Milford, PA
28 July 2024
Another PA adventure we took was to Pike County. Here, we opted to visit Grey Towers, a national historic site. It was a family estate built by James and Mary Pinchot in 1886.
We drove through Milford, PA, a unique little town, in order to get to where Grey Towers was situated. From the top of the grounds, you can even catch glimpses of the center of town in Milford (historically one would be able to view the entire town, but over time trees grew and obstructed the view).
We took a tour of the mansion and learned that there was a lot to its history! One fun fact is that the key answer to many questions is 44. At the time, it cost $44,000 to build, the building has 44 fireplaces, and James Pinchot retired at the age of 44. The second floor of the mansion is dedicated to conferences and trainings so only one first floor and the surrounding grounds are open to the public for tours and visitation. A personal favorite is the fingerbowl, an outdoor dining table with a raised water pool in the middle. Our tour guide said that it was common to pass bowls of food across the water to one another while dining. There are also vines of wisteria that wrap around the pergola, giving it a shady and colorful look, especially when the wisteria is in bloom.
An important fact about this historic site is that it paved the way for development of forestry in the U.S. thanks to Gifford Pinchot, the son of James Pinchot. He studied forestry in France and went on to be involved with Teddy Roosevelt (before Roosevelt became president and then later becoming a trusted advisor during his presidency), and the U.S. Forest Service (which Pinchot helped to create and became first chief). Even President Kennedy had visited the mansion two months before his assassiantion. He was presiding over the dedication of the Pinchot Institute for Conservation Studies at Grey Towers.
Another thing we learned, was that at every national historic site, one can participate in an activity to obtain a junior trooper badge! Here at Grey Towers, we did a scavenger hunt activity during the tour and later went to take an oath with the park ranger. We received wooden badges after completion.
Grey Towers
151 Grey Towers Drive,
Milford, PA 18337
Alternative GPS address
122 Old Owego Turnpike
Milford, PA 18337
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