In 1789, Judge William Lewis, a well-known abolitionist and lawyer, built the mansion as a summer retreat, naming it “Summerville.” In 1825, its second owner, Judge Joseph Hemphill, added the first of two Greek-revival style wings to the home. In 1930, in an effort to celebrate the magnificence of this extraordinary home, a group of public-spirited women decided to restore historic Strawberry Mansion. Called the Committee of 1926, they began restoring the mansion in 1930 and opened it to the public as an historic house museum the following year.
Since its opening, Historic Strawberry Mansion has welcomed over 250,000 visitors through individual visits, park house tours, lectures, events, and community artist exhibitions.
For generations, the grounds of the Historic Strawberry Mansion have been enjoyed by members of the surrounding community as a quiet escape in Fairmount Park, so close yet worlds away from the noise and bustle of Philadelphia. Plan a luxurious outdoor celebration on the expansive rear grounds where guests may mingle on the full-length brick terrace overlooking a beautiful Azalea path that winds around the perimeter of the property.
Open Aire Affairs partnered with The Committee of 1926 to bring an event space to host gatherings up to 250 guests on the back lawn. We built a seasonal 40×90 venue tent fully equipped with flooring, string cafe lights with a kitchen prep area, wedding suite & restrooms. We added pathways to the tent area as well as some gardens to enhance the space. Contact us today for pricing & details!