National Historic Landmark

Wyck House

Philadelphia, Philadelphia County, Pennsylvania
Listed
October 25, 1971
Type
Building
Period
Industrial
Ref No.
71000736

About this property

The Wyck house, also known as the Haines house or Hans Millan house, is a historic mansion, museum, garden, and urban farm in the Germantown neighborhood of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. It was recognized as a National Historic Landmark in 1971 for its well-preserved condition and its documentary records, which span nine generations of a single family. During the American Revolution, the Wyck house was occupied by British forces and used as a field hospital ("a room for amputations and other hospital operations, requiring prompt care") after the Battle of Germantown, in October 1777. Wyck was the site of an early American brewery from 1794 to 1801, and later became a meeting place of influential American scientists and artists including Thomas Say, Charles Lucien Bonaparte, John James Audubon, Thomas Nuttall, William Cooper, William Maclure, Charles Alexandre Lesueur, Margaretta Morris, Elizabeth Carrington Morris, and George Ord. Wyck is the type locality of the Queen snake (Regina septemvittata), discovered on the second floor of the house by Reuben Haines III and described in 1825 by Thomas Say. It is also the type locality of the terrestrial gastropod Ventridens suppressus (Say 1829). The house was renovated in 1824 by William Strickland, the famous Greek revivalist architect. The following year, Gilbert du Motier, Marquis de Lafayette returned to visit the sites of the Battle of Germantown, and was hosted in a reception at Wyck.

Location

6026 Germantown Ave.
Philadelphia, Philadelphia County, Pennsylvania
40.03989, -75.17853

Categories

ARCHITECTURE
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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Conflict & War
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The Civil War
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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
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Rivers & Rail
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Notable People
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Finds & Access
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Literature
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Nearby Historic Sites

Mennonite Meetinghouse
Industrial
0.1 mi
Germantown Grammar School
Industrial
0.1 mi
Germantown Grammar School (Boundary Increase)
Industrial
0.2 mi
Fulton, Robert, School
Industrial
0.2 mi
Tulpehocken Station Historic District
Industrial
0.2 mi

Nearby Battles

Battle of Germantown (approach actions)
1777Revolutionary War
0.3 mi
Battle of Germantown
1777Revolutionary War
0.7 mi
Battle of Germantown — Chew House
1777Revolutionary War
1.3 mi

Questions about this property

When was Wyck House listed on the National Register?

Wyck House was listed on the National Register of Historic Places on October 25, 1971.

What type of historic resource is Wyck House?

Wyck House is classified as a building in the National Register of Historic Places.

Is Wyck House a National Historic Landmark?

Yes. Wyck House has been designated a National Historic Landmark (NHL), the highest level of federal recognition for historic properties in the United States.

What is the period of significance for Wyck House?

The period of significance for Wyck House is recorded as the industrial era.

Can I research the history near Wyck House?

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