM) and Saturday, May 3rd (10AM-4PM) at the Hill-Physick House.If you want to get an even earlier head start on buying plants, you may preorder them here

Lecture by Ellen Endslow from Chester County History CenterAlliances and negotiations in the 1600s formed relationships between the indigenous Lenape and the Europeans who colonized what is now eastern Pennsylvania. Join us on May 8, 2025 at 7 PM in the Historic Waynesborough Carriage House for a presentation by Ellen Endslow that examines how the mutual respect for self-determination, shared land use, and freedom shifted as colonial leadership changed and settlers increased in the early 1700s. The presentation also looks at some of the decisions leading to the removal of indigenous people from Pennsylvania in order to share some insights

Spend an enchanted evening in the Powel House garden. Sip refreshing cocktails while feasting on a delicious buffet and passed hors d'oeuvres while enjoying the entertainment and lively companionship of friends new and known. Spring attire and fancy hats encouraged! Tickets $125

Spring's most awaited event!Spend an enchanted evening in the Powel House garden. Sip refreshing cocktails while feasting on a delicious buffet and passed hors d'oeuvres while enjoying the entertainment and lively companionship of friends new and known.Spring attire and fancy hats encouraged!Tickets $125

Presented by Historic Waynesborough and the Valley Forge Park AllianceExplore why William Penn founded the city between two rivers and the ecological and geological forces that define the region, and hear how the Lenape, the region’s first people were themselves active forces in shaping the landscape.Learn what flora and fauna Anthony Wayne, George Washington, and Ben Franklin saw during their time and what has changed today.

Join us for a BYOB Happy HourThis summer we are excited to open up the the beautiful Hill-Physick House garden for a happy hour evening. Come bring a bottle of wine and enjoy one of the neighborhoods premier private gardens.Admission will be $12 at the door. Water and light snacks will be provided.Rain date is the following Thursday, June 26th.

This summer we are excited to continue our garden happy hour series and open the the beautiful Powel House garden. Come bring a bottle of wine and enjoy one of the neighborhood’s premier private gardens. Admission will be $12 at the door. Water and light snacks will be provided. Rain date is the following Thursday, July 24th.

Colonial Farm and Craft Day at Historic Waynesborough Ever wonder what life was like in Colonial America? What it was like to write with a quill or how sheep’s wool was spun to make clothing? And how in the world did children amuse themselves long before the invention of Nintendo? You’ll learn all that and more at the Colonial Farmstead Day 1 p.m. to 3 p.m. Saturday, August 3, at Historic Waynesborough in Paoli. Volunteers from Colonial Pennsylvania Farmstead, Chester County Beekeeper Association, Springton Manor Farm will demonstrate a range of crafts and farming techniques right out of the 18th

Play colonial games, make ice cream, and see a honeybee hive!Colonial Farm and Craft Day at Historic WaynesboroughEver wonder what life was like in Colonial America? What it was like to write with a quill or how sheep’s wool was spun to make clothing? And how in the world did children amuse themselves long before the invention of Nintendo?You’ll learn all that and more at the Colonial Farmstead Day 1 p.m. to 3 p.m. Saturday, August 3, at Historic Waynesborough in Paoli.Volunteers from Colonial Pennsylvania Farmstead, Chester County Beekeeper Association, Springton Manor Farm will demonstrate a range of crafts and

Join us as our BYOB Happy Hour Continues into the Fall.As we enter into the fall season, we are excited to open the beautiful Hill-Physick House garden for a happy hour evening. Come bring a bottle of wine and enjoy one of the neighborhood’s premier private gardens.Admission will be $12 at the door. Water and light snacks will be provided.

If you've ever wanted to learn how to sketch in watercolor, this is a perfect way to get started. Led by local artist Anne Kullaf, we will paint on the beautiful grounds of Grumblethorpe using watercolor, focusing on the plants, gardens, and architecture of this historic farm. ALL levels, including total beginners, are welcome! All materials are provided, and there will be demos and lots of individualized attention. Group size is limited so register today!

Historian and author Mike Harris will discuss the fascinating and little-known story behind the 1777 Battle of Fort MercerThe Continental Army Defeats the Hessians at Fort MercerHistorian and author Mike Harris will discuss the fascinating and little-known story behind the 1777 Battle of Fort Mercer at 7 p.m. Tuesday, Sept. 30, at Historic Waynesborough in Paoli.Harris will talk about the role of Hessian forces, their attack on the New Jersey fort and their defeat by the Continental Army. It would be the army’s only victory during the long and bloody Philadelphia Campaign waged by the British as they marched their

Annual Hill-Physick House Halloween FundraiserAttention cool cats! Grab your flapper dress, brush up on the Charleston, and pour yourself some bubbly. Tickets are on sale for PhilaLandmarks’ annual Halloween fundraiser! This year‘s theme is the Spooky Speakeasy, the bee’s knees of fall festivities.This all-you-can-eat-and-drink soirée will transport you back to the Roaring Twenties for an evening that would make Gatsby and gangsters jealous. Complete with custom cocktails and mocktails, heavy hors d’oeuvres, music, costume contests, and more.Tickets are $75 and help preserve the Hill-Physick House. Reserve your spot now before tickets sell out.This event is kindly sponsored by:

