Valley Green Inn "History"

It is rumored that the Valley Green Inn was established in 1683. Well, almost...

The Valley Green Inn is built on land that was part of a several hundred acre tract purchased from William Penn in 1685. It had absentee owners in England and Ireland until 1791 when it was bought by the Livezey family who ran a large grist mill downstream.

In about the year 1850, Thomas Livezey rented to Edward Rinker about three acres of land on the Wissahickon Creek below and adjoining the stone arch bridge. He was to build a house and had the privilege of having boats on the stream to accommodate picnics. He paid two years rent January 2, 1852 of $50.

Rinker may have first built a smaller dwelling and then soon after built a larger building he named the Valley Green Hotel. There followed a succession of innkeepers throughout the nineteenth century, all who no doubt served catfish, waffles, and chicken dinners; the popular fare of other Wissahickon establishments.

The Valley Green Hotel was built during 1850-51 at the same time as the Wissahickon Turnpike (Lincoln Drive) was being completed. The turnpike brought recreational visitors into the Valley by carriage and horseback to view the lovely scenery.

In 1868, the newly created Fairmount Park Commission appropriated the creek and its banks, including the turnpike, and they improved the condition of the road and removed the toll gates. The Livezeys then sold the hotel to the Park in 1873.

In 1899, the chief engineer of Fairmount Park recommended the building be demolished; it was in disrepair and the Park did not have the funds to renovate. Fortunately the building was saved by a local committee, headed by Charles W. Henry, which raised $1228 for the restoration.

In 1901, a committee of women, arranged by Lydia T. Morris, was given permission by the Park to manage the newly restored Valley Green Hotel. They served light refreshments and afternoon tea to riders, pedestrians and wintertime skaters. These women managed the popular Valley Green Hotel in this manner for many years. At this time, the restaurant became officially known as the Valley Green Inn.

In the mid-1930's, the Friends of the Wissahickon, a large group dedicated to the preservation of the Valley, became interested in the Inn. Restorations were again necessary, and, under the leadership of the Friends and Park Commissioner, Samuel Fleisher, new foundations, a new roof and timbers were added. The Inn was re-dedicated at a ceremonial dinner in 1937. The Inn has been under the joint care of the friends of the Wissahickon and the Park Commission ever since yet remains a privately run business.

Throughout the years, the Inn has been the focus of numerous paintings, postcards and writings, as well as the setting for many special occasions. T.A. Daily wrote in 1922 that, "The charm of Valley Green varies not only with the seasons, but with the day of the week and the hour of the day."



Timeline of The Valley Green Inn

1685 Charles Hartford of Great Britain purchases land from William Penn

1714 Hartford sells land to Thomas Wilson of Ireland

1791 Wilson’s great grandson sells land to Leonard Dorsey of Philadelphia & John Livezey of Roxbury Township

1795 Dorsey conveys his half of tract to Livezey family.

1850 Edward Rinker leases land from Thomas Livezey for $50 for two years.

1857 Lease extended four years to Francis Rinker (Edward’s brother) Edward Rinker is said to have run off with a buxom Dutch girl leaving a wife and several children.

1858 Francis Rinker sublets Valley Green to Simon Markley, who ran the place for some years. Marley sold to a man named Leon (a noted caterer) who got frightened at a great freshet (quick rise of water) on the Wissahickon and sold out to Abraham Stone.

1867 Fairmount Park was created by an Act of the Pennsylvania General Assembly. By April of the next year, the boundaries were changed to include the entire Wissahickon up to Bell’s Mill’s road. (formerly Thorp’s Lane)

1869 Toll gates removed from the Wissahickon turnpike (Forbidden drive)

1871 Abraham Stone leases 5 more years from Livezey @ $600 per year.

1872 Livezey sells Valley Green and 66 acres to City of Philadelphia for $75,000.

1873 Stone tenders lease to Park Commission in 1873 for $5000. His offer was declined and he stayed on as Innkeeper to approx. 1881.

1881 John Hentz, Jr. leases Inn and was a tenant to approx. 1893

1893 (approx) Hentz put out for "selling whiskey in the park"

1899 Park commission recommends demolishing Valley Green at expiration of current lease "is so old that it could not be placed in good condition without an unreasonable

1900 The Committee on Superintendence and Police of Fairmount Park Commission agree to retire the old landmark. A number of citizens in Germantown and Chestnut Hill were interested in seeing the house restored. A group of citizens headed by Charles W. Henry raised $1228.59 for this.

1901 A group of prominent Philadelphia society women, noting that the inn had been "so prettily and correctly restored,"… asked "the Fairmount Park Commission to allow them to have charge of the management of the Inn…/with the intention of making the Inn a favorite stopping place for anyone who wishes to rest and partake in light refreshment"

1901-07 Valley Green known as "Valley Green Hotel" and "Valley Green Inn" and names used interchangeably.

1907 Officially known as Valley Green Inn

1937 A group of patriotic citizens held a dinner at the Inn for the purpose of "turning over the Valley Green Inn to the Friends of the Wissahickon for its care and upkeep under the authority of the Commissioners of Fairmount Park" a committee of public spirited women of Germantown and Chestnut Hill… under the leadership of Miss Lydia T. Morris. The yearly rent paid by the Friends to Fairmount Park…. $1.

1964 Wissahickon Valley declared national landmark.

1966 Wissahickon Valley dedicated as National Historic Landmark

1999 Hurricane Floyd leaves his mark on the Wissahickon Valley. (another "freshet"... current Innkeepers are not frightened away)

2001 Tropical Storm Allison leaves her mark on the Wissahickon Valley. (yet another "freshet"... current Innkeepers have second thoughts, but stay anyway)

2001 Historic renovation project set to begin.

2002 Renovation begins January 7, 2002.


Information taken from Valley Green Inn Website History