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The Highlands was built by Anthony Morris in 1796 as a "country house for entertaining". Many of his friends were prominent post-revolutionary and federal and state officials who participated in the various meetings of confederation and the Constitutional Convention of 1787. Anthony Morris himself was active in these historic beginnings of America.
Presidents Jefferson, Madison and Monroe were frequently among the guests entertained at the Highlands. Dolly Madison's diaries often mention The Highlands and Anthony Morris is credited with introducing the widowed Dolly Todd to James Madison.
The estate was sold to George Sheaff in 1813, and The Highlands became a model working farm using the most advanced agricultural techniques. At that time the Highlands contained over 300 acres. The English Garden was installed by Sheaff along with the crenellated wall that was built to look centuries old. The property remained in the Sheaff family for a little more than 100 years.
After the death of John Sheaff The Highlands and its surrounding acres, now considerably diminished, was bought and restored by Caroline Sinkler. The gardens became her prime interest, and in 1933 she was given a gold medal by the Horticultural Society of Pennsylvania for their restoration. Miss Sinkler later sold the property to her niece and her husband, Mr. and Mrs. Nicholas Roosevelt.
The Roosevelts gave The Highlands to the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania with the right to live there until their deaths. Mrs. Roosevelt died in 1970. From 1970 until 1975 the house and gardens were left virtually untended except for a caretaker that the Commonwealth provided.
The Highlands Historical Society was organized in 1975 to preserve and restore the historic house and its grounds. The histories of the house and gardens, the appropriate out-buildings surrounding the house as well as the acreage itself are being carefully collected. Restoration and preservation are taking account of these earlier periods. Preservation of the surrounding fields as "open space" is a most important part of the long range plan.
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