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Germantown - Chestnut Hill

Photo Credit: Bob Krist Greater Philadelphia Tourism

The area east of Fairmount Park in the northwestern part of Philadelphia finds the neighborhoods of Chestnut Hill, Germantown and Mt. Airy. Each of these three neighborhoods are very distinct in character.

Situated along cobble-stoned Germantown Avenue in the northwestern part of the city, Chestnut Hill is an official Historic District, and home to more than 100 architecturally significant residences, parks and gardens, the Woodmere Art Museum, and the renowned Morris Arboretum. It is also the home to more than 200 boutique shops, art galleries, antique stores, cozy cafes and fine restaurants. Chestnut Hill is the highest point within the city limits of Philadelphia.

The Germantown area of Philadelphia is one of Philadelphia's oldest settlements. It was originally settled by German émigrés attracted to Philadelphia by William Penn's promises of religious tolerance. It is home to many of the city's historic homes.

The Mt. Airy area of northwest Philadelphia, with a population of more than 40,000 people, has gained national distinction for its richly diverse population. A comfortable and welcoming place to live, it is home to people of many racial and ethnic backgrounds, economic levels, occupations, family life-styles and age groups. The greatest concentration of Jewish households in the Northwest is in Mt. Airy. The area boasts a wide range of housing, from apartments to mansions.

Germantown
George Washington and the capital were here in 1793. During the Revolution, the Battle of Germantown was fought up and down the main street, with muskets firing from house windows. The first American Bible was published here, and the first kidnapping in the United States also took place in Germantown.

History lies in the cobblestones of Germantown Avenue, echoes through the halls of Stenton and Cliveden, and is forever captured in Germantown's historic buildings, homes, and cemeteries. An incredible amount of history took place in the distance of a few miles in this historic town, now part of Philadelphia.

Germantown became a big industrial town in the end of the 19th and beginning of the 20th centuries. Then in the 1940's and 50's the area's affluent citizens began to leave for the suburbs. Today, Germantown is undoubtedly a very urbanized region; however, the historical sites have been very well preserved by the active Historical Society and the National Park Service.

Chestnut Hill
Beginning with its original destination as “Summer Hausen,” the vacation spot of choice for colonial Philadelphians, Chestnut Hill always had a reputation as a most accommodating place. The 13 families who settled here in 1687 certainly appreciated its charm, and constructed the first permanent settler’s housing (the Yeakel cottage) at the corner of Germantown Avenue and Mermaid Lane several years later. By 1711, the year that area was officially designated “Chestnut Hill,” rudimentary roads had already been carved through the forest to carry farmers and their goods to Philadelphia. Though Chestnut Hill is close to Center City by today’s standards, in 1777 it was considered quite remote. In fact, the Revolutionary War nearly passed it by, except for a brief period when General Howe occupied Chestnut Hill during his retreat from Philadelphia. Of course, Chestnut Hill has since grown in size, and yet remarkably, it has managed to retain its old-world charm.

Today, Chestnut Hill offers visitors an idyllic country village atmosphere, which makes it one of Philadelphia's most appealing neighborhoods. Situated along tree-lined, cobblestoned Germantown Avenue, with its turn-of-the-century architecture, you'll find some of the best shopping, dining and cultural opportunities the Philadelphia region has to offer. No matter what brings you here, the atmosphere is always friendly, the air refreshing, the parks inviting and the pace unhurried. Chestnut Hill is your quintessential main street.