If you’re having trouble viewing this email, you can see it online. End-of-Summer News from the Conservancy  From the Executive Director’s Desk I hope everyone is enjoying the end of the summer and getting back into the swing of things! I wanted to share a few thoughts on the Conservancy’s work in the first half of 2026, while also looking ahead:We’re excited to welcome board members Jean McCoubrey and Dan Preston as our new President and Vice President, and to mark a bittersweet transition as we say goodbye to outgoing President Bill Webster, who retired in July. Jean and Dan bring tremendous passion for the Conservancy’s mission, and I’m thrilled to partner with them to continue to advance our 2025-2030 Strategic Plan. Under our Strategic Plan, we’ve continued to prioritize community engagement, from our work forming a coalition in opposition to Philadelphia City Council Bill No. 251030, which could severely weaken historic preservation in Philadelphia, to hosting our Community Listening Session last month to receive feedback on future historic preservation planning efforts in Chestnut Hill. Krista Gebbia, our Director of Stewardship, and Chrissy Clawson, our Director of Programs and Communications, have been instrumental in advancing these priorities.We’ve opened a new archival exhibit at our headquarters, Marking the Moment: Celebrations in Chestnut Hill and Nearby Neighborhoods, which documents the history of local celebrations and spotlights community leaders and institutions. Alex Bartlett, our Curator and Archivist, was critical to creating our second exhibit in two years, and board member Dan Preston, Chair of our Collections Committee, has also been an essential contributor!We treasure our ongoing partnership with the Chestnut Hill Business District and were thrilled to collaborate on the new Business Directory Booklet, which features many historic photographs of Chestnut Hill from our archives—free copies are available at 8708 Germantown Avenue. .jpg) As fall quickly approaches, we are gearing up for another engaging Night of Lights on Friday, October 2. We really hope you will join us that evening to flip the switch at our headquarters building, which this year will feature a new and improved light display featuring the historic architecture of our home base!Please do check out our entire newsletter below, as there are many details about important projects.Best,  David Gest, Esq. Night of Lights Receives Philadelphia 2026 Neighborhood Celebration Grant  We are excited to share that the Conservancy received a $20,000 Philadelphia 2026 Neighborhood Celebration Grant to support the 2026 Night of Lights. The Philadelphia City Fund awarded the grant on behalf of the City of Philadelphia to support neighborhood-based celebrations during the nation’s 250th anniversary.The successful application grew from early collaboration between former Director of Development Ashley Maass and Chrissy Clawson. Clawson led the application, with contributions from David Gest, Alex Bartlett, Krista Gebbia, and Anne Oltmanns.Thank you to the Philadelphia City Fund and to the sponsors, partners, volunteers, businesses, and community organizations whose support continues to make Night of Lights possible.Night of Lights Returns | October 2-5The Chestnut Hill Conservancy’s Night of Lights: Celebrating 250 Years of History, Landscapes, and Architecture in Northwest Philadelphia returns to Germantown Avenue October 2–5.This year’s exhibition will feature six themed projected videos exploring the nation’s 250th anniversary through the lens of Northwest Philadelphia’s history, architecture, landscapes, and community stories. Additional presentations will highlight public gardens and parks, historic foods, and other stories from across the lower Wissahickon watershed. Developed in collaboration with community partners across Northwest Philadelphia and the lower Wissahickon watershed, the exhibition will continue the Conservancy’s tradition of connecting local stories with broader themes during Philly’s Archives Month. .jpg) Join Us for Opening Night | Friday, October 2 Opening Night begins at 6:30 PM at the Chestnut Hill Conservancy, 8708 Germantown Avenue, with giveaways including glow-gear, soft pretzels, old-fashioned candies, and glow-in-the-dark temporary tattoos. At 7:00 PM, join us for the annual “Flip the Switch” ceremony before heading down Germantown Avenue.The evening continues until 9:00 PM with projected videos, illuminated architecture, community storytellers, interactive activities, and live music from the 8600 to 8000 blocks of Germantown Avenue. Opening Night also coincides with the Chestnut Hill Business District’s First Friday, so it will be a bustling night on the Ave. Projections continue nightly through Monday, October 5. .png) Bizarre Bugs, Toads, and Butt-Breathers | Sunday, October 4 Join children’s author and photographer Doug Wechsler at 10:00 AM at Hilltop Books, 84 Bethlehem Pike, for Bizarre Bugs, Toads, and Butt-Breathers. Presented with Hilltop Books and Friends of the Chestnut Hill Library, this free family program explores some of the unusual ways animals live and survive through Wechsler’s books and photography.No advance registration is required. 10×10 History Jam | Thursday, October 1510 speakers. 10 images. 