Fairmount Park in Philadelphia in Philadelphia County, Pennsylvania — The American Northeast (Mid-Atlantic)

Rebecca's Villa / From Quoits to a Museum

Laurel Hill

— Fairmount Park Historic Houses —

Rebecca's Villa side of the marker image. Click for full size.

Photographed By Devry Becker Jones (CC0), January 26, 2024

1. Rebecca's Villa side of the marker

Inscription.

Rebecca's Villa, also, From Quoits to a Museum. Laurel Hill. Rebecca's Villa 1767.

"Nature has given many advantages to it situated almost immediately above the river. The view from the Piazzi is extremely fine." Hanna Wharton, grand-daughter of Rebecca Rawle Shoemaker, Laurel Hill, 1813

Laurel Hill tells the story of women's ongoing dedication to a beloved house. In 1761 Rebecca Rawle, a young widow with three children, inherited 31 acres of land from her husband Francis Rawle, who died accidentally. According to tax records, in 1767 she built the house before marrying her second husband, Samuel Shoemaker. The couple had a son, Edward whom they raised alongside their three Rawle children. the family enjoyed Laurel Hill as their summer retreat., Samuel Shoemaker, a successful businessman and Mayor of Philadelphia, remained loyal to the British Crown during the American Revolution. Declared guilty of treason, his property was taken by the state. Even though Laurel Hill belonged to Rebecca, the house was seized with Samuel's property. After the war, Rebecca spent six years fighting to reclaim her property. By 1791 Samuel and Edward returned from England and were again spending summers with her at Laurel Hill., In 1828 Rebecca's son sold Laurel Hill to their family friend and famous surgeon Philip Syng Physick. Philip's daughter Sally and her husband Jacob Randolph were the last private owners of the house. The unusual octagonal addition was added between 1830 and 1846. Long known as the Randolph House, it is unclear if the Randolphs ever lived here., [Captions:] This silver tray was made for Francis and Rebecca Rawle in 1757 after their wedding. The cipher in the center is a mix of their initials., Rebecca's second husband, Samuel Shoemaker (Mayor of Philadelphia 1769-1771) and their son Edward. Samuel supported the British and fled to London during the Revolutionary War with the couple's two sons. Rebecca stayed in America with her daughters., French Minister Monsieur Chevalier de la Luzerne spent four years in Philadelphia including time here at Laurel Hill. In 1780 he helped pay for food for the American army. Later, President George Washington honored him as a supporter of American independence., Rebecca died in 1819 and left Laurel Hill to her son, William Rawle. A prominent layer and ardent abolitionist, William founded Rawle and Henderson in 1783. It remains America's oldest law firm. In 1828 he sold Laurel Hill to Dr. Philip Syng Physick., Dr. Philip Synd Physick, first professor of surgery at the University of Pennsylvania medical school and surgeon to Pennsylvania Hospital, earned the reputation as the "Father of American Surgery.", Artist rendering of Rebecca Rawle's signature. No known image of Rebecca exists. Many Quakers objected to having their portraits painted., This 1935 drawing by the Historic American Building Survey shows the original building size next to a drawing with the addition of the servants room, kitchen and drawing room added over time., When it was built in 1767, Laurel Hill included only the middle section of the present house. The one-story section on the left was added later. The octagonal addition on the right was added after 1800. From Quoits to a Museum 1868. Dr. Physick died in 1837 and left the house to his daughter Sally. Either Dr. Physick or Sally and her husband Jacob Randolph built the octagonal addition between 1830 and 1846. The family rented the house to others, but it's not clear if they stayed here., In 1868 Laurel Hill was incorporated into Fairmount Park and became a City property. Since then it has housed a variety of tenants. In 1900 the park commission leased the house to the Colonial Dames of America, Chapter II. The Dames were an organization of woman dedicated to preserving America's history. They restored the building and opened it as the first house museum in Fairmount Park. This effort was part of a renewed interest in American history known as the Colonial Revial., In 1976 a lease was granted to the Woman for the Bicentennial, later known as the Woman for Greater Philadelphia, continuing the tradition of opening Laurel Hill to the public., [Captions:] Dr. Jacob and Sally Randolph inherited the house from Dr. Physick in 1837. Dr. Randolph was a leading surgeon in Philadelphia. He worked at Pennsylvania Hospital and was a Professor of Surgery at the University of Pennsylvania. For years, Laurel Hill was known as the "Randolph House.", Laurel Hill was built in the Georgian style, popular in America from 1700 to 1780. This style was based on the classical designs of the Italian renaissance. Note the pedimented entrance portico with columns and the dentils ("teeth") along the cornice. The symmetry of the façade, with center door and two-room-deep floor plan, is also characteristic of this style., From 1900 until 1915 the Colonial Dames of America occupied and maintained the villa, and are the earliest party known to have painted the exterior walls., Laurel Hill features a rare, early piano known as a fortepiano made in London in 1818 by the Broadwood Company. The oldest musical company in England, it bears the royal seal. It has been restored to full working condition. Mozart, Beethoven and Haydn, among others, composed on these types of pianos., The Philadelphia Quoit Club, formed in 1829, used Laurel Hill as their headquarters by permission from Jacob Randolph.

Rebecca's Villa
1767

"Nature has given many advantages to it situated almost immediately above the river. The view from the Piazzi is extremely fine."
Hanna Wharton, grand-daughter of Rebecca Rawle Shoemaker, Laurel Hill, 1813

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famous surgeon Philip Syng Physick. Philip's daughter Sally and her husband Jacob Randolph were the last private owners of the house. The unusual octagonal addition was added between 1830 and 1846. Long known as the Randolph House, it is unclear if the Randolphs ever lived here.

