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

Forbidden Drive

1869

Photographed by Devry Becker Jones (CC0), January 25, 2025

1. Forbidden Drive Marker

Inscription. Welcome to Wissahickon Valley Park and
Forbidden DriveMany rough mill roads once ran through this valley. But as traffic increased, people needed a better road. In the early 1850s, work began on a turnpike to ease travel between the mills and the city.

In 1869 the turnpike became part of Fairmount Park. It became Upper Wissahickon Drive, free to all who came to enjoy the valley’s beauty.

With the coming of automobiles came years of debate: should the drive be a quiet park trail or busy road? In 1899 the park commission banned automobiles along the drive. But for nearly the next 30 years it received proposals to re-open the drive. The commission voted against them all and this stretch of road has been called “Forbidden Drive” ever since.

“ . . . Now the Wissahiccon is of so remarkable a loveliness that, were it flowing in England, it would be the theme of every bard, and the common topic of every tongue . . . . ”
“Morning on the Wissahiccon”
Edgar Allan Poe

In 1964 this park became one of the first seven places to be honored as a National Natural Landmark.

Topics and series. This historical

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marker is listed in this topic list: Roads & Vehicles. In addition, it is included in the National Natural Landmarks series list. A significant historical year for this entry is 1869.

Location. 40° 1.665′ N, 75° 11.576′ W. Marker is in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, in Philadelphia County. It is in Wissahickon Valley Park. It is at the intersection of Forbidden Drive and Lincoln Drive, on the right when traveling west on Forbidden Drive. Marker is located in parking area 12 of Wissahickon Valley Park at Lincoln and Forbidden Drive. Touch for map. Marker is at or near this postal address: 6259 Forbidden Dr, Philadelphia PA 19144, United States of America. Touch for directions.

Regionally, this marker is in Southeast Pennsylvania. It is also in the American Northeast

and in the Mid-Atlantic.

Globally, it is in North America,

the Western Hemisphere,

the Western World,

and the Anglosphere.

Historically, it finds itself in what was once the Haudenosaunee (Iroquois) Confederacy,

New Netherland,

and one of the original Thirteen Colonies.

Other nearby markers. At least 8 other markers are within walking distance of this marker: Battle of Germantown

Photographed by Bill Coughlin, October 5, 2013

2. Forbidden Drive Marker

(here, next to this marker); Ten Box Shelter (within shouting distance of this marker); Wissahickon Valley Park (within shouting distance of this marker); a different marker also named Battle of Germantown (approx. 0.2 miles away); Rittenhouse Town (approx. 0.2 miles away); David Rittenhouse (approx. 0.2 miles away); Homestead (approx. 0.2 miles away); Rittenhouse Homestead (approx. 0.2 miles away). Touch for a list and map of all markers in Philadelphia.

Another marker is no longer nearby. The Jacob Rittenhouse Home at RittenhouseTown (was approx. 0.2 miles away but has been permanently removed).

Photographed by Bill Coughlin, October 5, 2013

3. Forbidden Drive Marker

Marker on Forbidden Drive image. Click for full size.

Photographed by Bill Coughlin, October 5, 2013

4. Marker on Forbidden Drive

Photographed by Bill Coughlin, Forbidden

5. Forbidden Drive Marker

Credits. This page was last revised on January 26, 2025. It was originally submitted on October 6, 2013, by Bill Coughlin of Woodland Park, New Jersey. This page has been viewed 1,303 times since then and 31 times this year. Photos: 1. submitted on January 26, 2025, by Devry Becker Jones of Washington, District of Columbia. 2, 3, 4, 5. submitted on October 6, 2013, by Bill Coughlin of Woodland Park, New Jersey.