5 minutes each.Join us at the Venetian Club, 8030 Germantown Avenue, for a free and fun, fast-paced evening of storytelling from across Northwest Philadelphia. Each participant will have five minutes and 10 automatically advancing images to share one focused story. Brief DJ sets will provide transitions between presentations.The program is free and in-person only. Registration is required, and advance registration is appreciated due to limited space. Register for the 10×10 History Jam  Have a Story to Tell? Apply to Present at the 10×10 History Jam We are looking for 10 speakers to share stories connected to Chestnut Hill and Northwest Philadelphia. Topics could explore people, places, architecture, landscapes, archival collections, the Wissahickon, arts and culture, businesses, preservation, conservation, neighborhood change, or a lesser-known story. A volunteer Night of Lights 10×10 Review Committee, led by Dan Macey, will review applications and help curate the speakers in collaboration with staff. Applications should include a link to a past example of public speaking, such as a video interview, reel, radio, or TV appearance.To apply and learn more, email Chrissy Clawson at Chrissy@CHConservancy.Org. Grant and Sponsorship SupportWith the support of sponsors and the City of Philadelphia, the Conservancy’s Night of Lights is free and open to the public. The event provides a fun, accessible way for residents to learn about the area’s history, vitality, and ongoing stewardship while enjoying all that Germantown Avenue has to offer. In addition to the Philadelphia City Fund, this public program is made possible through the generous support of the Conservancy’s Lead Sponsor, Chubb, as well as General Sponsors, Event Sponsors, and members. The General Sponsors are Bowman Properties Ltd., Dennis F. Meyer Inc., Merrill Nottingham, Walsh, Goodman, Pierce & Associates, George Woodward Co., MIS Capital LLC, Team Whetzel, and Friends of the Wissahickon. The 2026 Night of Lights event sponsors include Projection Sponsors: Chubb, Bowman Properties Ltd., BEAM, ltd., Electrical Wizardry, Friends of the Wissahickon, and George Woodward Co.; Event Presenting Sponsors: Chestnut Hill Hotel, Ace Hardware Home Services, Chestnut Hill College, Laurel Hill Gardens, Robertson’s Flowers and Events, and Temple Health Chestnut Hill Hospital; Event Supporting Sponsors: Cawley Masonry, Chestnut Hill Business District, Goldenberg Group, Northworks, and Premier Building Restoration.Night of Lights is presented in partnership with DesignPhiladelphia and Archives Month Philly. Community Listening Session | What Comes NextThank you to everyone who participated in the Chestnut Hill Conservancy’s August 5 Community Listening Session on historic preservation.  The evening served as a forum for listening to and learning about community preservation needs. Participants shared perspectives through facilitated discussion, interactive boards, virtual activities, a pre-event survey, and live Mentimeter questions. The conversation explored the places, buildings, landscapes, and stories that matter to the community, as well as preservation challenges, opportunities, and planning tools.“We’re excited to begin a community engagement process to think about priorities for historic preservation in Chestnut Hill, and deeply appreciate all the feedback we’ve received to date,” said David Gest, Esq., Executive Director. “From buildings to landscapes, streetscapes, institutions, businesses, and people, it’s clear there is a strong desire to honor the past and work to preserve what we have, and we look forward to continued engagement on preservation planning in alignment with our mission.”The session format was also designed to give people several ways to participate and share their perspectives.“We were intentional about creating a forum to listen to historic preservation needs and sought out best practices for making the process accessible,” said Krista Gebbia, Director of Stewardship. “Technology helped us create different ways for people to participate, but just as important is that participants feel comfortable in sharing their experiences. We’ve been open about how we developed the process with stakeholders, and now we’re working on the follow-up and how to incorporate what we heard into our work plans for greater impact. That also means being open to conversations about issues that can sometimes be tricky.”The Conservancy is now reviewing feedback from the session and its related surveys and activities. In early fall, we will launch a Community Listening Session landing page where the public can view the evening’s presentation, including results from the live Mentimeter activities. Through the next few months, we will continue to share more about what we heard and next steps.We will also summarize community feedback in an Executive Summary highlighting key themes and survey findings sometime this winter. The results will help inform future work plans, advocacy priorities, policy discussions, and continued preservation planning. This project has been funded in part by a grant from the Henry A. Jordan, M.D. Preservation Excellence Fund of the National Trust for Historic Preservation.Advocacy Updates Preservation Bill No. 251030 Bill No. 251030 remains pending after being held without a vote at the City Council’s June 3 Rules Committee hearing. The Conservancy continues to engage with Councilmember Mark Squilla and preservation and community partners regarding concerns about the legislation and is