Statue of Teedyuscung — Attraction in Philadelphia

Wissahickon Park, a vast 7-mile-long forested expanse within Philadelphia city limits, offers many easy hiking trails with memorable destinations. Case in point: Starting at the Bells Mill Rd Parking Lot, one can hike south down Forbidden Drive (perfectly flat and some 20 ft wide) which parallels Wissahickon Creek. Less than a mile along is the red Thomas Mill Covered bridge, perfectly intact and probably the closest covered bridge to Philadelphia. Farther south along the Drive is the cobblestone Rex Ave. Bridge. Cross here, and several hundred yards beyond is the White trail which leads over several switchbacks to the ~15 ft tall statue of Teedyuscung. Known as the King of the Delawares, Teedyuscung (c.1760-1763) strove without success to establish a permanent home for his fellow Lenape (Delaware) tribespeople in Eastern PA. He is depicted seated, gazing over the Wissahickon. A rough-hewn sculpture in impressive surroundings - well worth a visit for a bit of historical...

Great view however the statue was built as "Indian statue" It's a kneeling Lenape warrior carved in 1902. when it was commissioned, it was never intended to be Tedyuscung who was known as "King of the Delawares". He worked to establish a permanent Lenape (Delaware) home in eastern Pennsylvania in the Lehigh, Susquehanna, and Delaware River valleys. Teedyuscung participated in the Treaty of Easton, which resulted in the surrender of Lenape claims to all lands in Pennsylvania. Following the treaty, the Lenape were forced to live under the control of the Iroquois in the Wyoming Valley near modern-day Wilkes-Barre. Teedyuscung was murdered by arsonists in the night of April 19, 1763. This marked the beginning of the end of the Lenape presence in Pennsylvania. Teedyuscung's son Chief Bull conducted a raid on the Wyoming Valley that was part of a greater Indian uprising. As a result, the Lenape were forced to move west of the Appalachian Mountains by the Royal...

Awesome.

Parking on Rex Ave as the trailhead can be done but is very narrow.

The walk down and back Rex to and from the Tedyuscung trail isn’t too difficult but the road has deteriorated and is uneven. It’s definitely a 5 minute downhill walk and 10 minute climb up and back out. The leaves and stones are slippery even on a sunny day but it’s wide and shady and beautiful. Not ADA at all as is most of the park.

The trail up to the statue from Rex Ave isn’t too difficult. It’s less than a 5 minute walk up and has three switchbacks. There’s a drop off as you climb but the trail is wide and safe enough. Two trees down right now but easy to get over. And easy to walk back down.

Once on the trail above the statue it’s an easy 30 second walk to the stone steps down to the back of the statue.

There’s a wide area to relax and enjoy lunch with the Chief.

Wissahickon is a gem and this is a very very very cool piece of art...