A quarter of a mile east of Jenkintown is Abington Friends meeting house, organized, 1682, built, 1697 by William Jenkins from Wales; stone; long piazza; old shutters with strap hinges and iron hooks, door latch and knobs; all in keeping with its period of construction, fine old trees in grounds are well cared for. One mile north, Rydal station, Ogontz School for Girls, lately in Jay Cooke mansion, organized about 1850, by Misses Bonney & Dillaye: Collegiate Gothic, built, 1917; architects, Cope & Stewardson, has Art Department. Through Meadowbrook, one mile east to Bethayres, residence, Henry McCarter, artist.
One mile north, Bryn Athyn, name means “Hill of Cohesiveness,” a Swedenborgian educational community. Library contains the most valuable collection of Swedenborg’s writings in the world. Here is being erected a cathedral; architect, Ralph Adams Cram, gift of John Pitcairn; like the cathedrals of old, all work is prepared on the grounds; wood-carving and stonecutting by hand; glass manufactured, models made; the workmen in consultation with the donor and the architect to obtain the best results. Return to York Road. Abington, library, originally Jenkintown Lyceum, built, 1830, lately remodeled, modern colonial, contains valuable collection of books bequeathed by John Lambert, artist, who also left $50,000 in trust for purchasing paintings by young artists at annual exhibitions in Pennsylvania Academy of the Fine Arts. Presbyterian Church built, 1714, is said to be third in this country; in 1740 George Whitefield preached here to three thousand persons in one day.
Willow Grove Park; pleasure resort; fine concerts given throughout the summer season, by Sousa and others. North on Doylestown Pike, Horsham, Graeme Park, colonial, stone house, hipped roof, residence, Sir William Keith, from Scotland, Baronet of Ludquhairn, Aberdeenshire, Lieutenant Governor of Pennsylvania, 1717-26; he laid foundation of the military system, encouraged putting out paper currency, and inaugurated a military display at Penn’s death; property later owned by Dr. Thomas Graeme, his son-in-law; Governor Keith’s coat of arms is on a large iron plate in the fireplace; in the yard is an antique slave bell and stone strength tester. Quaker meeting house, built, 1803. Approaching Hatboro, stone bridge leads York Road over Pennypack Creek, inscription “Hatborough, 1780, 16 M. to P.” It is said this bridge was built in 1824, stone taken from an older bridge. Battle of “Crooked Billet,” name of near-by tavern, fought in 1778, a small company of Americans under Colonel John Lacy were attacked by British under Lieutenant Colonel Abercrombie, and nearly all killed; white marble monument was erected here in 1861. Continued in Bucks County.
MONTGOMERY COUNTY AUTOMOBILE TRIP FROM CHESTNUT HILL TO CAMP HILL AND FORT WASHINGTON
(Return by Norristown to Philadelphia)
At Chestnut Hill, on Bethlehem Pike, we enter Whitemarsh Valley (Umbilicamince), named from mists of Wissahickon Creek; near by is Erdenheim, Carson College, on one hundred acres of ground, richly endowed by Robert N. Carson, for orphan girls, that they may have the same benefits which Girard College has accorded to orphan boys; the architect, Albert Kelsey, has planned his design to be an allegorical vision of woman’s life, combining beauty, utility, and sympathy; he eliminates the usual large central buildings, the administration and classrooms being in the nature of a college settlement which make up in beauty what they lack in size, and may be expanded as occasion demands. Passing the Wheel Pump and Black Horse, famous early hotels. Colonial houses; Presbyterian and Lutheran churches with their burial grounds; to junction with Skippack Road.
St. Thomas Protestant Episcopal Church, contains Communion service given by Queen Anne, first log chapel built by Edward Farmer, 1690; stone church built, 1710, on first site; during the Revolutionary War, church was occupied by various military forces, used as fort by British with guns in windows; the gravestones, long, flat pieces of slate on four columns, used as cooking stoves, with fires lighted underneath, upright stones were marks for target practice, bullet holes may still be seen in them. American forces camped here November 22, 1777; being warned by Lydia Darragh of a British attack, when the enemy made their appearance, General Wayne opened fire from Fort Washington, the British retreating with a loss of one hundred men. Whitemarsh church is repeatedly mentioned in Washington’s diary as a center of operations; present church, near first site, consecrated, 1881. Gothic, native stone, interesting interior, with high pointed roof and narrow lancet memorial windows, all made abroad but one, “Angel of the Resurrection,” by Tiffany; high on west wall is a rose window; three small lights in the George and Anna Catherine Sheaff window are said to have been painted by Albrecht Durer; reredos, “Christ Breaking the Bread,” painted in Italy; altar, Indiana limestone with carved angels kneeling; the rood screen with loft, English quartered oak, is exquisitely carved. Encircling a window is mural decoration by Marianna Sloan. In the burial ground is an Iona Cross, marking last resting place of Henry Howard Houston, for whose memorial Houston Hall was given to the University of Pennsylvania.
View from north door of church shows, east, Camp Hill; in valley below, Washington’s headquarters, stone house two and a half stories, one-half mile east from Camp Hill station, Pennsylvania Railroad, left wing of army, posted rear of house; here Washington decided to establish fortified encampment at Valley Forge; December 12, whole army ordered to march to Valley Forge, via Swedes Ford, Norristown, where they crossed the Schuylkill on a bridge of wagons, with rails laid over them; “Swedes Ford,” hotel built, 1723, still standing, at Bridgeport.
North of St. Thomas Church we locate Fort Washington by its flagstaff, in center of earthwork thrown up by General Anthony Wayne’s men. West, from Church, Militia Hill, where some of the stones, used as anchors for tents, are still in position; at foot of hill is Wissahickon Creek, over which leads the high railroad bridge belonging to the Trenton cut-off of the Pennsylvania Railroad. Passing Fortside Inn, north, on Bethlehem Pike, is stone marker, inscription “About 700 feet south of this stone is an American Redoubt and site of Howe’s threatened attack, December 6, 1777; from here Washington’s army marched to Valley Forge. Erected, 1891, by the Pennsylvania Society, Sons of the Revolution.”
Farther on Bethlehem Pike, over Sandy Run, is the village of Fort Washington, now home of the Darby School of Painting, a summer art school conducted by Hugh H. Breckenridge, member of the faculty of the Pennsylvania Academy of the Fine Arts, there science of color is taught in its fullest significance. On Engertown Road is old Friends meeting house. Farther, on Limekiln Pike, is Pennsylvania School of Horticulture for Women, post office, Ambler, founded in 1910, thorough training, through all seasons, eliminates waste of costly inexperience, and fits a woman for a life that is healthful, attractive, and remunerative. Near Sumneytown and Butler Pike is “Three Tuns Inn.” Gwynedd, meeting house, built, 1700, Welsh Quakers worshiped here.