National Register of Historic Places

Collen Brook Farm

Upper Darby Twnshp., Delaware County, Pennsylvania
Listed
December 22, 1988
Type
Building
Period
Industrial
Ref No.
88003048

About this property

Collen Brook Farm, also known as Collenbrook, is a historic home and associated buildings located in Upper Darby Township, Delaware County, Pennsylvania. The complex includes three contributing buildings: a farmhouse, a granite spring house (c. 1782), and stone and frame carriage house (c. 1870). The house is a 2+1⁄2-story, vernacular stone residence with a Georgian plan and consisting of three sections. The oldest section was built around 1700, with additions made in 1774, and 1794. It was the home of noted educator and 19th-century political leader George Smith. Later, Ludlow Ogden Smith, the first husband of Katharine Hepburn, resided here. It was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1988. In the early 1990's, the Smith family intended to turn the house into the "Smith-Lewis Local History Museum," with support from Hepburn. The 18th-century period farmhouse house is now owned by Upper Darby Township, operated by the Upper Darby Historical Society. and open to the public on Sunday afternoons from May through October.

Location

Upper Darby Twnshp., Delaware County, Pennsylvania
39.95158, -75.32086

Categories

EDUCATIONARCHITECTURE
National Register nomination ›
Sources

Property data from the National Register of Historic Places, National Park Service (public domain).

Description adapted from Wikipedia under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International License.

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Overview
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The Land
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Geology
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LiDAR Terrain
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Conflict & War
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The Civil War
The Civil War on this ground, 1861 to 1865: who held it, and the battles, camps and regiments nearby.
The Soldiers
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Native Heritage
The Native nations who held this land, mapped across time from before European contact to today.
Settlement
Who claimed and held this ground, from Indigenous homelands through the colonial powers to the United States.
The Community
How the town grew, who came, and what kind of place it became, traced through the census record.
Rivers & Rail
The rivers, canals and railroads that connected this place between 1830 and 1911.
Notable People
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Historical Maps
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Finds & Access
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Literature
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Spotlight
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Points of Interest
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Nearby Historic Sites

Llanerch Public School
Industrial
1.8 mi
Lower Swedish Cabin
Industrial
1.8 mi
Massey, Thomas, House
Industrial
1.9 mi
Twentieth Century Club of Lansdowne
Industrial
2.2 mi
Lansdowne Park Historic District
Listed
2.5 mi

Nearby Battles

Battle of Barren Hill
1778Revolutionary War
3.7 mi
Battle of Germantown Oct 4 1777
1777Revolutionary War
5.3 mi
Battle of Fort Mifflin (Pennsylvania)
1777Revolutionary War
6.6 mi

Questions about this property

When was Collen Brook Farm listed on the National Register?

Collen Brook Farm was listed on the National Register of Historic Places on December 22, 1988.

What type of historic resource is Collen Brook Farm?

Collen Brook Farm is classified as a building in the National Register of Historic Places.

What is the period of significance for Collen Brook Farm?

The period of significance for Collen Brook Farm is recorded as the industrial era.

Can I research the history near Collen Brook Farm?

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