Summerseat (Morrisville, Pennsylvania)
Encyclopedia
Summerseat, also known as George Clymer House, Thomas Barclay House, or Summerseat School is a site significant for its association with George Clymer
and Robert Morris, both signers of the Declaration of Independence
and the U.S. Constitution. It served as George Washington
's headquarters December 8–14, 1776.
The two-story brick and stone Georgian house was built in the 1770s for Thomas Barclay
, a Philadelphia merchant and diplomat. From 1791 to 1798, the house was owned by Robert Morris, the namesake for Morrisville. In 1806 the house was acquired by Clymer, who resided there until his death in 1813.
The house was restored in 1931 and converted for use as a school administrative building in 1935.
It was declared a National Historic Landmark
in 1965.
Summerseat is located on Hillcrest and Legion Avenues, and is owned and operated as a house museum by the Historic Morrisville Society. The house is open the first Saturday of each month from 10:00a.m. to 1:00 p.m. There is no admission charge.
George Clymer
George Clymer was an American politician and founding father. He was one of the first Patriots to advocate complete independence from Britain. As a Pennsylvania representative, Clymer was, along with five others, a signatory of both the Declaration of Independence and the U.S. Constitution...
and Robert Morris, both signers of the Declaration of Independence
Declaration of independence
A declaration of independence is an assertion of the independence of an aspiring state or states. Such places are usually declared from part or all of the territory of another nation or failed nation, or are breakaway territories from within the larger state...
and the U.S. Constitution. It served as George Washington
George Washington
George Washington was the dominant military and political leader of the new United States of America from 1775 to 1799. He led the American victory over Great Britain in the American Revolutionary War as commander-in-chief of the Continental Army from 1775 to 1783, and presided over the writing of...
's headquarters December 8–14, 1776.
The two-story brick and stone Georgian house was built in the 1770s for Thomas Barclay
Thomas Barclay (diplomat)
Thomas Barclay was a Philadelphia merchant, America’s first consul in France and the American diplomat who negotiated America’s first treaty with the sultan of Morocco in 1786...
, a Philadelphia merchant and diplomat. From 1791 to 1798, the house was owned by Robert Morris, the namesake for Morrisville. In 1806 the house was acquired by Clymer, who resided there until his death in 1813.
The house was restored in 1931 and converted for use as a school administrative building in 1935.
It was declared a National Historic Landmark
National Historic Landmark
A National Historic Landmark is a building, site, structure, object, or district, that is officially recognized by the United States government for its historical significance...
in 1965.
Summerseat is located on Hillcrest and Legion Avenues, and is owned and operated as a house museum by the Historic Morrisville Society. The house is open the first Saturday of each month from 10:00a.m. to 1:00 p.m. There is no admission charge.
External links
- Summerseat - Historic Morrisville Society
- Summerseat at the National Park Service