See our website for more information including our history, a trail map, and hours of operation. Hildacy Preserve is virtually all that remains of a 300-acre land grant from William Penn to a local tanner and his family. Once prized for its mature oak trees, the land was slowly cleared for timber and agriculture. By the late 1800s, only one small grove of trees remained. In 1936, Hilda and Cyril F
ox (hence the name “Hildacy”) bought the property. They lived here for nearly 40 years, and used the farm to raise race horses and German shepherds. As the surrounding area was developed, the Foxes were determined to keep their land open for wildlife. Fox donated Hildacy to Natural Lands, with instructions to continue the Foxes’ conservation work. Since that time, we have worked to restore the woodlands, meadows, and wetlands to a more natural state. Hildacy Preserve is owned and managed by non-profit conservation organization Natural Lands.