seeking further discussion before any additional Council action. No revised version of the bill has been released publicly, and we will share additional updates as they become available. Chestnut Hill Baptist Church The Chestnut Hill Conservancy is partnering with Chestnut Hill Baptist Church (2 Bethlehem Pike) to support strategic facilities planning and long-term stewardship of the historic property. Constructed in 1835, the Church is listed on the Philadelphia Register of Historic Places and is a “significant” building within the Chestnut Hill National Register Historic District. A newly formed committee brings together Church members, Conservancy representatives, and community members with expertise in preservation, architecture, development, and community engagement.The Conservancy has created a new landing page where you can learn more about the historic property, the partnership, and the Strategic Facilities Planning Committee’s work. Learn more Section 106Thank you to everyone who has spoken up for Section 106. Proposed federal changes could weaken consultation and public participation in decisions affecting historic and cultural resources. If you have not yet spoken up, please do so now. The Conservancy continues to follow the proposed changes and their potential implications for historic preservation and community participation.Learn more through the Conservancy’s recent Advocacy Alert, also published as an open letter in the August 27 edition of the Chestnut Hill Local.Advocacy AlertChestnut Hill Local29-31 West Bells Mill RoadOn August 28, 2026, the Philadelphia Department of Licenses & Inspections issued a zoning permit for an addition to the existing historic structure at 29-31 Bells Mill Road.The owner of the property previously nominated it for listing on the Philadelphia Register of Historic Places, and the Philadelphia Historical Commission designated the property in February 2026. The Conservancy has reached out to the property owner to gather more information and engage in good faith discussions, approaching the project through the lens of the Conservancy’s mission. Conservation Water Quality and the Wissahickon Watershed August was National Water Quality Month, a reminder of how much our communities and ecosystems depend on clean water. In the lower Wissahickon watershed, decisions about land, development, stormwater, and our own properties can affect the streams and tributaries that flow into Wissahickon Creek.Our partners at Friends of the Wissahickon have shared more about the watershed, its history, and the challenges it faces today in “Get to Know the Wissahickon as Watershed.”You can also learn more through three past Conservancy programs and exhibits. .jpeg) “History of Water Use in Northwest Philadelphia,” developed by Drew Brown using images from the Philadelphia Water Department, was originally presented as part of the Conservancy’s 2018 Night of Lights exhibition.“Landscape Tools to Protect Our Watershed,” presented on June 25, 2020, featured Beth Anne Lutes and Tim Linehan of the Philadelphia Water Department and homeowner Sarah Andrews. The Conservancy organized the Ask the Experts program and co-presented it with the Chestnut Hill Community Association.Our 2025 archival exhibition, Mapping the Wissahickon: From the Colonial Era to a Reclaimed Watershed, explored the Wissahickon Valley’s evolving landscape, the forces that shaped its preservation, and ongoing efforts to protect it through maps, guides, and publications from the Conservancy’s Archives and select loans. Learn more about the exhibition and watch the video developed from the exhibition for the 2025 Night of Lights Membership | A New Benefit for Conservancy Members Beginning this fall, Conservancy members will save $15 on every paid Discovering program, whether virtual or in person. Members will also pay less than previously for virtual (Zoom) Discovering programs, with registration now $15 for members and $30 for non-members.Membership offers additional ways to engage throughout the year, including special programs and early registration opportunities. Earlier this year, members were invited to the free, members-only program From Colony to Commemoration: Chestnut Hill’s Role in Realizing and Remembering the Revolution. Any active members who have not received the recording can contact Chrissy Clawson for a link to the recording.Not yet a member? The Chestnut Hill Conservancy is a nonprofit membership organization dedicated to conserving and celebrating the region’s history, architecture, and landscapes. Our work, rooted in education, advocacy, and stewardship, is made possible through the support of our community.Questions? Contact Anne Oltmanns, Development Associate, at Anne@CHConservancy.Org. Discover Something New This Fall | Starting This Wednesday This fall, Discovering explores the people, art, architecture, and planning that helped shape Chestnut Hill and the Philadelphia region.On September 16, historian and author George B. Bryant explores the stained-glass windows of English artist Henry Holiday. Philadelphia holds an extraordinary collection of his work, including windows at St. Martin-in-the-Fields and Springside Chestnut Hill Academy. The program also explores the local patrons behind these commissions, including Dr. George and Gertrude Woodward.Then, on October 17, architect and city planner Richard Bartholomew leads a walking