Wissahickon Valley Park

While logging and industrialization occurred in some parts of the valley in the late 18th and early 19th century, the gorge itself was known for its natural environment, inspiring religious mystics like Johannes Kelpius, writers like Edgar Allan Poe, John Greenleaf Whittier, George Lippard, and William Cobbett; and artists like Thomas Moran, James Peale, William Trost Richards, and Currier and Ives. In 1964, a area of the park known as the Wissahickon Valley was designated a National Natural Landmark. ==Forbidden Drive==

Forbidden Drive, formerly known as the Wissahickon Turnpike, is a wide rocky trail running through the Wissahickon Valley from Ten Box to Cedars House at the upper end of the Park. It is called Forbidden Drive because of a successful protest against cars being allowed to drive in the park. In 1920, the Park Commission wanted to allow cars in the park, but 1,000 protesters on horseback and 12,000 spectators on foot fought against cars on the Wissahickon Turnpike. Every year, the Wissahickon Day Parade is held to celebrate the anniversary of this protest. ==Landmarks==

• Valley Green Inn, a tavern built in 1850 • Wissahickon Hall, the first of numerous inns in the valley Houses • Cedars House • Hermitage Mansion • Livezey House, a colonial era mill (aka Glen Fern) • Monastery House • RittenhouseTown • Thomas Mansion Bridges • Fingerspan Bridge • Kitchen's Lane Bridge • Thomas Mill Covered Bridge • Walnut Lane Bridge • Wissahickon Memorial Bridge (aka the Henry Avenue Bridge) Other • Cresheim Creek • Devil's Pool • Statue of Henry H. Houston, developer of Wissahickon • The Native American Teedyuscung and Toleration statues • Mom Rinker's Rock ==Gallery==

File:Valley Green Inn (11035502013).jpg|Valley Green Inn on Forbidden Drive File:Fingerspan bridge fall.jpg|Fingerspan by Jody Pinto on the Orange Trail File:Walnut Lane Bridge (cropped).jpg|Walnut Lane Bridge File:Teedyuscung Statue in Wissahickon Park.jpg|Statue of Teedyuscung by John Massey Rhind File:Thomas Mill Covered Bridge.JPG|Thomas Mill Covered Bridge File:Monestary Philly.JPG|The Monastery File:10777685824 IMG 0040.jpg|Bend in the Wissahickon Creek in winter ==See also==