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University City in Philadelphia in Philadelphia County, Pennsylvania — The American Northeast (Mid-Atlantic)
 

William Hamilton's Schuylkill River Residence & Pleasure Gardens

The Woodlands

— Historic Mansion, Cemetery & Landscape —

 
 
William Hamilton's Schuylkill River Residence & Pleasure Gardens Marker image. Click for full size.
Photographed By Devry Becker Jones (CC0), April 15, 2023
1. William Hamilton's Schuylkill River Residence & Pleasure Gardens Marker
Inscription.
"Nature, always simple, employs but four materials in composition of her scenes, ground, wood, water, and rocks. The culmination of nature has introduced a fifth species, the building requisite for the accommodation of men."
Thomas Whately, Observations on Modern Gardening (1771)

1745 William Hamilton is born to Andrew Hamilton II & Mary Till.
1747 Andrew Hamilton II dies.
1766 William inherits 300 acres on the west bank of the Schuylkill.
1767 Construction of a Georgian residence with a portico & gardens commences.
1776 Declaration of Independence signed in Philadelphia.
1778 British Occupation of Philadelphia.
1784 Hamilton visits England.
1786 Return to The Woodlands & rebuilding of the mansion & gardens.
1792 Carriage house and stable and gate lodges completed.
1813 William Hamilton dies.

Before the development of Woodlands Cemetery in 1840, 600 acres along the Schuylkill River from Market Street to 42nd were owned by William Hamilton, grandson of the noted lawyer and Pennsylvania statesman, Andrew Hamilton. William inherited 300 acres of this land from his grandfather
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through his father in 1766 when he turned 21. He expanded his holdings until his death in 1813. William received a classical education at what became the University of Pennsylvania (then located at 4th Street, south of Arch) and through is family was learned in all the arts. Independently wealthy and a bachelor, he used his interest in architecture, botany and horticulture—cultivated from the English ideal—to develop his estate. He built a stone and stuccoed Georgian mansion with a two-story porch overlooking the Schuylkill. Collecting and propagating trees and plant species from all over the world was one of his delights, and for this he built a greenhouse near the mansion. The culmination of the design of the house and landscape occurred after a two-year trip to England between 1784 and 1786.

Upon his return Hamilton rebuilt his house and gardens into the grandest neoclassical "country seat" and pleasure gardens known in America at the time. British design aesthetics influenced him to architecturally integrate new gate-houses, a carriage house and stable, and an expanded mansion and greenhouse into a landscape plan. The architecture was influenced by shapes such as ovals, arches, and classical details. The gardens were developed and expanded for pleasure and included a kitchen garden. Thomas Jefferson, who had visited Hamilton's gardens, wrote in 1806 that they were
William Hamilton's Schuylkill River Residence & Pleasure Gardens Marker image. Click for full size.
Photographed By Devry Becker Jones (CC0), April 15, 2023
2. William Hamilton's Schuylkill River Residence & Pleasure Gardens Marker
"the only rival which I have known in America to what may be seen in England."

Today only Hamilton's mansion and carriage house and stable stand, but part of the main roadway from the gatehouse to the mansion remains within the cemetery road system. The Ginkgo tree, first planted here by Hamilton, flourishes now across the country.
 
Topics. This historical marker is listed in these topic lists: Cemeteries & Burial SitesColonial EraWar, US Revolutionary. A significant historical year for this entry is 1840.
 
Location. 39° 56.938′ N, 75° 12.197′ W. Marker is in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, in Philadelphia County. It is in University City. Marker can be reached from Woodland Avenue. The marker is located within Woodlawn Cemetery. Touch for map. Marker is at or near this postal address: 4000 Woodland Avenue, Philadelphia PA 19104, United States of America. Touch for directions.
 
Other nearby markers. At least 8 other markers are within walking distance of this marker. The Woodlands (a few steps from this marker); Paul Philippe Cret (about 400 feet away, measured in a direct line); Philadelphia Orchard Project (about 500 feet away); Commodore David Porter (approx. 0.2 miles away); Hamilton's Carriage House & Stable (approx. 0.2 miles away); Herman Herzog (approx. 0.2 miles away); Built c. 1896 (approx. 0.2 miles away); Hamilton's Greenhouses & Hothouses (approx. 0.2 miles away). Touch for a list and map of all markers in Philadelphia.
 
The Woodlands-Historic Mansion, Cemetery and Landscape Marker image. Click for full size.
Photographed By Don Morfe, November 29, 2008
3. The Woodlands-Historic Mansion, Cemetery and Landscape Marker
Woodlawn Entrance Gate
The Woodlands-Historic Mansion, Cemetery and Landscape Marker image. Click for full size.
Photographed By Don Morfe, November 29, 2008
4. The Woodlands-Historic Mansion, Cemetery and Landscape Marker
Sylvester Boonaffon, Jr. Civil War Congressional Medal of Honor Recipient, is buried in Woodlawn Cemetery. He is in Section K, Lot 286. The grave GPS coordinates are N38.9473 W75.2048. MEDAL OF HONOR CITATION: BONNAFFON, SYLVESTER, JR. Rank and organization: First Lieutenant, Company G, 99th Pennsylvania Infantry. Place and date: At Boydton Plank Road, Va., 27 October 1864. Entered service at: Philadelphia, Pa. Birth:------. Date of issue: 29 September 1893. Citation: Checked the rout and rallied the troops of his command in the face of a terrible fire of musketry; was severely wounded
The Woodlands-Historic Mansion, Cemetery and Landscape Marker image. Click for full size.
Photographed By Don Morfe, March 27, 2003
5. The Woodlands-Historic Mansion, Cemetery and Landscape Marker
Thomas Cripps, Civil War Congressonial Medal of Honor Recipient is buried in Woodlawn Cemetery. He is in Section F, Lot 654. The grave GPS Coordinates are N39.9471 W76.2035. MEDAL OF HONOR CITATION: CRIPPS, THOMAS Rank and organization: Quartermaster, U.S. Navy. Born: 1837 Philadelphia, Pa. Accredited to: Pennsylvania. G.O. No.: 45, 31 December 1864. Citation: As captain of a gun on board the U.S.S. Richmond during action against rebel forts and gunboats and with the ram Tennessee in Mobile Bay, 5 August 1864. Despite damage to his ship and the loss of several men on board as enemy fire raked her decks, Cripps fought his gun with skill and courage throughout a furious 2-hour battle which resulted in the surrender of the rebel ram Tennessee and in the damaging and destruction of batteries at Fort Morgan.
National Historic Landmark signage for The Woodlands image. Click for full size.
By Devry Becker Jones (CC0), April 15, 2023
6. National Historic Landmark signage for The Woodlands
 
 
Credits. This page was last revised on April 16, 2023. It was originally submitted on January 18, 2013, by Don Morfe of Baltimore, Maryland. This page has been viewed 566 times since then and 19 times this year. Photos:   1, 2. submitted on April 16, 2023, by Devry Becker Jones of Washington, District of Columbia.   3, 4, 5. submitted on January 18, 2013, by Don Morfe of Baltimore, Maryland.   6. submitted on April 16, 2023, by Devry Becker Jones of Washington, District of Columbia. • Bill Pfingsten was the editor who published this page.
 
Editor’s want-list for this marker. Photo of the entire marker in one shot. • Can you help?

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Mar. 28, 2024