For the second year, the Historic Germantown Green Space Stamp Rally, a fun and educational program for all ages, returns to Northwest Philadelphia. The rally encourages participants to visit 18 historic sites in the neighborhood, learn about them, and enjoy some beautiful outdoor spaces.
“Our tagline is ‘Freedom’s Backyard,’ and we have a lot of backyard to share, more than 75 acres,” said Heather Zimmerman, program director at Historic Germantown, a coalition of sites. “People are often focused on the buildings, but the gardens and green spaces and five arboreta are an integral part.”
In addition to well-established gardens, several of the locations recently added green space, ranging from a meadow of native plants at the historic Stenton house, to a new garden in front of the Colored Girls Museum.
Collect ‘em all
To participate, visitors start by picking up the Stamp Rally passport book, where they can collect and add stamps from each site. The books also contain maps, highlights and things to do at each place, with charming illustrations by local graphic artist Beth Miner. The booklets are available at all 18 stops or at Historic Germantown’s headquarters at 5501 Germantown Ave., Thursday through Saturday, noon-4 p.m.
A new feature of the program this year is a scavenger hunt. Visitors, in addition to acquiring a stamp, are encouraged to search for a specific feature based on a given clue. “We added the hunt to encourage people to explore the sites a little further,” explained Zimmerman.
Prizes offer additional incentives for those who collect a certain number of stamps and scavenger hunt answers. To redeem the booklets for a prize, collectors can submit them to Historic Germantown’s office by June 21, the final day of the program.
The program is primarily intended to be self-guiding. For those who prefer their historical sightseeing a bit more structured, the coalition offers guided walks by Awbury Arboretum Wellness Coordinator Megan do Nascimento around some of the sites on Friday, May 30 at 10 a.m. at Clividen, 6401 Germantown Avenue, and on June 6 at 10 a.m. at the Allen Lane Arts Center, 601 West Allens Lane.
“You can expect a fun and engaging walk through Germantown that gets you moving, thinking, breathing and connecting. Plus, it’s a chance to explore Germantown’s rich history and beautiful green spaces.”
Get to know your neighborhood
Member organizations in the Historic Germantown consortium cover a wide thematic range, from the well-known — like Cliveden, Stenton, Wyck, and the Awbury Arboretum — to smaller sites, many of which focus on the area’s Black history and culture. These include the Black Writers Museum, Aces Museum, Lest We Forget Museum of Slavery, and the Colored Girls Museum. Zimmerman noted, “Many of them are relatively new, but they’re connected with Germantown’s history. It’s a great way to get to know your neighborhood.”
These smaller sites can often be even more of a revelation than their more frequently visited neighbors, even for longtime residents. One comment Historic Germantown received from a 2024 participant read, “I have lived in this part of Philadelphia for over 30 years and the Stamp Rally helped me discover places I had never been to before!”
A newcomer to the consortium is the Allens Lane Art Center. Some may wonder at the inclusion of that Mt. Airy stalwart, but Zimmerman has an explanation. “When we think of our neighborhood,” she said, “historically it was German Township, which actually included Mt. Airy and Chestnut Hill.”
Participating locations for the Stamp Rally include Aces Museum, Allens Lane Art Center, Awbury Arboretum, Black Writers Museum, Cliveden, Concord School House and Upper Burying Ground, Ebenezer Maxwell Mansion, Germantown Historical Society, Germantown Mennonite Historic Trust, Grumblethorpe, Historic Fair Hill, Historic RittenhouseTown, Hood Cemetery, Johnson House Historic Site, Lest We Forget Museum of Slavery, Stenton, The Colored Girls Museum, and Wyck. Please check the website for each stop for visiting hours.
The 2025 Historic Germantown Green Space Stamp Rally runs through June 21, 2025. For more information, visit historicgermantownpa.org/stamprally/.
