Wyck House facts for kids
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Wyck House
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U.S. National Historic Landmark District
Contributing Property |
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 Location in Philadelphia
Location in Pennsylvania
Location in the United States
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| Location | 6026 Germantown Avenue Germantown, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, United States |
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| Area | 2.5 acres (1.0 ha) |
| Architect | William Strickland |
| Part of | Colonial Germantown Historic District (ID66000678) |
| NRHP reference No. | 71000736 |
Quick facts for kids Significant dates |
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| Added to NRHP | October 26, 1971 |
| Designated NHL | December 14, 1990 |
| Designated NHLDCP | June 23, 1965 |
The Wyck house, also known as the Haines house, is an old house, museum, and urban farm. It is located in the Germantown area of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. It became a National Historic Landmark in 1971. This was because it was very well-preserved. It also had many records showing nine generations of one family lived there.
During the American Revolution, British soldiers used Wyck house. It was a hospital during the Battle of Germantown in October 1777. Wyck was also home to an early American brewery from 1794 to 1801. Later, it became a meeting place for important American scientists and artists. These included Thomas Say, John James Audubon, and Thomas Nuttall.
The Queen snake (Regina septemvittata) was first found at Wyck. Reuben Haines III discovered it on the second floor. Thomas Say described it in 1825. Another type of snail, Ventridens suppressus, was also first found here.
In 1824, the house was updated by William Strickland. He was a famous architect. The next year, Gilbert du Motier, Marquis de Lafayette visited Wyck. He came to see the places where the Battle of Germantown happened.
History of the Wyck House
The first owner of Wyck was Hans Millan. He was a Quaker who came from Germany around 1689. His daughter, Margaret, married Dirck Jansen. He was a Dutch Quaker and a successful linen weaver. Their daughter, Catherine, married Caspar Wistar. He became a Quaker and made a lot of money making buttons and glass.
Next, Margaret Wistar (Catherine's daughter) married Reuben Haines. He was a brewer and merchant. In 1771, Reuben helped build a road from Sunbury. This was the first road in what is now Centre County.
Their son, Caspar Wistar Haines, continued the family businesses. He married Hannah Marshall, who was also from a Quaker family. Wyck then went to Reuben Haines III (1786–1831) and his wife Jane (Bowne) Haines (1792–1843). After they passed away, their youngest daughter, Jane Reuben Haines, lived there until 1911. She carefully kept the house, its furniture, and gardens in good condition.
Wyck was first used as a summer home. But then Reuben Haines III and his family moved in permanently. Soon after, he hired his friend, William Strickland, to redesign the house. Reuben also gave Wyck its name. He found a sketch of a place called "Wyck the Seat of Richard Haines esq." He thought Richard Haines was a relative. So, he started calling his own home Wyck. It turned out they were not related, but the name stayed.
In the next generation, Jane B. Haines started the first school for women to study horticulture (gardening). It was called the Pennsylvania School of Horticulture for Women. Today, it is Temple Ambler. Her brother, Caspar, helped design the railway system in Mexico. Another brother, Robert, invented a tool to measure steel.
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The last owners were Robert B. Haines and his wife Mary (Troth) Haines. They grew fruit. Robert created a special device to press apples for juice. In 1973, after Robert's death, Mary Haines began the process of giving Wyck to a new group. Since 1978, the Wyck Association has managed the site. Today, Wyck is a house museum.
Architecture and Design
Wyck looks like an old-fashioned house from the outside. It has a colonial style with some popular touches from the late 1700s. For example, it has whitewashed stucco.
The house is actually made up of different parts built over time. The hall was built around 1700–1720. The front parlor was added in 1736. The library and dining room were built between 1771–1773. These replaced an even older log structure from around 1690.
The house has not changed much since 1824. That year, the architect William Strickland redesigned the inside. He made the rooms more open, letting in lots of light. This also brought the beauty of the garden inside. Strickland also added special "folding doors." These doors can swing at a 90-degree angle. This allows two rooms to be closed off with just one door.
See also
In Spanish: Casa Wyck para niños
- List of the oldest buildings in Pennsylvania
- List of National Historic Landmarks in Philadelphia
- National Register of Historic Places listings in Northwest Philadelphia
