A Charmed Spot by the Banks of the River
The place north of Philadelphia where the Poquessing Creek joins the Delaware River has been considered a desirable location for centuries. Before William Penn sent his surveyors to examine the King’s grant, Swedish settlers were already farming there. One of Penn’s surveyors preferred it as the location for Penn’s city. When a site to the south was finally chosen, he and some of his associates established their own homesteads by the Poquessing.

In the late 18th century, a tavern stood near the spot, and a man named John Risdon operated a ferry there. Many people traveling on the river stopped at the place for refreshment. Sportsmen came for hunting and fishing as well. One regular visitor was the well-known Philadelphia businessman Charles Macalester, a government director of the Second Bank of the United States in Philadelphia and a friend, financier, and advisor to eight U.S. presidents. Drawn to the natural beauty of the area like so many before him, Macalester decided to make it his home.

Macalester purchased the Risdon tavern and all the surrounding land known as Poquessing. In 1850, he divided and sold off large parcels, founding the village of Torresdale in the process. He kept one choice parcel for himself, however, and built a magnificent country house there. He called it Glengarry in honor of an ancestral home in Scotland.

The village of Torresdale became a fashionable Victorian resort, and Glengarry served as the setting for many gala affairs. Heads of state and other dignitaries traveled there from Washington, New York, and elsewhere to be the guests of Macalester and his daughter, Mrs. Lily Macalester Laughton, a renowned Washington D.C. hostess.

Macalester died in 1873. Mrs. Laughton continued at Glengarry until her death in 1891. As the turn of the century approached, a new family took charge of Glengarry.

A Dream Fulfilled
In 1893, Robert and Caroline Foerderer purchased Glengarry. They had admired the property from a passing boat when they were just teenagers. Robert promised Caroline then that one day they would own it. He went on to make his fortune in leather tanning. The company he founded, Vici Kid, grew into a major Philadelphia enterprise. With the resources at hand, he returned to purchase Glengarry.

Beginning in 1902, Glengarry was enlarged and transformed into an Edwardian country house in the classical revival style. The changes included expanding and redesigning the grounds to create an 18- acre park in the English tradition. As for the house, Foerderer added a porte cochere, enlarged and glassed in part of the porch, and built an addition that included a huge dining room with an art gallery above it. Wall supports were replaced with ornate pillars and the ceilings of the drawing rooms were elegantly stuccoed. A Haskell pipe organ, parquet floors, a grand staircase, elaborate leaded glass skylights, and an original rathskeller were added as well. Everything was planned for entertainment on a grand scale.

Finally, at the suggestion of Foerderer’s daughter, Florence, the name of the estate was changed. She suggested “Glen Foerd,” a name that combined the original with the surname of the current owners.

The Foerderers moved out of the mansion for the extensive renovations. Before they could return, Robert died. Caroline, her daughter Florence, and her son-in-law, William Thomas Tonner, continued on at Glen Foerd. A cottage on the grounds was converted into a “Swiss Chalet” for the Tonners. A second Foerderer child, Percy, married and left Torresdale.

When Caroline died on August 3, 1934, her daughter took over the management of the family estate.

The End of an Era
Florence Foerderer Tonner, with her husband and two daughters, Majorie and Carol, made her childhood home her own after her mother’s death. She added substantially to the art gallery her parents had started, and meticulously maintained the sumptuous grounds. In time, her daughters left home and her husband died in 1948, but Florence continued at Glen Foerd until her death in 1972 at the age of 89. She left the estate to the Lutheran Church in America, but stipulated that if the Church should no longer be able to sustain it, it should pass into the care of the community. This took place in 1988.

Since then, two organizations, the Glen Foerd Conservation Corporation and the Fairmount Park Commission, have worked faithfully to maintain, restore, and preserve the mansion and its extensive grounds.

Glen Foerd Today
Today Glen Foerd remains a perfect example of Victorian dignity, grace, culture, and grandeur. The enchanting grounds feature a formal rose garden, a vineyard, and riverfront oaks that date back more than 300 years. The contents of the mansion include an impressive collection of paintings, prints, oriental rugs, furniture, rare books, and other objects d’art. The property is listed on the National Register of Historic Places.
Glen Foerd is open to the public for tours and can be rented for special occasions. Romantic as ever, the estate does offer one luxury for today’s visitors that previous generations never enjoyed: Food and drink at Glen Foerd are exclusively provided by Conroy Catering.