Cliveden

Contact information:

Researchers are advised to call ahead for an appointment to read manuscript materials: (215) 848-1777 or info@cliveden.org.

Overview:

Cliveden is an historic house museum on 6 acres of landscaped grounds in the Germantown neighborhood of Philadelphia's Historic Northwest. The property was the scene of the Battle of Germantown in October, 1777, and home to the descendants of the original owner until 1972. Includes original furnishings and decorative arts, including superlative examples of colonial Philadelphia craftsmanship by James Reynolds, Jonathan Gostelowe and Thomas Affleck.

Cliveden is located on the northeast corner of Germantown Avenue and Johnson Streets, north of downtown Philadelphia in Germantown. From the PA Turnpike (1-276) take exit 333( formerly Exit 25, Norristown) and follow Germantown Pike east about seven miles to Cliveden on the left. Enter from Cliveden Street. From the Schuylkill Expressway (1-76) take exit 340 (formerly Exit 32) to the Lincoln Drive. Turn right onto Johnson Street (third light) then left onto Germantown Avenue (fourth light). Take the first right onto Cliveden St. Entrance gate is on the right at the end of the first block.

We urge you to take a tour of the house while you are there, and walk Germantown Avenue to see other late-18 th century houses and businesses.

Resources at Cliveden available to scholars upon request:

Chew family papers (Cliveden) 21 linear feet, finding aid available.  Chew family papers and photographs found in house after 1972 transfer to Historical Society of Pennsylvania.

Cliveden curatorial files (Cliveden) 45.5 linear feet.  Subjects include Cliveden history, biographical files, genealogy, Battle of Germantown.  Object files include worksheets, photographs and supporting materials documenting Cliveden’s collection of approximately 3,000 objects.

Cliveden institutional archives (Cliveden)     Box-level finding aid.

The receipt book of Benjamin Chew, 1770-1809 * Annotated verbatim transcript of 279-page receipt book kept by Benjamin Chew (1722-1810), in Cliveden Chew Family Archives.  Includes 88 page annotated finding guide to names listed in receipt book.  Compiled by Nancy E. Richards, c. 1993.

See also:

Chew family library (Library Company of Philadelphia) Approximately 1,500 books dating from the colonial period to 1850, transferred in 1982 to the Library Company of Philadelphia.

Chew family papers (Historical Society of Pennsylvania) Approximately 200,000 manuscript items dating from 1693, formerly housed at Cliveden.  Collection #2050: 181 linear feet, finding aid available.  For information call 215-732-6200.

Historic American Buildings Survey (Library of Congress) Seventeen measured drawings, 87 photographs and 10 data pages, compiled 1972.  Contact the Library of Congress Prints and Photographs Division.

Research tools and manuscript reports:

Chew family chronology, 1763-1972 * Transcriptions, annotations and composite entries collated from Chew Family Papers (HSP), arranged by year.  Subject listings within each year include: family members, servants, slaves, residences, furnishings, household supplies, clothing/appearance, foodways, heating/cooking, farming, transportation, earning a living, raising children, leisure activities, religion, civic and community activities.  Four volumes containing a total of approximately 1,600 pages.