[Captions:]
This silver tray was made for Francis and Rebecca Rawle in 1757 after their wedding. The cipher in the center is a mix of their initials.

Rebecca's second husband, Samuel Shoemaker (Mayor of Philadelphia 1769-1771) and their son Edward. Samuel supported the British and fled to London during the Revolutionary War with the couple's two sons. Rebecca stayed in America with her daughters.

French Minister Monsieur Chevalier de la Luzerne spent four years in Philadelphia including time here at Laurel Hill. In 1780 he helped pay for food for the American army. Later, President George Washington honored him as a supporter of American independence.

Rebecca died in 1819 and left Laurel Hill to her son, William Rawle. A prominent layer and ardent abolitionist, William founded Rawle and Henderson in 1783. It remains America's oldest law firm. In 1828 he sold Laurel Hill to Dr. Philip Syng Physick.

Dr. Philip Synd Physick, first professor of surgery at the University of Pennsylvania medical school and surgeon to Pennsylvania

From Quoits to a Museum side of the marker image. Click for full size.

Photographed By Devry Becker Jones (CC0), January 26, 2024

2. From Quoits to a Museum side of the marker

Hospital, earned the reputation as the "Father of American Surgery."

Artist rendering of Rebecca Rawle's signature. No known image of Rebecca exists. Many Quakers objected to having their portraits painted.

This 1935 drawing by the Historic American Building Survey shows the original building size next to a drawing with the addition of the servants room, kitchen and drawing room added over time.

When it was built in 1767, Laurel Hill included only the middle section of the present house. The one-story section on the left was added later. The octagonal addition on the right was added after 1800. From Quoits to a Museum
1868 Dr. Physick died in 1837 and left the house to his daughter Sally. Either Dr. Physick or Sally and her husband Jacob Randolph built the octagonal addition between 1830 and 1846. The family rented the house to others, but it's not clear if they stayed here.

In 1868 Laurel Hill was incorporated into Fairmount Park and became a City property. Since then it has housed a variety of tenants. In 1900 the park commission leased the house to the Colonial Dames of America, Chapter II. The Dames were an organization of woman dedicated to preserving America's history. They restored the building and opened it as the first house museum in Fairmount Park. This

Rebecca's Villa / From Quoits to a Museum Marker image. Click for full size.

Photographed By Devry Becker Jones (CC0), January 26, 2024

3. Rebecca's Villa / From Quoits to a Museum Marker

effort was part of a renewed interest in American history known as the Colonial Revial.

In 1976 a lease was granted to the Woman for the Bicentennial, later known as the Woman for Greater Philadelphia, continuing the tradition of opening Laurel Hill to the public.

[Captions:]
Dr. Jacob and Sally Randolph inherited the house from Dr. Physick in 1837. Dr. Randolph was a leading surgeon in Philadelphia. He worked at Pennsylvania Hospital and was a Professor of Surgery at the University of Pennsylvania. For years, Laurel Hill was known as the "Randolph House."

Laurel Hill was built in the Georgian style, popular in America from 1700 to 1780. This style was based on the classical designs of the Italian renaissance. Note the pedimented entrance portico with columns and the dentils ("teeth") along the cornice. The symmetry of the façade, with center door and two-room-deep floor plan, is also characteristic of this style.

From 1900 until 1915 the Colonial Dames of America occupied and maintained the villa, and are the earliest party known to have painted the exterior walls.

Laurel Hill features a rare, early piano known as a fortepiano made in London in 1818 by the Broadwood Company. The oldest musical company in England, it bears the royal seal. It has been restored to full working condition. Mozart, Beethoven and

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Please report objectionable advertising to the Editor.

Haydn, among others, composed on these types of pianos.

The Philadelphia Quoit Club, formed in 1829, used Laurel Hill as their headquarters by permission from Jacob Randolph.

Erected by Philadelphia Parks & Recreation.

Topics. This historical marker is listed in these topic lists: Architecture • Colonial Era • Education • Fraternal or Sororal Organizations • War, US Revolutionary • Women. A significant historical year for this entry is 1868.

Location. 39° 59.489′ N, 75° 11.668′ W. Marker is in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, in Philadelphia County. It is in Fairmount Park. Marker is on Edgley Drive, half a mile west of Reservoir Drive, on the left when traveling north. Touch for map. Marker is at or near this postal address: 3487 Edgley Drive, Philadelphia PA 19121, United States of America. Touch for directions.

Other nearby markers. At least 8 other markers are within walking distance of this marker. Strawberry Mansion Bridge (approx. ¼ mile away); a different marker also named Strawberry Mansion Bridge (approx. ¼ mile away); a different marker also named Strawberry Mansion Bridge (approx. ¼ mile away); Strawberry Mansion (approx. 0.3 miles away); Summerville-Abolitionist Activist / Strawberries + Cream = A Restaurant Retreat (approx. 0.3 miles away); a different marker also named Strawberry Mansion Bridge (approx. 0.3 miles away); Apricot (approx. 0.3 miles away); a different marker also named Apricot (approx. 0.3 miles away). Touch for a list and map of all markers in Philadelphia.

Credits. This page was last revised on January 30, 2024. It was originally submitted on January 30, 2024, by Devry Becker Jones of Washington, District of Columbia. This page has been viewed 40 times since then. Photos: 1, 2, 3. submitted on January 30, 2024, by Devry Becker Jones of Washington, District of Columbia.