Norristown Farm Park

Norristown Farm Park is a 690-acre (279 ha) Pennsylvania state park in East Norriton and West Norriton Townships and the Borough of Norristown, Montgomery County, Pennsylvania, in the United States.[2] Located just off of Interstate 276 on West Germantown Pike,[3] it is operated in partnership with the Montgomery County Department of Parks.

Norristown Farm Park
The main barn at Norristown Farm Park
Map showing the location of Norristown Farm Park
Map showing the location of Norristown Farm Park
Location of Norristown Farm Park in Pennsylvania
Map showing the location of Norristown Farm Park
Map showing the location of Norristown Farm Park
Norristown Farm Park (the United States)
LocationMontgomery, Pennsylvania, United States
Coordinates40°08′01″N 75°21′02″W
Area690 acres (280 ha)
Elevation180 ft (55 m)[1]
Established1995
Governing bodyPennsylvania Department of Conservation and Natural Resources
WebsiteNorristown Farm Park

A working farm on the site of Norristown State Hospital, the park has multiple colonial-era farm buildings and homes on its grounds.[3]

Stony Creek flows through the park. Baseball, bicycling, cross-country skiing, hiking, fishing, and picnicking opportunities are available in the park, as are summer musical concerts.[3]

History

Norristown Farm Park was originally part of a 7,000-acre (2,800 ha) tract of land called "Williamstadt," which originally belonged to William Penn.[4] The property was then transferred to Isaac Norris, the namesake of Norristown, by way of Penn's son, William Penn, Jr. Norris's heirs sold pieces of Williamstadt to the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania and Norristown State Hospital was opened in the 1870s as a mental hospital.[5] The park is on state-owned land that surrounds the hospital.[5]

  • Germantown Pike Entrance
    Germantown Pike Entrance
  • Stanbridge Street Entrance
    Stanbridge Street Entrance

Nearby state parks

The following state parks are within 30 miles (48 km) of Norristown Farm Park:[6][7][8]

References
  1. "Norristown Farm Park". Geographic Names Information System. United States Geological Survey. August 23, 2007. Retrieved June 18, 2008.
  2. "Norristown Farm State Park". Pennsylvania Department of Conservation and Natural Resources. Archived from the original on October 10, 2011. Retrieved December 12, 2006.
  3. "Norristown Farm Park Montgomery County page". County of Montgomery, PA. Archived from the original on February 20, 2007. Retrieved December 12, 2006.
  4. "Norristown Farm Park Schuylkill River National and State Heritage Area". Schuylkill River Greenway Association. Retrieved December 12, 2006.
  5. Reverend Judith A. Meier. "An Historic District Within the Boundaries of the Norristown State Hospital". Farm Park Preservation Association. Archived from the original on August 11, 2006. Retrieved January 22, 2007.
  6. "Find a Park by Region (interactive map)". Pennsylvania Department of Conservation and Natural Resources. Archived from the original on September 24, 2011. Retrieved November 18, 2011.
  7. Michels, Chris (1997). "Latitude/Longitude Distance Calculation". Northern Arizona University. Retrieved April 23, 2008.
  8. "2007 General Highway Map Montgomery County Pennsylvania" (PDF) (Map). 1:65,000. Pennsylvania Department of Transportation, Bureau of Planning and Research, Geographic Information Division. Retrieved July 27, 2007. Note: shows Norristown Farm Park
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