Summerseat's facade from Clymer Ave in Morrisville. Photo courtsey of Historic Summerseat Bucks County.

This brick and stone house in Morrisville has been on Heritage Conservancy's Register of Historic Places since 1978, and it earned its place. George Washington used it as his headquarters in December 1776, in the darkest stretch of the war, right before he planned the crossing of the Delaware and the victory at Trenton. Its owners weren't ordinary either: Summerseat is the only home known to have belonged to two signers of both the Declaration of Independence and the U.S. Constitution.

Read the full story of Summerseat

Pollinators at the Russell-Mandel meadow.

Heritage Conservancy's pollinator meadows are alive with color this summer, including our largest project yet: 15 acres at Lindsay Farm, seeded with over 50 species of wildflowers and grasses. Now in its second year, the meadow is already drawing pollinators and birds. Jackson Pond and Russell Mandel Preserve both have public trails through established meadows worth a visit, and if you're thinking about starting your own, our meadow planting workshop is coming up on August 29th at Russell Mandel Preserve.

See what's blooming, and how to grow your own meadow

Event attendees receiving some bat knowledge before going outside for the count.

Over 60 community members gathered at Christ Lutheran Church in Pipersville to watch a colony of bats emerge into the night sky. Our educators and behavioral ecologist Dr. Alyson Brokaw were on hand to share why these often-misunderstood neighbors matter more than you'd think.

Curious how many we counted, and what you can do to help?

While invasive species removal can be laborious, some of them have the silver lining of being edible, such as golden oyster mushrooms (top left), dame’s rocket (bottom left), autumn olive (right).

You've probably heard these words thrown around, but what actually separates a "weedy" native plant from a true invasive species? It turns out an invasive species has to check three specific boxes, not just one, and the answer changes depending on where and when you're asking. This month, our Easement Stewardship Manager, Katie, breaks down the real definitions behind native, naturalized, introduced, and invasive, plus a few native look-alikes you can plant instead of common invasive species.

Untangle the terminology here

History has more than one storyteller...

Join us at Aldie Mansion on Thursday, July 30th for a moderated panel exploring the Revolution through multiple perspectives, including local Bucks County history, Native American experiences, and the contributions of Black soldiers and civilians. Members $25, Non-members $50 (admission applies toward a one-year membership).

Speakers include Jeremy Johnson (Cultural Education Director, Delaware Tribe of Indians), Jeffrey L. Marshall (Local Historian & Former President of Heritage Conservancy), and Steve Thomas (Owner of Living History Co). Moderated by Laurie Burgess, retired associate chair and co-chair of the Smithsonian’s Department of Anthropology at the National Museum of Natural History.

Learn more and reserve your seat

Heritage Conservancy is now a participating site in the ACCESS Program by Art-Reach, making select programs more affordable for individuals receiving public assistance for food or medical benefits. Pennsylvania and Delaware ACCESS/EBT cardholders are automatically eligible for $2 admission to select events, and those without a state-issued card can purchase one directly through Art-Reach to receive the same discount. Registration still happens online as usual, just look for the ACCESS ticket option.

See how ACCESS works at Heritage Conservancy

"Thirty years ago, we made Bucks County our home and were drawn to the strong mission of Heritage Conservancy. Preserving our historic buildings, large and small farms, open rolling land and valuable natural areas makes our County more unique, healthy and valuable...

Trees and foliage filter air, water nourishes the land, and nature embraces our mental health... We inherently believe the need to secure the ongoing work of Heritage Conservancy and have included them in our estate plan. Our focus is not only for today but to support the needs of tomorrow."

— Ken Snyder and Cecile Balizet

Thank you to the following Business Leaders for supporting Heritage Conservancy's mission and making accomplishments possible through their generosity:

Heritage Conservancy | 215-345-7020 | social@heritageconservancy.org | heritageconservancy.org