Sometime, things do work out. What has been a long campaign waged by several neighborhood groups is showing some real results. The groundbreaking for the reconstruction of the Greenwood Estate at Rush Farm was held on Friday, April 30th. It was a beautiful day and a good crowd of the folks who made it all possible was on hand.
The house, located on property once owned by Founding Father Dr. Benjamin Rush, was recently named Greenwood Estate at Rush Farm. Speakers at the event include Cornel Williams, Manager, Philadelphia Healthcare Properties, Inc., Michelle Mardenborough, President, Greenwood Cemetery, Joanne Clare, Chief Director, Friends of Greenwood, and Barry Howell, President of Northwood Civic Association.
Participating elected officials included State Reps. Anthony Payton and John Taylor, along with City Councilman Daryl Clarke. They were joined by special guest 90-year-old Betty Ewart, who lived in the cemetery caretaker’s house as a young girl, and community leaders, the new cemetery owners and preservation team members. They all worked together in an unprecedented effort to save this beloved but neglected 19th century residence from the wrecker’s ball.
Below you can see a short video of the ceremony and an exclusive look inside the first floor of the house.>