Pennypack Environmental Center
Posted by: 
mars888
N 40° 05.256 W 075° 03.562
18T E 494938 N 4437481
The historic old mill village of Verreeville with 2 old homes, 200' low dam, large meadow with paths, hills & streams, bird blind, museum, friendly staff & much more.
Waymark Code: WMJ479
Location: Pennsylvania, United States
Date Posted: 09/21/2013
Views: 3
Hours: Center Monday-Friday: 9 a.m.-4 p.m., except major holidays
Trails open from dawn to dusk. PPEC Info: (
visit link)
The grounds of the center offer glimpses of its past uses. Stone quarries, mill races and foundation walls attest to prior activities. As early as 1690, Pennypack Creek was harnessed to provide energy for a grist mill.
Later mills were built by the Verree family and by the mid-19th century this area was known as Verreeville. The Verree and Klein house are remnants of this small industrial center that produced flour, lumber, edge tools and textiles.
Arrow heads and stone tools are still found attesting to Native American presence long before the settlers.
The Nature Center Sanctuary was originally designated in 1958. The Environmental Education Building was constructed in 1969 and expanded in 2001. The center is located in Northeast Philadelphia at the western end of the 1600 acre Pennypack Park. Some of the amenities available to the public include, trails for hiking, biking and horse riding, interpretive displays, an outdoor amphitheater, and a new reference library along with campfire and picnic areas. Learn more about the various school, public and camp programs at the Pennypack Environmental Center by clicking the link above.
PEC staff also present public programming at nearby Fox Chase Farm, a city owned 112 acre working livestock farm operated by the School District.
Live animals in the center are mostly cold blooded, there is also taxidermy.
Location: Pennypack Environmental Center 8600A Verree Road
Philadelphia, PA 19115 Tel 215-685-0470 Fax 215-685-0469