The William Penn Statue at Penn Treaty Park

Watch this video to hear the story of how the granite statue of William Penn by artist Frank Gaylord came to be erected in Penn Treaty Park. After undergoing several modifications, the statue was dedicated on April 24, 1982 by the National Society Daughters of The American Colonists in commemoration of the 300th anniversary of the founding of Pennsylvania and the historic Treaty of Friendship with the Lenape. Narrated by Elaine Peden, Philadelphia

The Turtle of the Nanticoke Lenni Lenape

The Lenape are the indigenous people of the land that borders the Delaware River. Watch this video to hear the significance of this sacred animal in Lenape culture. This story is told by Reverend John Norwood who is Council Person and Judge of the Lenni Lenape Tribe, as well as a board member of the Penn Treaty Museum

The Obelisk

The story of the Treaty Elm at Shackamaxon is one that spans almost 400 years. When the tree fell in 1810, concern grew that the sacred place would be forgotten. Dedicated in 1827, this marker is one of the oldest in the United States and celebrates a moment of peace, rather than war. Watch this video to learn more.

The Great Elm Tree at Shackamaxon

The great Treaty elm is long gone, but descendants, grown from carefully cultivated seedlings, still flourish. Listen to Carol Wagner, horticulturist at Haverford College, recount the history of the Treaty elm and its offspring. Can you find the descendant elm growing in Penn Treaty Park today?

Turtle Sculpture by Roger Wing

Curious about learning how this wooden turtle was carved from an ash tree trunk? Listen to the process told by Philadelphia sculptor Roger Wing. If you could create a sculpture and put it inside this park what would it be and why? Leave a comment letting us know your answer!

The Wampum Belt

Reverend John Norwood of the Nanticoke Lenni-Lenape Tribal Nation tells the story of the famous wampum belt given to William Penn by Lenape Chief Tamanend at Shackamaxon. Meant to last for all eternity, wampum belts were living witness to covenants and treaties made between tribes. Watch this video to learn how symbols in the belt describe the agreement forged here.