Cliveden

A National Trust for Historic Preservation site in Philadelphia/ Germantown.

A National Historic Site, well known as a battleground during the Revolutionary War, and commemorated every year during the Revolutionary Germantown Festival. Tours and exhibits tell the fascinating stories of the wealthy elite Chew family and early African American history in Philadelphia. To experience Cliveden is to experience the American story, and all of the struggles for freedom endured by a people.

09/02/2026

Cliveden is honored to feature special pieces on loan from partner organizations in our exhibit 'Procuring Liberty in the Emerging Nation.' Today we highlight two items - "Stretch" Tall Case Clock and the Royal Dresden Tea and Coffee Set of Robert and Mary Morris - loaned to us by the Atwater Kent Collection at Drexel and part of the Historical Society of Pennsylvania collection.

Pictures #1 & #2 are of the "Stretch" Tall Case Clock, made by Peter Stretch (1670-1746), who was part of the Society of Friends and was among the most prominent early American clockmakers and first makers of scientific instruments in America. Pictures #3 and #4 are of the Royal Dresden Tea and Coffee Set. It is thought that this tea set was presented to Mary White Morris (1749-1827), wife of Robert Morris (1734-1806), by the French minister, Chevalier de la Luzerne, on his return to France. These incredible pieces give a sense of how the interior of the house may have looked during the 1760s and 1770s.

View the case clock and tea and coffee set on a house tour this fall! There's still time to visit - schedule one today through our website at https://cliveden.org/tours/.

📸 #1 & #2: "Stretch" Tall Case Clock. Circa 1715. Made by Peter Stretch (1670-1746). Collection of the Historical Society of Pennsylvania.
📸 #3 & #4: Royal Dresden Tea and Coffee Set of Robert and Mary Morris - Circa 1750. Meissen porcelain. Germany. Collection of the Historical Society of Pennsylvania.

08/28/2026

Join Cliveden and the Historic Foodways Society of the Delaware Valley on September 19th for a special program featuring food historian Mercy Ingraham. She’ll share her work with a group of historic cooks and their modern interpretations of the 1866 receipts of Mrs. Malinda Russell—who published the very first cookbook by an African American woman in the U.S. A light lunch sampling of Mrs. Rusell's receipts will follow after the presentation. 📖

✨Details:
📆: Saturday, September 19th
🕛: 10 am to 12 pm
📍: in the Cliveden Barn - 98 E. Cliveden Street, 19119
🎟: Tickets are $25 and on sale now - visit https://cliveden.org/an-experienced-cook/ to purchase yours today.

Note on registration: Once purchased, you’ll receive a confirmation email. If it doesn’t pop up in your inbox, please double-check your junk or spam folder. Still not there? Contact our office at 215-848-1777 and we'll gladly help.

08/26/2026

On this day in 1777 - August 25th - the Continental Army was caught off guard by the British. British General Howe and 18,000 British soldiers landed at Elk Point in Chesapeake Bay, MD - 40 miles from the capital, Philadelphia. Washington and his generals had anticipated the British landing in Pennsylvania or New Jersey, not Maryland, and Continental forces had already marched towards the PA-DE border. New defense plans were needed immediately in order to prevent the British from capturing Philadelphia.

08/25/2026

Planning a visit to Cliveden this fall? Take us right along with you—however you choose to explore. 📱

With our upcoming September 12th Spotlight Tour and Revolutionary Germantown Festival just around the corner, it’s the perfect time to check out our digital guide, "Revealing Revolutionary Germantown," on Bloomberg Connects. The app is completely free to download and lets you dive into the 1777 Battle of Germantown and the site's history at your own pace.

Prefer the paper approach? We have physical handouts featuring a hand-drawn map of the sites involved in the battle on one side and a detailed layout of each site on the other. 🗺

Search for Cliveden on Bloomberg Connects today to start exploring from home, and grab your paper map at the Barn during a visit.

