For more than three centuries, Historic Germantown has been home to the personal side of the battle for freedom -- freedom from slavery, freedom from England and personal freedoms.  The stories are as individual as the homes and sites in which they are found.   Eavesdrop with us on these sample tales from within the walls.

 
Cliveden
Scene of the 1777 Battle of Germantown, one of the largest Revolutionary War battles, Cliveden's importance in the War for Independence is matched by its dark place in the struggle for freedom in America. Home to Benjamin Chew, one of the largest slaveowners in the mid-Atlantic, Cliveden provides a look at some individual stories of enslavement, and insight into the early Underground Railroad movement in the 1780's and 1790's.
 
Concord School
The Concord School and Upper Burying Ground were the scene of intense fighting during The Revolutionary War's Battle of Germantown, a pivotal moment in America's struggle for freedom.  The grounds contain the graves of 31 American soldiers who died in the fight; many of them buried that afternoon by local teenage boys.    
 
Germantown Mennonite Historic Trust
Germantown's historic Mennonite Meetinghouse, owned by the Germantown Mennonite Historic Trust, stands as a witness to the Mennonite families who sought freedom of religion and conscience in William Penn's colony.  The site houses the table where the first written protest against slavery in America was signed, a copy of which is on display.
 
Grumblethorpe
At Grumblethorpe, the now-faint bloodstain from a fallen General and a teenage girl's lively journal help tell the story of one family's life, disrupted as American colonists fought to be free of British rule. 

 

Historic RittenhouseTown, the site of the first paper mill in North America, offers visitors a delightful opportunity to explore an early industrial village -- one of the important local enterprises that freed colonists from dependence on imported goods.
 
Johnson House
As one of Philadelphia's  few intact Underground Railroad "stations," The Johnson House brings to life the vivid stories of runaway slaves risking all for freedom, and of abolitionists who provided safe passage and worked tirelessly to end slavery in the United States.
 
Stenton
Stenton was the home of  James Logan, a leading colonial figure who, as William Penn's agent, oversaw the many administrative and political tasks involved in establishing  Penn's "Holy Experiment:" a colony offering economic opportunity and freedom from religious persecution.

We invite you to visit Historic Germantown and discover why it is truly Freedom's Backyard. For information, visit www.freedomsbackyard.com.