If you missed our public opening on Friday evening, join us this Saturday for the grand opening of our exhibit, “Mapping the Wissahickon.” Starting Saturday, May 3, the exhibit, located at the Conservancy’s office at 8708 Germantown Avenue, will be open to the public on Fridays and Saturdays from 10:00 AM to 4:00 PM. Admission is free and open to the public, though a suggested $10 donation would be appreciated. This exhibition explores the evolving landscape of the Wissahickon Valley, the forces that have shaped its preservation, and our ongoing commitment to protecting this treasured green space. It showcases maps, guides, and publications that document and influence its transformation. The exhibit is self-guided, with staff and volunteers available for assistance. We also provide family-friendly materials, including scavenger hunts and coloring pages. We hope to see you there! (fb)

With the increased recreational use of the Wissahickon Valley in the 1920s—partly exacerbated by the growing popularity of the car—many guidebooks to the Valley were published in the 1920s and ‘30s. This included the Works Progress Administration’s (WPA) 3 Hikes through the Wissahickon, which was published in 1936. The Roosevelt Administration established programs, such as the WPA’s Federal Writers Project, during the Great Depression to provide the unemployed and underemployed with work. One such product of this effort was the publication of a series of guidebooks, including "3 Hikes through the Wissahickon." Since their release, these guidebooks have become fascinating resources, documenting what our country’s landscape—both natural and cultural—would have been like nearly 100 years ago. To see more photographs like the one shown here, visit our website CHConservancy.Org/Archives (fb)