Saturday, July 18, 2015

The Cliffs in Philadelphia Pennsylvania Built By Joshua Fisher of Lewes.

The Cilffs is a Registered Historic Place near 33rd and Oxford Streets , East Fairmount Park, in Philadelphia. built in 1753 by Philadelphia merchant Joshua Fisher who lived 107 to 1783, the great grandfather of joseph Wharton. It overlooks the Schuylkill River from the east.  It is acountry house in the Georgian style, constructed in stone, two stories and basement, heated by double fireplaces on both floor and basement. The estate included a farm. During the Revolution War, Ben Franklin daughter, Sarah Franklin Bache and her sewing group made clothing and bandages for continental soldiers.

Joshua Fisher had settled in Lewes Delaware, marrying Sarah Rodman , and had started a hat making business using locally plentiful animal skins and became wealthy.  In 1746 he moved his family to downtown Philadelphia and built the cliffs as a country getaway where he brought the family in the summer .  The house remained in the Fisher family over 100 years. . 1868 it was purchased by Fairmount Park, was rented and maintained until 1960's.  In 1960's it was maintained and repaired by the Shackamaxon Society then became vacan when money to keep it up became scarce.  It burned in 1986 and today is a shell of masonry . 

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