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Allens Lane Art Center Turns 70
Allens Lane Art Center in West Mt. Airy turns 70-years-old on October 16. I have spent hours digging through a box filled with minutes from committee meetings, newsletters, membership forms, invitations, programs, course catalogues, and correspondence to understand how this long-standing institution came to be. In addition to these archival materials, I have read oral history interviews and spoken to several key individuals and/or their children. What I learned is that a confluence of dedicated leaders and conducive social conditions made the founding of Allens Lane Art Center possible. These same factors led to spectacular success during the organization’s early years.
Restoration of Historic Shawmont Station In Roxborough Nearing Completion
When a two-story home was constructed in what is now the far northwestern reaches of Roxborough sometime around 1826 it served the same purpose as so many other country residences built by wealthy Philadelphians on the outskirts of town. Beat the heat, hear the crickets, escape deadly epidemics. But nearly two centuries later, the building, which was quickly subsumed into the railroad industry and ultimately became SEPTA’s defunct Shawmont Station, now has a history like no other.
Homes of Paul Robeson, Wilt Chamberlain, and Other Black Landmarks Listed on the Local Register
The Philadelphia Historical Commission continued its efforts to improve representation of African American landmarks 0n the Philadelphia Register of Historic Places at its meeting on August 11. Five of the six approved designations showcase diverse aspects of the city’s Black history, including the former homes of two famous Philadelphians and three organizations that provided services to the African American community.
Historic Norristown Prison Under Imminent Threat of Demolition
Consider two prisons, both built in the mid-1800s century, both imposing, head-turning historical relics of their respective neighborhoods. The first is a welcome attraction: Philadelphia’s Eastern State Penitentiary, a popular, thriving museum and the backdrop of bustling Fairmount Avenue. The second: Norristown’s old Montgomery County/Airy Street Prison, a vacant, neglected building in the middle of town doomed by a date with the wrecking ball, save for an unlikely 11th-hour intervention.
Historic Factory in Fishtown Keeps Humming With Commercial Reuse
Gemologist Emily Phillippy has lived and worked in her share of repurposed industrial buildings before she opened Emily Chelsea Jewelry in 2015 in the converted Fishtown factory known as 2424 Studios. “I had been aware of the building, but former warehouses are not always done the right way. This one is,” she explained. “Every unit has their own HVAC system. It is well insulated so sound doesn’t travel, and the developers did a good job of preserving old details.“ Those details include soaring ceilings, exposed timber and brick, and skylights.
A Tale of Two Churches in West Philadelphia
Philadelphia has no shortage of church buildings, many of them old, elegant, and the work of famous architects. Today, like many communities, the city seems to be short on congregations to fill these buildings, which often leads to, at best, adaptive reuse, and, at worst, neglect, abandonment, or demolition. In...
At 283-Years-Old, a Mount Airy Mystery Still Intrigues
Start kicking around the internet about the small stone building at Germantown Avenue and Springer Street in Mount Airy and there doesn’t seem to be any mystery regarding the structure’s 1740s origins, back when the area was known as Beggarstown. “A rare example of a school building from the colonial era,” according to Wikipedia. Both the Library of Congress and the National Register of Historic Places list the building as Beggarstown School. Except, a school it never was.
New Marker at Mount Pleasant Mansion Honors the Enslaved
On the morning of June 19, the names of Nell, Bernard, Castillis, and Cato—four Africans enslaved by Captain John Macpherson, the original owner of Mount Pleasant Mansion in Fairmount Park—were invoked and honored on a Pennsylvania state historical marker. The Juneteenth ceremony was officiated by Dianne Thomas and Connie Ragsdale, the docents who filed the paperwork for the marker, and the Pennsylvania Historical and Museum Commission (PHMC). Now these names are a permanent part of the Mount Pleasant narrative.
Surrounded By Change, a Northern Liberties Landmark Carries On
In Northern Liberties, where it seems like no street is unaffected by new construction, one block in particular stands out. At nearly a half million square feet of 404 residential units and commercial space, the development at 650 Fairmount Avenue will nearly fill the entire square block bounded by Green Street, 6th Street, Fairmount Avenue, and 7th Street.
Ghosts Signs of Philadelphia: C.B. Porter & Co. in Old City
The Delaware River waterfront and Old City was once the hub of Philadelphia’s early metal industry. 18th and 19th century importers of tin, copper, lead, bismuth, and antimony, which were all used to make pewter, dotted storefronts and factories along Front, 2nd, and 3rd Streets. In the 1700s, pewter, alongside silver, was used in the production of everyday housewares for the city’s wealthier residents. These products were likely considered the nicest items in a middle class household. The ingredients were easily obtained and had a low melting point between 170 and 230 degrees, making pewter affordable to the average consumer. Pewter’s only limitation was that the items were restricted to the forms that could be made, unlike silver which is hammered into shape by hand. Common pewter items included plates, spoons, tea and coffeepots, funnels, colanders, bedpans, candlesticks, oil lamps, and porringers. It was also used to make mugs and chalices for taverns and churches, syringes in doctor’s offices, stills and syphons in breweries, and for sundials, shoes, and buttons on coats. Another quality of the material was that when an item wore out or broke, it could easily be melted and recast into smaller, simpler items by its owner, such as a button or a teaspoon. Pewtersmiths often stamped their mark on their work, making products easier to identify and collectible today.
