Introduction to Glen Foerd

Welcome to Glen Foerd! Our organization stewards this eclectic riverfront estate for the enjoyment and educational benefit of the community. Drawing from the estate’s architecture, art, material culture, and history—as well as its gardens and waterways—Glen Foerd provides inclusive experiences that spark curiosity and support Philadelphia’s natural and cultural ecosystems. 

The establishment of the estate in 1850 initiated the development of the Torresdale neighborhood where we are today. Within a few short decades after the house was built, this site transi­tioned from a remote retreat for wealthy Philadelphians to a showcase of industrial wealth, complete with a farm, an art collection, and an abundance of architectural and horticultural treasures. 

Urban green spaces like Glen Foerd, are important to maintaining local biodiversity and keeping wildlife populations stable. Walking through the grounds allows you to experience the interactions between a vast array of ecological communities that make up the local ecosystem. 

This self-guided tour will take you around the grounds of Glen Foerd. Stopping at twelve points of interest along the way, you’ll learn about the different structures within the landscape, the people that built this estate, and its relationship to art, design, and ecology. 

Glen Foerd is listed on the National Register of Historic Places, and its grounds qualify as a historic arboretum. The preservation of the site relies on grant funding and generous supporters of the Glen Foerd Conservation Corporation. Thank you for telling your community about Glen Foerd!