“Ridgewood Farm” was historically associated with a nearby section of the Schuylkill Canal and the Schuylkill River, which formed the northern boundary of the farm tract. A small stream called “Dick’s Run” flowed through the farm in a northeasterly direction and emptied into the Schuylkill at its northeastern corner. The original farm property included 136 acres separated by Route 724 in Cumru Township, Berks County, Pa. Much of the land was tillable and used for raising grain, hay, produce, and specialty plants.

The farm is listed on the National Register of Historic Places as part of an agricultural theme district. The AMVM property consists of approximately four acres of the original farm. It is in the heart of the Schuylkill River National Heritage Area near the Thun Trail and in the proximity of the site of an old Lenape Indian village.

The House (circa 1740-1811)

The original core of the sandstone farmhouse was built circa 1740. It was one and one-half stories high, three-bays wide, and two-bays deep. The basement shows the original foundation walls with support for a walk-in kitchen fireplace at the north end. The attic shows evidence of the original roofline. The house was raised one story and extended to the rear after the main wing was built. Evidence of the expansion also can be viewed from the original porch. Other early outbuildings included a barn and springhouse, which no longer stand.

Jacob Dick built the main wing in 1811, with red sandstone walls and large cut quoins. The south facing gable end, facing Route 724, is four-bays wide, while the front façade, facing east, is three-bays wide. All windows have keystone lintels and 9/6 sash. The Pediment Federal doorway opens into a wide side hall at the north end. The interior is resplendent with high-style Federal design features of high integrity.

The museum has display areas and the non-lending ASPCA Roger Caras Library and the Children’s Library located in the house as well as the museum’s administrative quarters. To be added to the main house will be the Dr. Robert and Leona Shomer Rare Book Collection Library.

Stone Wall

A sturdy retaining wall of cut sandstone, similar to canal lock stones, lines the original lane at the front of the house. (The nearby Schuylkill Canal was constructed in 1824 and widened and deepened several times.)

1850 Summer Kitchen/Butcher House/Wash House

A building that served as a summer kitchen, butcher house, and wash house is constructed of red sandstone with quoins and had one and one-half stories with chimney at north gable end, one bay on each side, 6/6 sash, and door on south gable end toward main farmhouse. Size is approximately 15 feet by 18 feet. Steep stairs lead to the second floor. This building was converted to a wash house for the dairy farm and the floor was lined in concrete with a drainage system.

Today, the building has been outfitted to represent a veterinarian’s office circa 1900. Many of the artifacts, including a small desk, originally were in a Reading veterinarian’s office.

1810 Produce Storage Building/Smokehouse

The vaulted, one and one-half story, 13-foot by 13-foot produce storage building/smokehouse has a red clay tile roof typical of buildings in the Oley Valley area. Jacob Dick built the structure in 1810 and it features an addition extended 12 feet at the east side. The lower level of the building has a large, vaulted room with an entrance door on the west end. The upper level storage attic has a doorway in the north gable and silt ventilator at the south gable. There are no windows.

Ground/Root Cellar (circa 1874)

From the stone entrance door at ground level, stairs descend to a vaulted cold storage chamber with a door on the south side and an additional vaulted storage room set at right angle to the stairs. This barrel-arched refrigerated room kept produce at 55 degrees F. winter and summer. It is believed to have been built by Henry Dick, co-founder of the Reading Farmer’s Market.

Tool Shed/Workshop (circa 1930s)

This small frame building has a two-car garage. Today it is used as the museum’s Annex that houses veterinary display exhibits. It also is a work area where
veterinary tools and instruments are catalogued and artifacts are stored.

Wagon Shed (circa 1920s)

This one and one-half story, frame building houses side corncribs and has a two-bay, attached shed on the east side.

The Barn (1809)

This rare Federal-period barn, 38-feet by 86-feet, was built by Jacob Dick and is banked with a standard closed forebay design facing east. The west elevation has two ramps, one to upper thrashing floors and the other to a ground-level storage area. It is an excellent example of a “triple-decker” barn, uncommon in Berks County.

The ground stable area was converted into farrowing pens that accommodated 135 breeding sows. A previous owner modified upper levels. Originally the barn had threshing floors on two levels and haylofts and grain storage bins. The original stone barn yard wall remains at the south end only.

Two sheds have been attached to the north gable end. This area of the barn will become the museum’s Education Center featuring a theater and visual arts/lecture room with a new kitchen area to accommodate catering needs. The AMVM plans to use the bottom level of the barn as its livestock area to illustrate the life of the farm animal. The upper lofts and storage areas also will be part of the Education Center.

Other features…

The original farm property included a portion of the Schuylkill Canal and towpath that crossed the northern edge of the farm. The canal was opened in 1824 and closed in 1932. There are two railroad lines that crossed the area known as “Dick’s Run.” The original railroad track was built in 1874 by the Wilmington and Reading Company and ran from Reading to Birdsboro and connected with the Philadelphia and Reading lines across the Schuylkill River. A small station called “Naomi” was located near Ridgewood Farm. Today, Norfolk Southern owns the active track and the abandoned right-of-way track area is owned by the Schuylkill River Greenway Assn. and maintained for hiking and bicycling trail purposes.