New Lease on Life for Historic Bookbinder’s Building on 15th Street
Dinner, dancing, and a police station. Out of context, these sound like the waypoints on a good night gone bad. But for a charming corner building at 215 S. 15th Street in Center City, this constitutes a lifeblood that has kept it alive for 153 years and counting. The building...
A City of Conventions: Political Spotlight Shines on Philadelphia in 1948
This summer marks the anniversary of a political moment that took place in Philadelphia 75 years ago. For the first and only time in United States history, the city was the site of three political party conventions. The 1948 presidential race was the first time in 16 years that Franklin...
Historical Commission Overturns Historic District Designation and OKs Demolition of a Legally Protected Landmark
At its meeting on July 14, the Philadelphia Historical Commission (PHC) added four properties to the Philadelphia Register of Historic Places, rescinded the legal protections of a designated historic district, and took away protection from a home listed on both the National and Philadelphia Register of Historic Places. Historic designation...
Church Listed on the National Register Razed for New Construction
In the early 1900s, the construction of the Most Precious Blood Roman Catholic Church in Strawberry Mansion marked the pinnacle of a period of change for the neighborhood, when development and the neighborhood’s population boomed following the extension of trolley lines from the city’s core. But now, more than a century later, the building’s demolition to make space for a 44-unit apartment building marks another time of change, as recent redevelopment pressure in the area has brought community members into conflict with developers.
The Origins and End of University City Townhomes
In late April, Councilperson Jaime Gauthier stood in front of University City Townhomes at 3900 Market Street with good news for affordable housing advocates. The City had reached an agreement in a long-protracted lawsuit with Altman Management/IBID, the property’s owners and developers, on the fate of the residential complex, one of the last predominantly African American-occupied affordable housing developments in University City. The agreement stipulates that 20 percent of the 2.7-acre lot will be preserved and transferred to the City to be developed as 74 units of affordable housing. Residents, forced to leave the complex after Altman decided in July 2021 that it would not renew its 40-year contract to manage the property as Section 8 housing, will also receive $50,000 a piece in compensation. Altman/IBID is free to sell the remaining 80 percent of the property at market rate, likely to be developed as office or laboratory space in what has become a burgeoning medical research corridor.
Uncovering Compassion and Community in the Ruins of Buttercup Cottage
Hidden within the overgrown foliage of Wissahickon Valley Park at the intersection of Emlen Street and Cresheim Road lies the stone remnants of Buttercup Cottage. From the late 1800s through the early 20th century it was used as a retreat for working class women of Philadelphia who could not afford more extravagant vacation destinations, but still desired respite from the overcrowded and polluted existence of the industrial inner city.
Effort to Save Lynnewood Hall Takes a Big Step Forward With Sale
After languishing for decades, Lynnewood Hall in Elkins Park appears to be on its way to a new life. A passionate group of preservationists just closed on the sale of the estate today. Lynnewood Hall was built between 1897 and 1900 for the scion of the wealthy Philadelphia Widener family...
Land Sale Leaves Arts Oasis in Limbo
Even in deserted landscapes, flowers can bloom. Their colors pop, they energize the local inhabitants, and for a time turn barren spaces lovely. But in the end, they inevitably wilt away. Has that time finally come for Sunflower Philly and the rest of the art that blossoms at the crossroads of 5th Street, Cecil B. Moore, and Germantown Avenues?
Remembering Marcus Foster: Role Model and Mentor to Philly’s Broken Schools
I grew up in North Philadelphia not knowing the connection between Marcus Aurelius Foster and Simon Gratz High School, which was only two blocks away from my home. Throughout my youth, Foster was only the name given to Memorial Stadium at Roosevelt Boulevard and Germantown Avenue where I had to do laps at least twice a week.
Two African American Landmarks, Wharton Hall, and Others Added to the Philadelphia Register
The Philadelphia Historical Commission added six properties to the Philadelphia Register of Historic Places during its June meeting. Two of the designations acknowledged the important contributions of African American women: the C. DeLores Tucker House and the former home of Ethel Hedgemon Lyle. DeLores Tucker, a lifelong Philadelphian, civil rights...
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Hidden City Philadelphia of CultureTrust is dedicated to exploring Philadelphia’s urban landscape in all its complexity through journalism and public history.
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