SMDPA MEMBERS AND GUESTS:  Please join us for a delicious lunch in the private Club Room of the Valley Green Inn, Valley Green Rd., Philadelphia, PA 19118, (215) 247-1730, followed by a presentation from Michael Carver, a.k.a., “The Admiral of the Blue Apron.”  This noted period re-enactor and historian will discuss the importance of taverns in America.

Our restaurant is located within beautiful Wissahickon Park, best reached from the northeast via Germantown Pike.  It is handicapped accessible with ample parking, although those requiring assistance should phone ahead.  On busy weekends, they have a parking attendant at the end of the first parking lot on Valley Green Rd.  Show the attendant your email or text confirmation, and they will let you down.

Note:  For those looking to make a full day of it, there are numerous attractions nearby, including Morris Arboretum and Gardens of the University of Pennsylvania, Cliveden of the National Trust, and Basilica Shrine of Our Lady of the Miraculous Medal.

We will enjoy a lunch consisting of a house salad, plus your choice of:

Included are all nonalcoholic beverages, coffee and tea. 

Pricing is $50 per adult, $25 for Juniors or children.  All are welcome!

To register and pay online, click here:  Or complete and return the attached RSVP form per instructions, enclosing your check.  Limited to 30 guests, first-come, first-served.  Registration deadline is Fri., Aug. 7.  For questions, please contact James Campbell, SMDPA Deputy Governor, [email protected]

ABOUT OUR PRESENTATION:

The Tavern Act ensured that public houses were constructed along England’s (and her colony’s) major highways and at her ports.  This was done principally to support commerce, but since these were often the largest and most accessible buildings in many communities, taverns took on a major role in keeping communities together, sharing news, and ensuring that the government functioned.  Taverns hosted militia musters, court proceedings, polls, and post offices.  The tavern was also where people gathered to share news and engage in trade.  Yet these institutions were far more than just bars and hotels, they were the heart of many communities, second only to the church.  

In his presentation, “The Importance of Taverns in America,” period re-enactor and historian Michael Carver will discuss how the tavern was instrumental in both preventing anarchy and driving revolution in the American colonies.

ABOUT THE VALLEY GREEN INN:

The Valley Green Inn, the last operating establishment of the Roadhouse Era and among some of the most memorable places in the Wissahickon, is still standing -- its facade forever connected to the wilderness that surrounds it and the people who enjoy it.  When you think of the Wissahickon, you think of the Valley Green Inn.

In the early 19th century, as roads began to lead to the land we now call the Wissahickon Valley Park and access down into the gorge improved, places to house weary travelers were established.  The Inn was one of seven original roadhouses including the two Indian Rock Hotels, Lotus Inn, the Log Cabin Inn, the Maple Springs Hotel, and Wissahickon Hall.  Click here to learn more about this Roadhouse Era:  “https://fow.org/virtual-valley/trails-to-the-past/roadhouses-of-the-wissahickon/”

The Valley Green Inn’s plot was purchased in 1850 by Edward Rinker.  A small temperance hotel was built.  Unaffected by the Prohibition, it continued to operate after the land was purchased by Fairmount Park Commission in 1873, which prohibited the consumption of alcohol in the park.  Did you know that the Inn only started serving alcohol in the 1980’s?

Once acquired by the City, the Fairmount Park Commission’s engineer recommended tearing down the Inn, considering its extremely poor condition and the lack of funds to support its rehabilitation.  Thankfully, a committee raised the necessary funds, and the Inn was rehabilitated, not once, but five times over the last 125 years:  the first time in 1899, a second time in the early 1930’s, and three more times under the ownership of Friends of the Wissahickon in 1987, 2000, and 2014.

It’s safe to say the charm and rich history of the Valley Green has been instrumental in its preservation.  Lucky for you, 175 years later you can still enjoy this gem of the Wissahickon.