CAPE MAY – Learn about Victorian architecture and local history while helping your neighbors in need with free tours of the 1879 Emlen Physick Estate, 1048 Washington St.
These free tours are being offered by the Friends of the Physick Estate, an affinity group of the Mid-Atlantic Center for the Arts & Humanities (MAC), on Fridays, March 2, 9 and 16 at 2:15 p.m., in exchange for a small donation of items that will benefit the Cape May Community Food Closet.
With a donation of pantry items, toiletries or paper goods worth at least $5, visitors can take a 45-minute, complimentary guided tour of Cape May’s only Victorian house museum, the Physick Estate, an 18-room mansion built in 1879 and attributed to renowned architect Frank Furness. The Physick Estate is one of the finest examples of Victorian “Stick Style” architecture in America.
Visitors will learn about Victorian life and the fascinating history of the estate and its former inhabitants. The Physick Estate was built for a rather unusual household: Dr. Emlen Physick, who never married; his widowed mother, Mrs. Ralston; and his maiden Aunt Emilie. Dr. Physick was descended from a famous and wealthy Philadelphia medical family. His grandfather, Dr. Philip Syng Physick, was known as the Father of American Surgery and invented the stomach pump.
Visitors should drop off their donations at the Hill House office on the grounds of the Physick Estate, where they will receive a complimentary tour ticket. All items received will be donated to the Cape May Community Food Closet, located in the First Presbyterian Church of Cape May, 500 Hughes St., Cape May.
The Friends of the Physick Estate is an affinity group of MAC, especially devoted to enhancing the collections of the 1879 Emlen Physick Estate. The Physick Estate has been lovingly preserved to its original splendor. The estate provides an in-depth glimpse of the Victorian period and offers year-round tours and unique living history programs.
MAC is a multifaceted not-for-profit organization committed to promoting the preservation, interpretation and cultural enrichment of the Cape May region for its residents and visitors. MAC membership is open to all. For information about MAC’s year-round schedule of tours, festivals and special events, call (609) 884-5404 or (800) 275-4278, or visit MAC’s website at www.capemaymac.org.