About Our Inn

Our charming Pennsylvania inn offers six guest rooms and suites, all with their own unique décor and charm.

The property offers quests an intimate respite in the middle of Philadelphia’s University City area, with comfortable public spaces, including a lush patio with fire pit, indoor and outdoor dining areas to enjoy your complimentary breakfast, charming porch for afternoon refreshments and relaxing, and a cozy living room with stunning architectural details.

Guests can enjoy complimentary parking, then leave the car to access the top attractions by foot or via the subway, all just a short walk away.

We pride ourselves in providing guests and authentic experience with comfortable accommodations, delicious food, gracious hospitality, and modern conveniences, all with sustainability in mind.

We can’t wait to welcome you to our bed and breakfast in Philadelphia that receives 5-star reviews from our guests!

Our History

Cornerstone Bed & Breakfast was built during the rise of Hamiltonville—later known as Powelton—Philadelphia’s first streetcar suburb. Once sprawling farmland filled with grand country estates, the neighborhood flourished in the late 1800s thanks to new bridges, utilities, waterworks, and the streetcar line.

The home was originally built for Mary Sellers Bancroft, widow of manufacturer Edward Stephen Parrish. She was the grandmother of celebrated American painter Maxfield Parrish and the great-niece of Revolutionary-era portrait artist Charles Willson Peale. Maxfield spent time here as a child before studying art in Paris and later at Drexel. Mary was also a founder of the West Philadelphia Hospital for Women and was known for her generosity, even opening her home to Colonel Barton Jenks and his family during financial hardship.

Over the decades, the house passed through several notable owners, including Florence G. Allison, Henry Schubert Glasser, Henry C. Off, and  Joseph J. Judovich.

Like much of West Philadelphia, Powelton experienced decline after World War II. By the 1960s, the house was advertised as a three-bedroom with art studio and later divided into rentals. During this era, Powelton became known for its countercultural activism, resistance to redevelopment, and strong neighborhood identity.

Today, despite the growth of nearby Drexel University and the evolving character of the city, Powelton Village remains one of Philadelphia’s most historic and distinctive neighborhoods that proudly preserves the legacy of one of the city’s earliest communities.

Meet the Owner

A Philadelphia native, Jill Moody grew up in hospitality, inspired by her grandmother Joan, owner of the New Hope Lodge in New Hope, PA. After spending countless afternoons at the lodge watching her grandmother at work, Jill never imagined she would one day own a boutique inn herself. Thanks to Joan’s lifelong dedication as an innkeeper, Jill was able to purchase Cornerstone Bed & Breakfast. Joan’s portrait now holds a place of honor in the dining room, serving as a daily reminder of the legacy that made it all possible.

Jill is a proud young entrepreneur with a Master’s Degree in Education from Hunter College and a B.A. in Communication Arts from Marymount Manhattan College. After teaching in New York City, she went on to found Imagine Works Youth Theatre, gaining valuable leadership and business experience. Today, she brings that expertise to Cornerstone as its business and administrative lead.

Jill is supported by her parents, Susan and Jeff, who you’ll often see lending a hand around the inn, and by innkeeper Isabella Heffron Neuhold. Together, the Cornerstone team is deeply committed to warm, attentive hospitality, and creating the kind of thoughtful, welcoming experience guests rave about long after their stay.