History

William Penn knew what he wanted: “A country life and estate I like best for my children.” By the spring of 1683, construction was underway on Penn’s home in the country. Today, his recreated 17th century estate sits on 43 picturesque acres along the Delaware River. Come for a visit and experience colonial life as it existed 300 years ago at Penn’s country home. Take a guided tour, explore our award-winning exhibit William Penn: Seed of a Nation, learn more about one of America’s most famous Quakers. Bring the family for a stroll through our garden, visit our friendly farm animals, and enjoy fun family activities. The past is waiting for you!

The English were skilled horticulturalists, participating in the exchange of plants and information throughout Europe and the colonies. Penn encouraged his gardeners to collect plants from the surrounding forests for use in the kitchen garden and shipping back to England. Quakers, like Penn, supported gardening and studying nature as a way of learning about the works of God. The position of an estate gardener was an important one. Gardeners needed to be able to read and write, be physically fit, and intelligent. The position was second only to the steward, and the gardener would assume responsibility if there was no steward.

Daily life in colonial times was dictated by the seasons of the year, far more than our lives are today.
Summer was a time for growing and preserving food. Long days served Pennsbury residents well as they tended gardens and crops, picked fruits and vegetables, and dried, salted, or pickled produce, herbs, or meat for use in the winter. During the summer the Penns might be in residence, with extra workers cooking elaborate meals for the Penn family and their friends, doing laundry, and possibly even serving on the rowing crew of Penn’s personal barge.

Does it look like the original?

This question can be answered with a firm and resounding shrug of the shoulders. There simply is not enough information available to draw many conclusions about what Pennsbury looked like in 1700.
Archeology confirms a brick front and clapboard back, as reported by Penn in 1685 when he directed “what you can do with bricks, do, what you cant, doe it with good timbers … and we can brick it afterwards.” Unfortunately, Penn was never able to complete the brick work.

Pennsbury was not just a family home. When Penn was in residence, Pennsbury also served as his office and a center of colonial government. The green tiles on this fireplace hearth in the Porch were uncovered by archeologists during the reconstruction of Pennsbury in the 1930s.

Penn and other Quakers believed that everyone had to seek God in his or her own way. Penn also thought that religious tolerance – or “liberty of conscience” – would create stronger governments and wealthier societies. Other English thinkers in the 1600s shared these ideas. But Penn had the opportunity to act on his beliefs. In Pennsylvania, religious tolerance was the law.

Penn welcomed settlers from all faiths to Pennsylvania. Each of the other American colonies had established an official church, but Penn did not.