Help Us Share Woodford's Story
Caretaker Couple Sought (September 2023)
We are seeking applications from couples interested in living on site and serving as caretakers and guides. Resident caretakers are required to live full-time in the Woodford Cottage; perform general cleaning in a portion of the Museum; modest yard work; give guided tours of the Museum’s collection of 18th-century American decorative arts one weekend day, every other week; and assist during special events throughout the year, including annual holiday tours and events in December. Applicants with a background in areas such as early American history, historic houses, landscape architecture, conservation, preservation, and/or 18th-century American decorative arts are strongly preferred.
The position is unpaid, but there is no rent. Unfortunately, pets are not permitted. A minimum commitment of two years is required.
To apply, send a letter of interest and resumes to Jeff Duncan (Site Manager and Curator) at bluejsd2003@hotmail.com.
Applications will be reviewed as received but must be submitted no later than September 30, 2023. If selected, a candidate couple would be asked to move-in in early November 2023.
We welcome volunteers!
To become a Woodford volunteer and share the history of this extraordinary house and collection with visitors, please call (215) 229-6115.
Donations
Your tax-deductible gift helps preserve an important part of Philadelphia’s and the nation’s history and enables us to provide educational and outreach activities. We deeply appreciate your support.
We are grateful to the following organizations for their invaluable support.
Pennsylvania Historical and Museum Commission (PHMC)
Thanks to a PHMCgrant, the Naomi Wood Trust is able to advance its educational and preservation mission through an interior renovation project. By restoring two rooms to their 18th-century appearance, we can better tell the story of the enslaved Africans and other servants at Woodford, and how they lived and worked. Additional renovations provided space for the display of functional household gear that would have been used by the residents, offering a complete and historically accurate picture of life in Colonial and Federal America.
Institute of Museum and Library Services (IMLS)
The Noami Wood Trust’s archives contain historical photographs, architectural drawings, event documentation, newspaper clippings, correspondence, and more. An IMLS grant supports the work of a project archivist to catalog and rehouse the organization’s archival records to improve their stewardship, long-term preservation, and accessibility. The project will also enable the creation of an online finding aid for researchers and the public.
The William B. Dietrich Foundation
A gift from the Dietrich Foundation supported the construction of the piazza, or porch, that now adorns the back of the mansion, overlooking the orchard and garden. The project’s goal was to replicate the structure that was part of the original house but over time had fallen into disrepair and was eventually demolished. Visitors may now relax on the scenic piazza and take in the views of the orchard and garden.
