Fall 2007

Collaborative Educational Programs to Expand at Stenton

The National Endowment for the Humanities has selected the NSCDA/PA and Stenton as one of only five recipients nationwide of a We the People Challenge Grant in its July 2007 grant round. This $300,000 grant, one of the largest ever received by The NSCDA/PA and Stenton, will provide long-term support to enhance our humanities activities, principally the national award-winning History Hunters Youth Reporter Program. The challenge grant funds will be used to build Stenton’s endowment, with income to partially fund the Project Coordinator staff position, and for scholarships and bus transportation costs to allow expanded access to our programs, especially for underserved schools in Philadelphia.

The We the People program focuses on the idea that knowledge of America’s history and founding principles is vital to both active citizenship and a robust democracy. As one of the most authentic and important historic house museums on the east coast, Stenton is uniquely positioned to offer insights into the Colonial period and how issues and debates among earlier settlers in Pennsylvania, one of the key colonies in British North America, played out in the founding of America. The Colony of Pennsylvania developed as it did because of the political, intellectual and commercial interests of James Logan, perhaps the most influential figure in the Colony between 1700 and 1750. In the halls of Stenton, James Logan and colonial leaders, including such luminaries as Benjamin Franklin, discussed, debated and developed ideas about broad issues at the heart of our country. (Photo: Campers using Eastern Native American techniques to make clay pots at Stenton.)

This NEH Challenge Grant requires a 3 to 1 match ($3 dollars raised for every $1 from NEH). Matching the NEH grant will be a key part of the NSCDA/PA’s Capital Campaign to raise $2.2 million dollars by 2010 and The We the People challenge grant has already leveraged tremendous support for Stenton and its programs. In October 2006, Jane Seddon Willson, a benefactor from Albany, Georgia with connections to Philadelphia, generously contributed $500,000 to create an endowment for Stenton's educational programs, with an additional $100,000 contribution in December 2006 from Mrs. Samuel M. V. Hamilton, Honorary Chair of the Campaign, in support of the History Hunters program. Additional matching funds will be raised from a range of sources in response to the NEH challenge.

This We the People challenge grant will help to achieve other positive outcomes in Historic Germantown, such as enhanced cooperation, standardized educational curricula, and economies of scale. History Hunters has provided the humanities-based framework on which to build other programs and initiatives, and the efforts of Stenton and its partner sites in Germantown are a shining example of the sort of collaborative programming that is so important to students and museums alike. As one grant reviewer commented, "This is an extraordinary instance in which a small institution is an industry leader, at a moment in time when historic houses need some exemplars."

Staff Changes at Stenton

In April, the NSCDA/PA bid farewell to Stenton Museum Educator Liz Gavrys, who took the position of museum educator with the Highlands Historical Society. The Highlands Mansion and Gardens is a 44-acre historic site with a late 18th century Georgian mansion and two-acre formal garden located in Fort Washington. The NSCDA/PA would like to thank Liz for her skill and dedication during her tenure and wishes her the best of luck in her future endeavors.

The NSCDA/PA is delighted to welcome Dennis Pickeral, who joined Stenton in April, taking over Liz's duties as Site Administrator and History Hunters Program Coordinator. Dennis recently moved to Philadelphia from Harrisburg after completing his coursework in the American Studies Graduate Program at Penn State. He has a B.A. in history from Virginia Commonwealth University and worked as site administrator for nearly four years for the Flowerdew Hundred Foundation, a nonprofit organization located in Prince George County, Virginia that operates a small museum and conducts historical and archaeological research focusing on colonial Virginia.

In other staff news, curator Laura Keim will be splitting time between Stenton and out sister Germantown site, Wyck. The Wyck collection, documenting three hundred years of one family’s residence, is a remarkable treasure and Laura looks forward to bringing her keen expertise to two historic sites.

Stenton Hosts Visits from Teacher Workshops

Stenton hosted several visits from teacher workshops this summer, preparing educators to use historic sites to enhance their teaching and inspire students with programs that make history come alive. On June 28, July 12, and July 19, nearly 120 educators participating in an program entitled, "Benjamin Franklin and the American People" visited Stenton. The Franklin Institute, funded by a grant from the National Endowment of the Humanities, is directed Dr. George Boudreau, Associate Professor of American Studies and History at Penn State Harrisburg, in partnership with Independence National Historical Park. The Institute accepts K-12 teachers from all over the country and enables them to understand Benjamin Franklin, his era, and his legacy through an intensive week-long program. On August 20, Stenton welcomed another 55 teachers as part of a Summer American History Institute organized by the Philadelphia School District through its federally-funded "Teaching American History" program. Both teacher’s workshops were a wonderful opportunity to showcase our award winning History Hunters program and the rich educational resources of Stenton and Historic Germantown.

