Mount Pleasant

Mount Pleasant is a Georgian mansion located in Fairmount Park with two main floors of carefully designed interior spaces. The rooms feature symmetrical layouts, detailed wood carvings, ornate fireplaces, and refined decorative elements throughout.

The mansion was built in 1762 by Scottish sea captain John Macpherson as a private residence. During the American Revolution, the general Benedict Arnold and his wife lived there, marking a significant moment in the building's story.

The mansion reflects how wealthy colonial families valued symmetry and formal spaces for entertaining, with rooms arranged to show status and refinement. You can see how the layout and decoration reveal their daily priorities and social practices of that era.

Visits are arranged through guided tours organized by Philadelphia Museum of Art staff, who explain the colonial architecture and how people lived during that period. The tours help you understand the different rooms and their purposes throughout the mansion.

The mansion includes a separate summer kitchen building connected to the main house by an underground passage. This hidden corridor allowed servants to move between the kitchen and main house without disrupting the formal living areas.

Location: Pennsylvania

Inception: 1762

Architectural style: Georgian architecture

Part of: Fairmount Park

GPS coordinates: 39.98333,-75.19972

Latest update: December 6, 2025 16:03