Located at 205 Skippack Pike, Prophecy Creek Park offers meadows, ponds and forested trails to residents and visitors of Whitpain Township. The park is 82.5 acres and spans from Skippack Pike to Lewis Lane. Trails wind throughout Prophecy Creek and connect to the nearby Briar Hill and Hughes preserves.

The park gets its name from a local legend. Folklore states that the land’s original owner, Ann McCarty, said that a spring would arise under her grave if she was buried on the property. After her death, a stream supposedly appeared and fulfilled her prediction. From then on, the creek and later the park were known as Prophecy Creek.

Prophecy Creek was also involved in the American Revolution. According to the Wissahickon Valley Historical Society, in 1777, British and Continental soldiers skirmished at the park’s Oil Mill Run, now known as Rex’s Bridge. Years later, nearby farmers found cannonballs in their fields from the attack.

The park also features several structures. Overlooking a large pond and gazebo is a historic manor house, which is now used as a wedding venue. A restored red barn and brick silo sit next to the manor house above hills and woods. Whitpain Township asks that park goers respect wedding spaces and do not interrupt ceremonies.

Below the barn and manor house is a smaller pond, where wildlife like muskrats, wood ducks and turtles can be seen. The township forbids fishing, swimming and skating in this pond.

Beside the pond is an outdoor classroom, which is sometimes used by students from the nearby Shady Grove Elementary School. The classroom is open to the public as well.

Work has also been done to restore the park’s native environment. Invasive Callery pears, which once covered the park’s fields, have since been removed. According to the DCNR, Callery pears (also known as Bradford pears) are a highly invasive species in Pennsylvania. Though prized by landscapers for their spring flowers, the trees threaten local ecosystems by taking land and resources from native plants. This can lead to fewer habitats for animals and disrupt natural soil and water systems. Without the pears, Whitpain Township says it aims to create a healthier park.

Prophecy Creek Park can be accessed through the parking lot in the main entrance and is open from sunrise to sunset.

Photos – Suzanne McNaughton