Hours: Dawn to Dusk
Acres: 47.5
Ward: 6
GPS Coordinates: 40 01.393N, 075 23.697W

History

Willows Park is a 47.5-acre estate purchased by Radnor Township in 1973 from the Zantzinger family. Situated at the end of a long, winding driveway is the beautifully restored three-story mansion. The mansion was built in 1910 for John Sinnott Jr., for his wife, and referred to as Rose Garland. The mansion and 47.5 acres that now make up the park were purchased by Clarence Geist in 1937 as a wedding present for his daughter. The estate was then called Maral Brook, which was a combination of their first names, Mary and her husband, Alfred Zantzinger. The site was renamed The Willows because of the beautiful willow trees that surround the property. The mansion still contains many of the original architectural features that add to the historical value of the property. The Cottage (or gatehouse), formerly called the garage and stable, or the carriage house, was a multipurpose building. It housed estate employees, stabled horses and other animals of the estate, housed cars, and was the first point of contact visitors made to the estate. It housed the many species of livestock that lived on the property during the Zantzinger’s from the 1930’s to the 1960’s.

Features & Amenities

The property is an irresistible combination of quiet elegance within the mansion and unsurpassed beauty of the landscaped grounds surrounding it. Features include a picturesque pond with flowing fountains, sweeping panoramas of stately trees, and flowering plants. The grounds are great for a hike, lunch in the picnic area, or just to sit on a bench and take in the scenery.

• Photography Permit Request
• Picnic Facility Permit Request
• Willows Park Preserve Improvement Project
• Willow Park Preserve Website
• Willows Park Tree Inventory

 

 

 

 

 

 

The Willows Mansion Historical Pictures