Grey Towers National Historic Site

Grey Towers National Historic Site | A Historic Landmark for Conservation in the Pocono Mountains

Plan a weekend in Milford and discover Grey Towers National Historic Site, a key landmark in the Pocono Mountains and the former home of Gifford Pinchot—America’s first chief of the U.S. Forest Service and a two-term Pennsylvania governor. This historic estate is both a monument to the conservation movement and a destination filled with natural beauty, cultural programming and rich American history.

The sprawling 102-acre estate includes peaceful walking trails, lush gardens and a 19,000-square-foot chateau-style mansion built in 1886. The home features 44 rooms filled with period furnishings and artifacts from the Pinchot family. Guided tours of the mansion are offered seasonally and provide insight into Pinchot’s life, leadership and enduring environmental legacy.

Visitors are welcome to explore the gardens and grounds year-round on self-guided tours. Notable features include the iconic Finger Bowl—an outdoor dining space with a floating meal presentation—and the Forest Discovery Trail, a short, wooded walk with educational displays about forest management.

Grey Towers National Historic Site also hosts a variety of public programs and cultural events throughout the year, including lectures, workshops and its popular Festival of Wood. Whether you’re planning a relaxing weekend in Milford or exploring the Pocono Mountains, Grey Towers offers a meaningful, educational and scenic stop for visitors of all ages.

Architectural Significance

Grey Towers represents one of the finest examples of French chateau-style design in the United States. Designed by Richard Morris Hunt, a prominent architect of the Gilded Age, the 1886 mansion reflects a blend of European elegance and American craftsmanship. Its turrets, steeply pitched roofs, stone masonry and intricate detailing convey the wealth and status of the Pinchot family while serving as a symbol of cultural refinement.

The estate’s thoughtful layout integrates formal gardens, outdoor rooms like the iconic Finger Bowl and surrounding woodland, demonstrating early 20th-century ideals of harmonizing architecture with nature—a principle that echoes Gifford Pinchot’s conservation philosophy.

Grey Towers National Historic Site combines architectural beauty, natural serenity, and environmental history in Milford.