The Hermitage Mansion is located in the Wissahickon area of Fairmount Park. The history of the Mansion can be traced back 300 years to a small group of Rosicrucians, a religious sect composed of "hermits" or Pietists who emigrated from Germany in 1694 seeking freedom and privacy. The Rosicrucians were given a 175-acre tract of land in the Wissahickon Valley, encompassing the site of the present Hermitage Mansion.

The property came into the possession of the City of Philadelphia in 1895 through a sale by the same Ivan Prowattain. The selling price was $1, with the City taking over the balance of the outstanding mortgage.

Since 1981 the Delaware Valley Opera Company has used The Mansion in return for care and maintenance. Currently, the Company is raising funds to make much-needed repairs to the building.