NEWS
MONTGOMERY COUNTY OFFICE OF COMMUNICATIONS
COURT HOUSE, NORRISTOWN, PA., BOX 311, 19404-0311
PHONE (610) 278-3061 FAX 278-5943
COMMISSIONERS:
JAMES R. MATTHEWS, Chairman, JOSEPH M. HOEFFEL, Vice Chairman, BRUCE L. CASTOR, JR, Commissioner
RELEASE: IMMEDIATELY 12/22/08 PR#08-43
Large Portion of Erdenheim Farm Preserved in Perpetuity
The Angus Tract, a 98-acre portion of the sprawling Erdenheim Farm, is now permanently protected from development by a conservation easement jointly held by Montgomery County, Whitemarsh Township and the Colonial School District.
The Angus Tract is located between the Hill at Whitemarsh and Flourtown, Thomas and Fountain Green Roads.
“The Angus Tract, along with the other portions of this magnificent property, has been on our radar screen for preservation for quite some time now,” Montgomery County Commissioners Chairman James R. Matthews said. “I’m grateful to our partners at the Whitemarsh Foundation, the township and the school district for joining us to make this happen.”
The historic $13.5 million dollar acquisition was funded by a variety of sources. The County’s Greenfields/Greentowns program, a township Earned Income Tax dedicated to open space funding and innovative use of Tax Incremental Financing provided a portion of the purchase price.
Additional funding came from state, private gifts and funds from Merck & Company as part of an environmental settlement. The Whitemarsh Foundation, which was formed in 2001, for the purpose of preserving as much of Erdenheim Farm, coordinated the effort.
“We are extremely grateful to Whitemarsh Township and the other funders who have made the preservation of this key parcel possible,” said Hugh G. Moulton, Chairman of the Foundation. “We are continuing to work with the Dixon family and Estate toward preserving other portions of the farm.”
The farm is the centerpiece of 2,000 acres of nearly contiguous open space stretching from Fairmount Park in Philadelphia to Fort Washington State Park in Whitemarsh. It is the largest undeveloped tract of land in southeastern Montgomery County and has been in continuous agricultural use since the days of William Penn.
Leslie Richards, Chair of the Whitemarsh Township Board of Supervisors, said the entire Board of Supervisors made the conservation of Erdenheim Farm a top priority.
“This collaborative effort will not only ensure that the township retains the unique agricultural vistas that our residents value but it will allow public access to trails that provide important connections to the existing county trail system,” Richards said.
The Colonial School District is planning a Science Center and Planetarium that will be housed in one of the existing buildings on the property. It will serve as a resource for the school district and the community.
“We are proud to be part of a team, together with the Township and County, that has worked over the past several years with the community to preserve this unique property that is a cornerstone of Whitemarsh,” said Marc Orlow, President of the Colonial School Board.
“The hard work and dedication that has ensured the preservation of Dixon Farm will benefit our community now and for the generations that follow,” Orlow said.
