RittenhouseTown

Infobox_nrhp | name =RittenhouseTown Historic District
nrhp_type = hd


caption =
location= 206–210 Lincoln Dr.
Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
locmapin = Pennsylvania
area =
built =1690
architect= Unknown
architecture= Georgian, Federal
added = April 27, 1992
governing_body = Local
refnum=92001878cite web|url=http://www.nr.nps.gov/|title=National Register Information System|date=2007-01-23|work=National Register of Historic Places|publisher=National Park Service]

RittenhouseTown was an early industrial community where the first paper mill in British North America was built by William Rittenhouse and his son Nicholas on the north bank of Monoshone Creek near Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. Flax was woven into linen in nearby Germantown. When the linen fabrics became worn out, the rags were brought to RittenhouseTown to be made into paper. Paper produced at the Rittenhouse mill was sold to printers in Germantown, Philadelphia, and New York. In 1890, RittenhouseTown became part of the Germantown section of Philadelphia.

Historic RittenhouseTown, Inc. was formed in 1984 preserve, restore, and historically interpret Historic RittenhouseTown. [ [http://www.rittenhousetown.org/history/history.html Historic RittenhouseTown ] ] The group currently maintains five historic buildings: Abraham Rittenhouse Home, ca 1720, which serves as the visitor center, Rittenhouse Homestead, Enoch Rittenhouse Home, Jacob Rittenhouse Home and the Rittenhouse Home. There is also a barn and bakehouse that are used for paper-making and cooking demonstrations. Tours are offered for individuals and groups, and there are educational programs and activities for school groups.

References

* [http://www.rittenhousetown.org Historic Rittenhouse Town official site]
* [http://crm.cr.nps.gov/archive/20-14/20-14-9.pdf First Paper Mill in British North America]