08/21/2026

Registration is open for our September Spotlight Tour on Saturday, September 12th 📆

Follow in the soldiers' steps as we explore what happened during and after the Battle of Germantown. This tour is offered in partnership with the Concord School House and Upper Burying Ground.

✨Spotlight Tour: Revolutionary Germantown ✨
🕛: 10:30 am to 12 pm
🚩: covers about 1 mile, with opportunities to stop and sit along the way
👟: please wear comfortable, appropriate footwear and bring a drink to stay hydrated

🍂Looking ahead to fall 2026: Get ready for the 2026 Revolutionary Germantown Festival on October 3rd by joining us on the September 12th Spotlight Tour to kick off your season of local history!

Register here: https://cliveden.org/revolutionary-germantown/
Please note this tour will be rescheduled in case of inclement weather.☂

08/20/2026

Meet author and public historian Joe McGill tonight at 6 pm in the Cliveden Barn! The Slave Dwelling Project

Cliveden and Stenton host Joe for a conversation on his experiences sleeping where enslaved people slept and experiencing the fullness of American history. Copies of his book, "Sleeping With the Ancestors: How I Followed the Footprints of Slavery," will be available for purchase and signing.

Sign up here to reserve your spot for the program: https://cliveden.org/sleeping-with-the-ancestors-in-germantown/

08/19/2026

Join Cliveden and Stenton tomorrow evening at 6 PM for a special conversation with Joe McGill - author, public historian and founder of The Slave Dwelling Project.

Joe will discuss his experiences sleeping around where enslaved people once lived, experiencing the fullness of American history.

Sleeping With The Ancestors in Germantown Details:
Where: in the Cliveden Barn - 98 E. Cliveden Street, 19119
Cost: FREE
📚: Copies of his book, 'Sleeping With the Ancestors: How I Followed the Footprints of Slavery' will be available for purchase and signing.

Reserve your spot for this special program today through our website - https://cliveden.org/sleeping-with-the-ancestors-in-germantown/ . We'll see you tomorrow evening!

08/18/2026

August 1777 was an important and stressful month for the Continental Army, for both the soldiers and Washington. The soldiers were stationed in Neshaminy, PA taking on two huge tasks: preparing to defend Philadelphia from the British and learning how to function as a unified army. Washington's duties during this time included organizing officer ranks, disciplining soldiers for infractions - such as stealing a cucumber from a local garden - and handling daily logistics, including establishiing a formal sound system to signal troops when it was time to march.

Want to walk in the soldiers' footsteps and learn about the 1777 Battle of Germantown firsthand? Join Cliveden and Concord School House and Upper Burying Ground on September 12th for our next Spotlight Tour.

Plus, prepare for the 2026 Revolutionary Germantown Festival on October 3rd! Learn more and register here: https://cliveden.org/revolutionary-germantown/

08/14/2026

Join Cliveden and Stenton next Thursday, August 20th for a conversation with author Joe McGill!

Sleeping With The Ancestors in Germantown
📆: Thursday, August 20th
🕕: 6 PM
📍: In the Cliveden Barn - 98 E. Cliveden Street, 19119

Joe will discuss his experiences sleeping around where enslaved people slept and experiencing the fullness of American history.

Copies of his book, "Sleeping With The Ancestors: How I Followed the Footprints of Slavery," will be available for purchase and to be signed.

Admission is FREE, advanced registration is required. Visit https://cliveden.org/sleeping-with-the-ancestors-in-germantown/ to reserve your spot today.

Address

Philadelphia, PA

Telephone

+12158481777

Website

https://cliveden.org/, https://linktr.ee/cliveden1767

Alerts

Be the first to know and let us send you an email when Cliveden posts news and promotions. Your email address will not be used for any other purpose, and you can unsubscribe at any time.

Contact The Organization

Send a message to Cliveden:

Want your organization to be the top-listed Government Service in Philadelphia?