The Historic Bartram’s Garden is the oldest living botanical garden in the United States. Bartram, America’s first botanist, travelled throughout the American colonies to look for interesting seeds and plants that he can nourish in his garden. His most famous discovery, the Franklinia alatamaha tree, exists today as descendants of those which are first planted by the Bartram family.

The different Bartram generations occupied the Bartram stone house for more than 125 years. In the 18th century, the homestead and garden was bought by Philadelphia industrialist Andrew M. Eastwick, who preserved the Bartram legacy. The City of Philadelphia purchased the property in 1891 to turn it into a public park and historic site.

Now, the Historic John Bartram’s Garden operates as a house museum and botanical garden visited by about 25,000 people every year.