Germantown White House, Independence National Historical Park
SITE OVERVIEW
Located in Germantown, Pennsylvania, the Deshler-Morris House is where George Washington lived during the 1793 Yellow Fever epidemic that swept through Philadelphia, which was then the capital of the United States. He also stayed at the house the following year with his family to escape the heat of the city. Since he was president at the time and met with cabinet members and conducted other official business at the house, it became know as the Germantown White House.
The house was built in 1752 by David Deshler, who lived in the home for twenty years before selling it to Colonel Isaac Franks. It was Franks who rented the house to Washington in 1793 and 1794. Franks sold the property to Elliston and John Perot, and in 1834 it was purchased by Elliston’s son-in-law, Samuel Morris. Morris’s descendants donated the house to the National Park Service in 1948.
LOCATION
The Germantown White House is located at 5442 Germantown Avenue, Germantown, Pennsylvania.
The Germantown White House is the only Independence National Historical Park attraction that is not located in the historic downtown area of Philadelphia. It is 9.5 miles from the Independence Visitor Center. You must travel through some rough areas to get there, but Germantown is fairly nice.
OPERATING HOURS
- Mid-June through early September
- Saturdays from 10 AM to 5 PM
- Open for special events only all other days of the year
Times can always change, so before making travel plans be sure to get the latest schedule on the National Park Service’s official Visiting the Germantown White House web page for Independence National Historical Park.
TICKETS AND FEES
There are no tickets or fees associated with entering the Germantown White House.
WHAT TO DO
The Germantown White House was not open when I visited Independence National Historical Park, so I can only report what is stated on the National Park Service website. Entry into the house is by tour only, which is given every half hour. Groups are limited to twelve people. I seriously doubt there is ever much of a wait. I toured Congress Hall, which is right next to Independence Hall, and there wasn’t a wait for that tour, so I can’t imagine there being any wait at a house nearly 10 miles from the main park.
The first floor of the house is accessible for those in wheelchairs.
The following photos are of the house’s interior courtesy of the National Park Service.
Interior of the Germantown White House (photo by National Park Service)
Kitchen of the Germantown White House (photo by National Park Service)
SCHEDULING YOUR TIME
Most of the homes at Independence National Historical Park take about a half hour to visit, and since tours of the Germantown White House run every half hour, I’m pretty sure that’s an accurate estimate. You are not allowed to hang out inside, so the visit ends when the tour ends.
With a few exceptions, use of any photograph on the National Park Planner website requires a paid Royalty Free Editorial Use License or Commercial Use License. See the Photo Usage page for details.
Last updated on March 23, 2025