Philadelphia. The home of the Liberty Bell and Independence Hall, and of course Ben Franklin, who once invented things and coined pithy sayings while stoking the flames of revolution. But Philadelphia—the Athens of America, the City of Brotherly Love—is so much more than what you learned in school. Join author and historian Paul Kahan at 2 p.m. Sunday, Nov. 9, at Historic Waynesborough in Paoli to hear about the fabric of culture and history that has always been Philadelphia. Kahan will discuss not just the city’s roots—the Lenape people who once lived along the Delaware River and the European settlers

Join the Powel House Committee to celebrate the season on Sunday, December 7th with: Festive Holiday Buffet Seasonal favorites and delicious hors d'oeuvres Signature Holiday Cocktails Wine, beer, and festive beverages Live Caroling Performance By the renowned Orpheus Club of Philadelphia Silent Auction Unique gifts, experiences, and holiday treasures Browse, bid, and win throughout the evening Come mingle with friends and neighbors while enjoying beautiful holiday music, delicious food, and the excitement of our silent auction. The evening promises warmth, wonderful company, and the perfect start to your holiday season. Festive attire encouraged

Historic Waynesborough presents Candlelight and Caroling: A Holiday Open House Join us for tours, festive treats, music and song featuring The Haverford School Notables a cappella Sunday, December 14, 2025 2:00 p.m. to 4:00 p.m. Buy tickets online or at the door, $10 for adults and $5 for children.

AMOUR ET MÉMORIE: A Salon of French Philadelphia at the Hill-Physick House Join us at the Hill-Physick House on February 13th at 7 PM for the PhilaLandmarks Early Music Series with The Publick Pleasure. AMOUR ET MÉMORIE: A Salon of French Philadelphia. Philadelphia has always been alight with French influence. Indeed, 18th century Philadelphia was bathed in French culture: French language, dance, food, clothing, boarding houses and names. After the French Revolution and the Slave Rebellion in the French colony of St. Domingue, Philadelphia became a landing place for a large number of French refugees. Join us for a concert

Join Anne Kullaf for a pen and ink workshop at Powel House, a historic home located in the Society Hill neighborhood of Philadelphia. We will focus on capturing the intricate details of the interior of the home--the woodwork, lighting, furniture, and any other details that inspire you. We will have access to the living room, ballroom, and other living spaces within the first and second floor of the house. We will start with a brief, guided tour to learn the history of the house and its original owners, Samuel and Elizabeth Powel. Both of the Powels played a significant role

Mozart and the Bachs explores the vibrant musical threads connecting Mozart to three members of the Bach family. From the elegance of J.C. Bach, whom the young Mozart met in London, to the expressive freedom of C.P.E. Bach — his self proclaimed “musical father” — and the enduring influence of J.S., the program traces a lineage of inspiration. Fortepianist Dongsok Shin reveals these connections in a performance that let their artistry speak for itself.

Willistown Conservation Trust and Historic Waynesborough partner to present: Did you know that there was a creek on the property of Historic Waynesborough? Blake Goll and Lauren McGrath from the Willistown Conservation Trust will lead you on a nature walk to Waynesborough Run and share information about the watershed and birding in the area. Bring binoculars and sturdy shoes.

Join us as we kick off the Hill-Physick House Spring Plant Sale!Enjoy drinks and nibbles with first access to the handpicked herbs, house plants, annuals, perennials, and hanging baskets.If you are unable to make it to the kick off party, be sure to come to the plant sale on Friday, May 1st (10AM-5PM) and Saturday, May 2nd (10AM-4PM) at the Hill-Physick House.

The history of beekeeping and modern practices with a demo!Learn about beekeeping’s historic origins, how beekeeping works today, and how bees make honey with demonstration. The talk and demonstration presented by Mark Meaders, President of Chester County Beekeepers Association.

Join us at the Hill-Physick House on Thursday, July 16th at 6:30 PM to hear about Marissa Nicosia's new book Shakespeare in the Kitchen. Audiences and scholars alike have long remarked that Shakespeare’s poems and plays record the pleasures and perils of the table. Marissa Nicosia's new book, Shakespeare in the Kitchen, asks what Shakespeare’s works can tell us about Renaissance culinary recipes, and what these recipes can tell us about Shakespeare’s works. In this talk, she will consider how preparing the recipes that permeate the canon can help us interpret food references such as festive cakes in Twelfth Night.

Serafin Ensemble performs on Thursday, 9/10 at the historic Hill-Physick House in Old City, Philadelphia. Oboe and bassoon are highlighted in this one-hour program. Listeners will hear a duo by Beethoven for the two winds. Then, each wind instrument combines with strings for a delightful blend, perfectly-crafted in Mozart’s Oboe Quartet and in a Bassoon Quartet by François Devienne (one of Mozart’s contemporaries). Hear bassoon, oboe, and string playing at its finest, and enjoy a reception with the performers, The concert will be played at 5pm, and repeated at 7:30pm, with the reception between the two performances.

Join us in exploring early drink in Philadelphia with Spirits of Independence.Sept. 18, 2026 – Grumblethorpe, Germantown | 6:30 p.m.Grumblethorpe is the 1744 home and estate built by wine merchant John Wister, who imported wine from Germany, where he was born. He also made fruit wines here in Pennsylvania. Not only was Wister the landlord of Benjamin Franklin, we know that he also sold wine to Franklin. Scholar David Hancock is an expert on the wine trade of the colonies and will give a talk on Wister and his place in the wine trade in colonial America. Tasting of relevant