Wing Thing Flies Forward

The Wing Thing, Stenton’s project to restore and rehabilitate the site’s Service Wing for educational use and visitor service and access, has received a major grant of $100,000 from the McLean Contributionship. The Contributionship, which originally funded the study out of which the "Wing Thing" developed, has provided funds for much-needed restoration work, with a special emphasis on the creation of enhanced education space. Working with Historic Architect John Bowie Associates, drawings are in the works to begin this work. Our thanks go out to the McLean Contributionship for its extraordinary generosity!

A 19th century view of Stenton, with Service Wing to the right

Thanks to Jean Cooke

The gardens at Stenton have been especially attractive this spring and summer thanks to the wonderful efforts (and talented green thumb) of volunteer Jean Cooke. Jean, who has been working with Garden Chair Lil Chance, stepped up her efforts significantly when Lil hit a patch of bad health earlier this year. Any number of comments have mentioned how good things look, and our appreciation goes out to Jean for her good work. It was also especially satisfying to have a visit from Lil and Jean together a few weeks ago in August. They make a great team!

S. K. Stevens Award

The Pennsylvania Federation of Museums and Historical Organizations has announced the award of the S. K. Stevens Award to the History Hunters program. This prestigious award, named for historian, Dr. Sylvester K. Stevens, who served as Director for the PHMC in the mid twentieth-century, includes a cash prize that will be put toward scholarships for students participating in the 2007-2008 program. Stenton Chair Jane Foster Willson and Program Director Anne Burnett will attend an awards luncheon in October to receive the high honor.

Historic Germantown Preserved: Update

Historic Germantown Preserved (HGP), the consortium of thirteen historic sites, museums and an arboretum in Germantown, held a press conference on May 8 to announce the receipt of a $100,000 grant from the Heritage Philadelphia Program of the Pew Charitable Trusts. The grant will allow the consortium members to move toward closer collaboration to sustain these historic places and play a more vibrant role in the community.

Photo: Seventeen campers, ages 8-12, spent a fun-filled week in History Hunters Reporter Camp, August 20-24. The camp is a collaborative effort between Stenton and its many partner sites in Germantown. Campers visited Stenton, Grumblethorpe, Johnson House and Concord Schoolhouse, Wyck, Historic Rittenhousetown, and Cliveden. Throughout the week, campers participated in a variety of historically-based activities, games, and crafts, learning a little along the way. Above: Campers make their own ice-cream in a bag following a visit to Wyck.

The central vision underpinning this project is that Historic Germantown is uniquely placed to tell a story that connects with all Americans. Specifically, the grant will allow the HGP sites to undertake development of an integrated interpretive framework, a community engagement report and a marketing strategy. The outcomes of this project are designed to position HGP to implement significant change to refashion how the sites operate and interpret their history and in turn what role they play in the community.

"Historic Germantown Preserved is tremendously grateful to the Heritage Philadelphia Program for providing this opportunity to offer a positive, community-oriented vision for how historic sites can thrive," said Stenton Director and HGP President Stephen Hague. "By working together we truly are greater than the sum of the parts, and we can place history and preservation at the center of such important issues as economic development, community revitalization and heritage tourism."

Few places in America hold so much history in such a concentrated area as Germantown: a Revolutionary War battle site, the mansion that has been called "the most authentic of all Philadelphia’s historic houses," the only Victorian house museum in the city, the site of the America’s first paper mill, and the only stop on the underground railroad open to the public in Philadelphia. Hague added, "These historic sites are landmarks IN the community, but we seek to make them landmarks OF the community." This commitment entails reaching out and making our stories, buildings and collections open to everyone, so that all can enjoy and partake of these special places.

Together, HGP's thirteen sites have operating budgets totaling nearly $2.5 million, employ over 100 paid and unpaid staff (including many key volunteers), have 2,500 members, and welcome more than 60,000 visitors, including nearly 20,000 schoolchildren, each year. This project will be conducted in partnership with organizations such as the National Park Service, the National Trust for Historic Preservation, the Fairmount Park Commission, The National Society of The Colonial Dames of America in PA and numerous other community groups. We will be looking for input, feedback, advice and guidance from a wide range of stakeholders.

