I need to escape from the madness of our times. Fortunately, it’s a short walk from my home to the Skippack Post Office and, from there, I cross Skippack Pike to reach the IndenHofen Farmstead—a beautiful property with a carefully preserved stone farmhouse built before the Revolutionary War.

IndenHofen Farmstead is a component of Evansburg State Park. The historic farmhouse is near a large, restored red barn and surrounded by generous open space. I find a bench by a small garden and on a beautiful day, you and I can rest awhile.

The majestic but magnificently humble red barn on the property at IndenHofen Farmstead.

The roots of Skippack Township

Long before a commercial village blossomed down the road, this stone house provided shelter to the earliest residents of Skippack Township. The property is named for two brothers, Gerhard and Herman IndenHofen. Like other settlers who came to Skippack in the late 1600s and early 1700s, they were Mennonites who left the northwestern region of Germany and came to America seeking religious freedom.

The family originally settled in in Germantown, PA (an independent borough of Philadelphia at the time) and moved to Whitemarsh. The brothers then purchased a large tract of land in Skippack—which back then was wilderness. Their purchase of 440 acres included the land that would later become Skippack Village.

The stone house which stands today was built somewhere between 1725 and 1755, the exact date remains uncertain. Gerhard made his home there. His brother Herman had by then moved on. Gerhard raised a family, had a gristmill built on the property, applied for a license to run a tavern, and lent the house to the Skippack Reformed Church for Sunday morning meetings.

Inside the IndenHofen House at it stands today.

The blood that bought our freedom

Fast forward to 1777. Skippack Village doesn’t exist yet. The IndenHofen house is one of three permanent stone farmhouses in the area.

General George Washington and his troops are stationed Pennypacker Mills, a gristmill and farm located at the far end of Skippack Pike, back then known as the Skippack Road. Washington wants to move closer to Germantown where thousands of troops under British command are garrisoned. He brings his troops and establishes an encampment in Skippack for a short stay, headquartering at one of the two other farmhouses that stood at the time.

Germantown becomes the site of a major battle of the Revolutionary War. During the battle, Francis Nash, brigadier general of the North Carolina troops, is hit by a cannonball. His horse is killed and his leg is blown off. He’s taken to the IndenHofen Farmstead bleeding profusely, carried on a litter with poles by his soldiers.

Nash’s men thought it prudent to move him away from a location so close to the main road. Nash was transported to another house about two miles away, where he died. He never made it to Nashville, the city in Tennessee named in his honor, but his blood soaked into the floorboards at IndenHofen Farmstead in Skippack and General Nash Elementary School is a few short miles from my home.

The Continental Army under General Washington most likely passed through Skippack three times, according to sources at the Skippack Historical Society. Colonial troops are buried in many different locations, including churchyards, along Skippack Pike.

My friend Ben Webb, acting president of the Skippack Historical Society, welcoming me to IndenHofen House.

Keeping history alive

The IndenHofen Farmstead is a Skippack treasure, one of the great historic properties of Montgomery County, PA. That it is available for us to enjoy is largely thanks to the work of the Skippack Historical Society.

Other stone houses from the pre-revolutionary period were built along Skippack Creek but most now deteriorate out of sight in the thickness of the woods in Evansburg State Park. By contrast, the IndenHofen Farmstead shines, inside and outside.

Right now, I am talking to my friend Ben Webb, the acting president of the Skippack Historical Society. We are sitting inside the lovingly refurnished rooms of the stone house, filled with antiques and artwork that tell stories of the rich history of our area.

“The question I am always asked is,” says Ben, “‘Was George Washington in this house?’ The answer is it’s possible, but we don’t know.”

IndenHofen Farmstead is today the site of tours and other special events organized for the public by the historical society, including a yearly living history reenactment of Washington’s encampment, which usually takes place in September. In December, during the holiday season, the property is brilliantly lit at night.

Restoration work at IndenHofen Farmstead is ongoing. Ben proudly shows me a window frame which has been carefully restored to Revolutionary War-era authenticity. I look outside at the framed view of the property with its rich green lawn and majestic trees. Peaceful and serene, separated by centuries from any sign of strife or bloodshed.

Understanding a bit about the history of Skippack enriches the experience of being here. We live in the moment, but knowledge of the past gives the moment a deeper meaning. The greatest battle for freedom in the history of the world touched us. If you want to know Skippack better, reach out to the Skippack Historical Society and enjoy their events.

A view of the beautiful grounds at IndenHofen Farmstead; the building at right is the outdoor kitchen.

The entrance to IndenHofen Farmhouse

You say you want a revolution: Each year, the Skippack Historical Society conducts a living history event at the IndenHofen Farmstead focused on Washington’s encampment at Skippack during the Revolutionary War.