Category Archives: Snapshots of History
Before the Academy: Classical Music in the Quaker City
During the late eighteenth century, Philadelphia’s Quaker elite had a dim view of the performing arts. For a sect that prized plainness, industry, and silence, European high culture represented frivolity and unnecessary “fanciness.” Having a harpsichord or fortepiano in one’s house could mean being “read out” of meeting, and Friends schools forbade keyboard instruments until [...]
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Happy Holidays from PhillyHistory Blog
The first public tree goes up in Independence Square in 1913. Lists reflecting on the bests and worsts of the waning year are nearly as abundant as egg nog and cardboard-flavored cookies in the weeks leading up to the holidays. But unlike the transience of yearly in memoriams, Philadelphia’s rich tradition of holiday decorations is [...]
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When Presidents Come to Town
By Yael Borofsky for the PhillyHistory Blog Jimmy Carter stops off in a classroom in pursuit of a re-election bid. Although Philadelphia’s days as the nation’s capital were glorious, but short-lived, that hasn’t stopped commanders in chief from stopping off in a city that practically oozes with symbols of democracy. As election day and all [...]
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Photo Gallery: Dilworth Plaza through the years
Former Mayor Richardson Dilworth (1956-1962) in 1957. Dilworth died in 1974, three years before Dilworth Plaza was completed. Dilworth Plaza is currently a hollowed-out pit of fenced-in concrete on the west side of City Hall, but soon it should be so much more. Center City District’s plans for the new plaza are modern, chic and [...]
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Looking back to find hope for the future of Philadelphia’s vacant land
A vacant property as seen in Society Hill in 1959. By Yael Borofsky for the PhillyHistory Blog. Even with recent forward inertia by the Philadelphia Redevelopment Authority (PRA) and the City of Philadelphia to implement a Landbank of vacant lots and the PRA’s recent release of vacant parcel availability map, the problem can seem sometimes [...]
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William H. Shoemaker Junior High School
“A school system that is not costing a great deal these days is not worth a great deal.” - The Centennial Anniversary of the Public Schools of Philadelphia: A Recapitulation, March 1918. During the 18th and early 19th centuries, Philadelphia’s Quaker schools (Friends Select), and its Protestant church schools (Episcopal Academy) provided rigorous education [...]
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“This Scale Will Give Your Accurate Weight — Free!”
Why does this woman look so happy to be weighing herself in public? Those of us accustomed to taking our weight within the privacy of our own homes would probably avoid a public weighing scale like this one, sponsored by the Philadelphia’s City Commissioners Office during the 1959 Municipal Services Fair. But, as historian David [...]
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Lawson Sanderson: Early Aviation Pioneer
The end of the calendar year offers many opportunities to remember and appreciate the American servicemen and -women who protect our country in the armed forces. There’s Veteran’s Day, followed closely by the anniversary of the founding of the United States Marine Corps, along with Pearl Harbor Day. Today, when we take these opportunities to [...]
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Schuykill River Floods, March 1902
Baltimore and Ohio Railroad Station During Flood – Flooded Train Shed. With the recent record levels of rainfall in Philadelphia, images such as these two photos have unfortunately become a familiar sight in our area. Though most Philadelphians do not remember another time when there seemed to be so much water everywhere, the city is [...]
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The Uncertain Future of Germantown High School