This historic house (ca. 1700), also called Glen Fern, was purchased by Thomas Livezey in 1747. He operated his adjacent gristmill as one of the largest mills along the Wissahickon Creek and within the Colonies. The adjacent dam (ca. 1700) was reconstructed during the Depression by federally funded Works Progress Administration (WPA) stonemasons.
In more recent years, Glen Fern was the home of the Valley Green Canoe Club. Opened at the house in 1909, the Club remained at Glen Fern for almost 100 years before it disbanded.
Glen Fern (Not Washington’s Headquarters), courtesy of David Bower
Check out this Google Map to explore this and other unique historical points of interest, and become acquainted with the many trailheads in Wissahickon Valley Park!
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You probably don’t need us to tell you how special Wissahickon Valley Park is. Its 1800+ acres provide habitat to wildlife, refuge & recreation to over a million visitors per year, and protect the drinking water for one-third of Philadelphians. The park can’t take care of itself, however. It needs responsible park users and stewards to keep this special place clean and sustainable for generations to come.