Governed by the Fairmount Park Commission
Administered by the Committee of 1926
In 1788–1789, eminent Philadelphia lawyer Judge William Lewis built a simple country house on the east bank of the Schuylkill River which he called Summerville. Built in the Federal style, the original house embraced the delicate scale and proportions of Neoclassicism and included finely carved woodwork and classical niches in the entry hall. Many of the earlier furnishings now installed in the house reflect the tastes of the Lewis family during their years of residence in the house.
After Judge Lewis's death in 1819, the house was sold to Judge Joseph Hemphill, who later became a partner of William Ellis Tucker, an early manufacturer of hard paste porcelain in Philadelphia. Hemphill led a colorful social life and was a member of many Philadelphia civic organizations. He was responsible for the addition of the two large Greek Revival wings which flank the original structure. The ballroom and south parlor are furnished in the Empire style consistent with this later style of architecture.
After its 1871 purchase by the city of Philadelphia, the house became the site of an important steamboat landing. With its "magnificent perspective of the river and the surrounding country," it soon became a popular restaurant featuring strawberries and cream on the menu—thus it was renamed "Strawberry Mansion."
Since 1931, the house has been administered by the Committee of 1926. This women's volunteer organization was established during the celebration of the Sesquicentennial Exposition, the 150th anniversary of the founding of the United States, held that year in Philadelphia. At this time, several of the Sesquicentennial exhibits were relocated to Strawberry Mansion and form the basis for the furnishings of a number of other rooms in the house.
Hours
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