Governor & First Lady Visit Historic Pennsbury Manor

Gov. Tom Corbett says he gets goosebumps when he sits as his desk in Harrisburg and looks up at a portrait of Pennsylvania founder William Penn.

The goosebumps come from thinking that Penn and the charter that granted him the land which now makes up the state helped form the foundation for the nation.

“It was the beginning,” Corbett told LevittownNow.com Sunday as he stood just yards from a reconstructed version of Penn’s home along the Delaware River in Falls Township. The beautiful homestead is now known as Pennsbury Manor.

The governor and first lady Susan Corbett were among hundreds that came to the state-operated historical site to tour the grounds and see the 333-year-old charter.

The governor said it was the first time he had viewed the charter, signed by both King Charles II of England and Penn. The charter’s visit to Falls was the first time it’s left Harrisburg since the 1960s, officials said.

Pennsbury Manor Historic Site Administrator Doug Miller lead Corbett and his wife on a guided tour of Penn’s former property.

Middletown resident Jennifer Meehl brought her three-year-old daughter to the historic site.

“We were shocked to see the governor and thrilled to come out on this beautiful day to learn about our state,” she said.

Five-year-old David Schaller of Langhorne came with his grandmom and seemed thrilled to help churn butter at a Colonial cooking demonstration.

The manor was open free to the public from 1 p.m. until 4 p.m. as part of Charter Day. Officials said the charter, one of the state’s most historic documents, will remain on display at Pennsbury Manor until March 16.

The governor’s visit was accompanied with a visible presence from state police and officers from Falls and Lower Makefield.

“The sun’s shining and we’re here with a group of history lovers,” the first lady said as she toured the grounds.