|
 |
|
|
|
Mount Pleasant
The "grand dame" of Fairmount Park houses is one America's great architectural gems
|
|
Mount Pleasant
Photo courtesy of Fairmount Park Conservancy
|
Outsider Tip
Benedict Arnold bought the house in 1779, little more than a year before his attempted betrayal of West Point. The house was later confiscated and Arnold's possessions sold publicly.
Situated on a hilltop overlooking the Schuylkill River, Mount Pleasant was built in the 1760s by Scottish sea captain John McPherson. In 1775, John Adams described it as "the most elegant Seat in Pennsylvania,” and some still say it’s the finest colonial house north of the Mason-Dixon line.
But it’s not just history and architecture that’s on offer here. The grounds of this house are now an active part of the Fairmount Park system and often used by local picnickers, walkers, joggers, bikers and dog walkers.
|
|
|
|