A view of the inn from the east or Springfield Avenue side showing the wraparound porch, the original main entrance on the right, and the current exchange entrance on the left.
SCH is lucky enough to border an urban gem, the Wissahickon. Home to 2000+ acres of dense forests, rugged trails, and free flowing streams that become our campus’ backyard, the Wissahickon is a sanctuary where nature and community combine–a place where rustling leaves and rushing water speak volumes of the Park’s resilience and beauty. As we celebrate 100 years of conservation with the Friends of the Wissahickon, I encourage you all not only to appreciate the Wissahickon’s striking beauty, but also its complex history, particularly that of the Wissahickon Inn, which now serves as a cornerstone of our school’s community.
Originally constructed in the 19th century by railroad tycoon Henry H. Houston, the Inn has a long history that reflects the tapestry of the Wissahickon valley. The grand Queen Anne style hotel served as a popular resort for city dwellers seeking an escape from the hustle and bustle of philadelphia, inviting visitors to cherish the natural beauty of the area. The aesthetic and picturesque setting of the Inn made it a favored destination for families, artists, and nature enthusiasts alike, becoming a social hub.
Over the years, the Inn went through various transformations. Starting in 1892, it hosted the annual Philadelphia Horse Show, bolstering crowds of up to 10,000 people at the event’s peak. By the late 1890s, the Inn had been experiencing a decline in occupancy, and by 1900, Houston’s heirs gave the Inn the Chestnut Hill Academy, a private boarding school for boys founded in 1850, for full time use year-round. Changes were made to the old hotel, including the conversion of the dining room into a library. The Inn’s ballroom was repurposed as a chapel with stained glass windows, courtesy of a glass worker from the Chestnut Hill area, floorboards covered up the swimming pool to form the upper school’s cafeteria, and rooms on the third floor became housing for boarding students at CHA.
Today the Inn is a jewel of SCH’s campus, serving as a home for upper school arts, history, english, language, clubs and activities, administration, and so on, with the most recent edition being the math department, being moved from the neighboring math building. Whether you’re just walking by, taking classes, studying in the Henry Library, or taking a moment in the chapel, I encourage you all to acknowledge the long and winding history of the Wissahickon area that our community is intertwined with.
