Historic RittenhouseTown facts for kids
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Historic RittenhouseTown
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Rittenhouse homestead
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 Location in Pennsylvania
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| Location | 206–210 Lincoln Drive, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania |
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| Area | 84 acres (34 ha) |
| Built | 1690–1732 |
| Architectural style | Georgian, Federal |
| NRHP reference No. | 92001878 |
Quick facts for kids Significant dates |
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| Added to NRHP | April 27, 1992 |
| Designated NHLD | April 27, 1992 |
Historic RittenhouseTown is a special place in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. It's known as the site of the very first paper mill in British North America. This important mill was built way back in 1690 by William Rittenhouse and his son Nicholas. It was located on the banks of Paper Mill Run, a small stream.
Today, RittenhouseTown is part of Fairmount Park. It includes six of the original buildings that once stood there. Because of its history, RittenhouseTown was named a National Historic Landmark District on April 27, 1992.
Contents
A Look Back in Time
How Paper Was Made
Long ago, people in nearby Germantown would weave Flax into linen fabric. When these linen clothes and fabrics wore out, they became rags. These rags were then brought to the Rittenhouse mill.
At the mill, the rags were turned into new paper. This paper was then sold to printers in cities like Germantown, Philadelphia, and New York City. The Rittenhouse paper mill kept making paper until around the 1850s. After that, the family started renting out their buildings for other types of manufacturing.
Preserving History
Between 1890 and 1917, the City of Philadelphia's Fairmount Park Commission bought parts of the RittenhouseTown site. Later, in 1984, a group called Historic RittenhouseTown, Inc. was started. Their goal is to protect, fix up, and share the history of RittenhouseTown.
This organization has offices right in RittenhouseTown. They offer fun things to do, like historical tours where you can learn about the past. They also have workshops where you can try making paper yourself! Plus, they host special events for everyone to enjoy.
Exploring RittenhouseTown Today
Historic Buildings to See
When you visit RittenhouseTown, you can see six historic buildings that are cared for by Historic RittenhouseTown, Inc. These include:
- The Abraham Rittenhouse Home, built around 1720.
- The Rittenhouse Homestead, built in 1707.
- The Rittenhouse Bake House, built around 1730. This building is still used for cooking demonstrations today!
- The Enoch Rittenhouse Home, built in 1845.
- The Jacob Rittenhouse Home, built in 1810.
- Another unnamed Rittenhouse Home from the 18th century.
There's also a barn built in the 20th century for the Fairmount Park Commission. Now, this barn is used for paper-making workshops and demonstrations. It's a great place to learn how paper was made long ago.
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What the Buildings Look Like
Most of the buildings in RittenhouseTown are made of stone and covered with stucco. They show how buildings were made during colonial times. These six buildings are all that remain of a much larger community. There used to be more than thirty-five other buildings, but they were torn down over time. You can also find archaeological remains of the old mill buildings, showing where they once stood.
