Ormiston Mansion

Ormiston Mansion is a late Georgian-period house located in Fairmount Park with red brick walls, a cedar shake roof topped with Federal-style dormers, and six large shuttered windows on each side. The main floor features one large room that spans the full width of the building.

Edward Burd, a Pennsylvania Supreme Court prothonotary, built this residence in 1798 on land along the eastern bank of the Schuylkill River. The house was constructed during a period when wealthy families were establishing substantial estates near Philadelphia.

The mansion preserves original interior details like marble-faced fireplaces and a Scottish bake oven that reflect how wealthy Philadelphians of that era wanted to live. These elements show the tastes and daily habits of the upper class at that time.

The Royal Heritage Society of the Delaware Valley manages the property and hosts events open to both society members and visitors. You can check ahead to learn when tours are available and which events are coming up.

The house has an unusual floor plan where the main ground-floor room stretches the entire width of the building and opens to views of the Schuylkill River at the back. This kind of open layout was not typical for homes of that era.