tour through Chestnut Hill’s St. Martin’s neighborhood. The tour explores how architecture, landscape, transportation, and community planning came together to shape this distinctive neighborhood.Together, the programs offer two ways to discover the people and ideas behind places we experience, value, and preserve today.Discovering: Henry HolidayHis Stained-Glass Windows for Chestnut Hill and the City of Brotherly Love .jpg) Wednesday, September 16, 2026 Virtual, via Zoom | 7:00–8:30 PM Registration: $15 for Conservancy members | $30 for non-members Conservancy members save $15. Advance registration is required. Register today Philadelphia is home to one of the country’s most significant collections of stained-glass windows by the English artist Henry Holiday (1839–1927), yet many of these remarkable works remain largely unknown and underappreciated outside the congregations and institutions that house them. Join historian, author, and former architect George B. Bryant for a virtual edition of Discovering, exploring Holiday’s extraordinary body of work in Philadelphia, including Chestnut Hill, Whitemarsh, and surrounding communities. Bryant draws together decades of research into the artist, his patrons, and the communities that continue to preserve his work. Discovering: Chestnut Hill’s St. Martin’s Neighborhood The Making of a Planned Community  Saturday, October 17, 2026 Rain Date: Sunday, October 18, 2026 In Person | 2:00–4:00 PMRegistration: $25 for Conservancy members | $40 for non-members Conservancy members save $15. Limited tickets available. Advance registration is required.Register todayFew neighborhoods in the Philadelphia region so clearly illustrate the relationship between planning, architecture, landscape, and community as Chestnut Hill’s St. Martin’s neighborhood.Join architect and city planner Richard Bartholomew for a guided walking tour exploring the development of one of Chestnut Hill’s most thoughtfully planned residential neighborhoods. Beginning in the late nineteenth century with Henry Howard Houston’s vision for Wissahickon Heights and continuing through the work of Dr. George Woodward and others in the twentieth century, participants will discover how transportation, landscape design, civic institutions, and residential architecture were carefully integrated to create a neighborhood that continues to shape community life today. Support Your support allows the Conservancy to continue free or low-cost public programs, preservation efforts, and advocacy for Chestnut Hill’s historic architecture, open space, and cultural resources. Donations directly sustain educational initiatives, conservation easements, and the Archives, ensuring our shared history is protected for future generations. Donate Sponsorship Looking to sponsor the Conservancy in 2026? Sponsorship offers a unique opportunity to support local preservation efforts while gaining visibility among a community passionate about history, conservation, and sustainability. Please contact the Conservancy’s Development Associate, Anne Oltmanns, at Anne@CHConservancy.Org to explore available sponsorship options.Learn more Events  September 16 – Discovering: Henry Holiday (Virtual)October 2 – Night of Lights: Opening Night Activities (In person) October 3-5 – Night of Lights: Lights and Videos Continue (In person) October 4 – Night of Lights: Bizarre Bugs, Toads, and Butt-Breathers (In person) October 15 – Night of Lights: 10×10 History Jam (In person) October 17 – Discovering: St. Martin’s Walking Tour (In person) October 21 – Ask the Experts: Connected Homes (Hybrid) News  September 10 – Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, “PHMC Awards $4 Million to Bolster PA’s Museums and Historical Societies”September 10 – Chestnut Hill Local, “Conservancy schedules Henry Holiday program” September 3 – SECRET PHILADELPHIA, “Starting October 2, Chestnut Hill’s historic Germantown Avenue becomes a free outdoor museum for four nights of glowing archival projections” September 1 – PhillyBite.com Magazine, “Chestnut Hill’s Night of Lights Returns for its 9th Year with Expanded PHL250 Programming” August 27 – Chestnut Hill Local, “Protect community’s right to be heard on historic preservation” August 14 – PHILADELPHIA.Today, “House of the Week: $2.7M Chestnut Hill Estate Sits Along Wissahickon Valley Park” July 30 – Chestnut Hill Local, “Conservancy to hold listening session” July 23 – Chestnut Hill Local, “Conservancy receives art & culture grant” July 16 – Chestnut Hill Local, “Conservancy congratulates Erdenheim Farm on National Register listing” July 2 – Chestnut Hill Local, “Conservancy names McCoubrey its new board president” July 2 – Chestnut Hill Local, “PA Senate bill sparks opposition from conservationists” June 25 – Chestnut Hill Local, “Chestnut Hill Conservancy marks the moment with new exhibit” June 25 – Chestnut Hill Local, “Stephen P. Bartlett” June 11 – Chestnut Hill Local, “Improvements are coming to the Water Tower Recreation Center — with some community help” June 10 – Chestnut Hill Local, “City Council tables hearing on historic preservation bill” June 8 – Hidden City, “Historic Preservation Advocates Continue to Rally Against Bombshell “Squilla Bill”” June 4 – Forbes Travel Guide, “Why ‘Townsizing’ Is A Restorative Travel Trend (And 8 Idyllic Towns To Visit Now)” 215-247-9329 | 8708 Germantown Avenue, Phila., PA 19118 | info@chconservancy.org |
