Friends of Woodburne
In 1906, Edgar T. Scott, Senior, son of Pennsyvania RR President Thomas A. Scott, commissioned
noted archtiect Horace Trumbuer to build a magnificent mansion on the property known at various
times as the Heights of Darby, Woodbourne, Woodburne, and later as the Scott Estate, Villa St.
Theresa, and Little Flower. Now a Delaware County Park the Friends of Woodburne was formed to
help the County preserve and utilize this remarkable building. Please join us
noted archtiect Horace Trumbuer to build a magnificent mansion on the property known at various
times as the Heights of Darby, Woodbourne, Woodburne, and later as the Scott Estate, Villa St.
Theresa, and Little Flower. Now a Delaware County Park the Friends of Woodburne was formed to
help the County preserve and utilize this remarkable building. Please join us
Measured Drawings in the collection of the Historical Society of Pennsylvania
For further information contact the Darby Borough Historical Commission at (610) 809-4856
The Friends of Woodburne is a newly formed group dedicated to working with Delaware County
and other partners toward the appreciation, preservation, and utilization of this magnificent but
compromised Mansion designed by Horace Trumbauer in 1906
and other partners toward the appreciation, preservation, and utilization of this magnificent but
compromised Mansion designed by Horace Trumbauer in 1906
One of the newest jewels in Delaware County's crown
of parks is the land currently being called Little Flower
Park, and the mansion designed in 1906 by Horace
Trumbauer sometimes called Woodburne on
Springfield Road in Darby. A Friends of
Woodburne Inc has been started.
of parks is the land currently being called Little Flower
Park, and the mansion designed in 1906 by Horace
Trumbauer sometimes called Woodburne on
Springfield Road in Darby. A Friends of
Woodburne Inc has been started.
Hello: My name is Woodrow Amadeus Bjorn Cornelius McPherson, McGillicuddy
McSqueak the 487th (from a VERY old family) but everybody calls me Woody, the
Woodburne Mouse. I was born on this property as were my ancestors gong all the way
back to 1642 when the first McSqueak arrived with Johannes Printz on the Kalmar Nikel.
He was looking a site for his dam and my great-great-great-great (486 times) grandfather
hitched a ride and jumped off here. From what I understand, Printz was a large man at
over 6 feet and some 400 pounds who the Indians called “Big Belly. ” I can’t imagine
why, but that’s another story. The Bartram family bought the land from William Penn
around 1680 and life on the farm was hard but there were always good things to eat
along the Darby Creek. Sometimes Susquahannocks would camp here on their way to
the Swedish fur trading posts along the Great Minquas Path and my family lore includes
stories about how they sometimes would drop bits of Pemmican which were chewy but
delicious. I have also heard stories of the British encampment here in 1777 during the
occupation of Philadelphia when we found scraps after their tea and crumpets…also
delicious. I recently learned that someone using something called a metal detector found
a lead musket ball….That would not be so delicious….the same person also found some
things that looked like collar and shirt studs but which turned out to be like buttons on a
horse harness….NOT good for eating. Then came the Scott years and the stories I have
heard about the parties here after Mr. Edgar Scott built the mansion make my mouth
water just to think about it……I remember when the nuns were here. They didn’t like us
hanging around the kitchen but sometimes the orphans, who also lived here, left us little
tidbits….. Things are quiet around here now but we hope that someday soon there will
be life here again and good eating for all. (To be continued….)
McSqueak the 487th (from a VERY old family) but everybody calls me Woody, the
Woodburne Mouse. I was born on this property as were my ancestors gong all the way
back to 1642 when the first McSqueak arrived with Johannes Printz on the Kalmar Nikel.
He was looking a site for his dam and my great-great-great-great (486 times) grandfather
hitched a ride and jumped off here. From what I understand, Printz was a large man at
over 6 feet and some 400 pounds who the Indians called “Big Belly. ” I can’t imagine
why, but that’s another story. The Bartram family bought the land from William Penn
around 1680 and life on the farm was hard but there were always good things to eat
along the Darby Creek. Sometimes Susquahannocks would camp here on their way to
the Swedish fur trading posts along the Great Minquas Path and my family lore includes
stories about how they sometimes would drop bits of Pemmican which were chewy but
delicious. I have also heard stories of the British encampment here in 1777 during the
occupation of Philadelphia when we found scraps after their tea and crumpets…also
delicious. I recently learned that someone using something called a metal detector found
a lead musket ball….That would not be so delicious….the same person also found some
things that looked like collar and shirt studs but which turned out to be like buttons on a
horse harness….NOT good for eating. Then came the Scott years and the stories I have
heard about the parties here after Mr. Edgar Scott built the mansion make my mouth
water just to think about it……I remember when the nuns were here. They didn’t like us
hanging around the kitchen but sometimes the orphans, who also lived here, left us little
tidbits….. Things are quiet around here now but we hope that someday soon there will
be life here again and good eating for all. (To be continued….)
And now a word from Woody,
the Woodburne Mouse
the Woodburne Mouse
XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX Harness studs