Photo from left to right: Miranda Clark Binder (LaSalle Art Museum), Chris Owens (Historic RittenhouseTown), Stephen Hague (President, Historic Germantown Preserved and Stenton), Diane Richardson (Ebenezer Maxwell Mansion), Michael McFarland (Germantown Historical Society), Brandi Levine (Grumblethorpe), Beverly Morris (Deshler-Morris House, Independence Park), David Young (Cliveden of the National Trust), Chris Hilke (Wyck), and Linda Talbert (The Johnson House).

This represents renewed vigor in Germantown, a community brimming with history and gaining in momentum. The sites are part of preservation-based economic development, including tourism, commercial corridor development, and a new approach to historic house museums, one which will have a lasting impact helping the community work together, to build value and preserve the historic fabric of America's most significant neighborhood.

Frequently Asked Questions about HGP

What is Historic Germantown Preserved?
Historic Germantown Preserved (HGP) is a consortium of thirteen historic sites, museums, historical organizations and an arboretum located in the Germantown section of Philadelphia. Stretching over about two miles in the northwest part of Philadelphia, Germantown’s extraordinary history makes it a uniquely provocative and diverse focal point for history and preservation.

What is HGP’s mission?
Founded in 1980, the mission of Historic Germantown Preserved is "To foster an appreciation of the diverse character and meaning of our cultural heritage in order to preserve and revitalize our community. To this end, we cooperate in providing knowledge and resources to help preserve Germantown's historic sites, interpret them to the public, and incorporate them into the life of the local community."

How does Stenton fit in?
Stenton is one of the partner sites. Over the last few years Stenton has served as the home base for several collaborative projects, most notably the History Hunters school program. Currently, Stenton’s Executive Director Stephen Hague serves as President of HGP and former Museum Educator Anne Burnett is helping to coordinate HGP programming.

How is HGP funded?
HGP currently has a very small budget from annual membership dues from the 13 participating sites. However, HGP, or a member site on behalf of HGP, have often received grants for specific projects. The current grant of $100,000, supplemented by an additional $60,000 dedicated to innovative marketing, is an example.

What are HGP’s current programs?
Historic Germantown Preserved sites have offered a range of successful efforts, including the History Hunters program, a theme tour project called "Story Tours," an innovative Youth Writers humanities project undertaken by two sites, and an annual community-focused special event called the Revolutionary Germantown Festival (highlighting the 1777 Battle of Germantown). HGP also coordinates calendars between sites and is involved with information exchange between sites and in the community.

Why is HGP important?
You may have read in recent years about the threat to historic sites: falling visitation, declining interest and whether they are sustainable. As historic houses around the country struggle to find ways to survive, Stenton has successfully partnered with other historic sites in Germantown in bucking the trend of decline. HGP is poised to create a new model for how historic places can function as integral parts of their communities.

What are HGP’s plans for the future?
HGP has received major funding from the Pew Charitable Trusts to find ways of working together more closely. This "HGP Collaboration Project" is on-going throughout 2007, and will involve community gatherings, developing overarching themes and stories, enhancing marketing and looking at the organization of HGP to put in place the structure necessary to achieve our goals.

Hasn’t this been tried before?
Yes and no. There have been many successful attempts at working together in Germantown. But various plans exist suggesting ideas that have never been fully implemented. The current level of collaboration, generous foundation funding, and a number of model projects all indicate that the HGP sites are at a unique juncture to make Historic Germantown more than the sum of its parts.

How will this affect Stenton?
Each individual site will be reviewing and carefully examining any proposals made as result of the project. These may include such initiatives as joint ticketing, greater collaborative marketing, coordinated program development and implementation, shared staffing, the creation of a Germantown Guide corps, centralized scheduling for tours, or even shared fundraising and financial management, such as bidding insurance as a group. All of these ideas are being considered and could allow Stenton to be a more successful, more sustainable historic site into the future.

How will decisions about these ideas be made?
Ultimately, the Board of each HGP site, including the Stenton Committee and NSCDA/PA Board, will need to decide what initiatives are appropriate to participate in. Not all sites will necessarily take part in everything that HGP does, but by having full and open discussions it is hoped each site will reach the best decision, for itself and for Historic Germantown Preserved as a whole.

Why should Stenton work with HGP?
A trend toward collaboration is representative of the Philadelphia regional history community in general. The realities facing historic houses struggling to survive offers HGP an unparalleled opportunity to transform how the HGP sites operate. Through this project, HGP will offer a positive vision of how historic sites can thrive in today’s challenging environment.

Feature article: Thirty-one Houses in Twenty Days on the Attingham Summer School Tour

How to join the Friends of Stenton