et cetera.
A Literary Collage of Philadelphia
December 2012
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History of Philadelphia City Hall
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Architecture
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My City, Philadelphia
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Squares
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Passyunk Square
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Eastern State Penitentiary
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The Heads of State
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Philadelphia’s Haunts
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First Friday
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Original Bars and Taverns
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Magic Gardens
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Comfort Food
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In the Eye of the Beholder
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Token Fare
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Mural Mile
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Philly Chill Spots
Contents
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1901
City Hall construction began in 1871, and the building was completed thirty years later in Philadelphia City Hall in 1910. “Market St. west from 12th�
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The History of Philadelphia’s City Hall Centered in the heart of downtown Philadelphia stands the nation’s largest municipal building also, is the house of government for the city of Philadelphia
P
hiladelphia City Hall remains today the tallest occupied masonry building in the world, and with more interior space than the U.S. Capitol, it is also one of the largest municipal buildings in the United States and the world. Designed by Philadelphia architect John McArthur, the building is considered one of the finest examples of French Second Empire architecture in the United States, with a mansard-roofed three-story façade City Hall occupies the central square of the five laid out by William Penn, which was designated as the site of buildings for “public concerns” in his original city plan of 1682. For most of the city’s first 150 years, the space was occupied by farms as growth occurred close to the Delaware River. Public business was conducted in the complex of buildings on Chestnut Street that included the old State House, now known as Independence Hall. After the consolidation of the City and County of Philadelphia in 1854, local leaders realized that a larger structure was needed to house the city government and courts. After an uproar over a city proposal to build a new city hall on Independence Square scuttled that idea, the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania created a “Commission for the Erection of Public Buildings” in 1870, charged with the construction of the new City Hall. City voters chose Center Square as the site of the new structure in a referendum later that year.
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John McArthur, Jr
The project was mired in controversy from its start, with the city government continually shortchanging the commission’s requests for construction funds while the legendary political machine of Boies Penrose attempted to take control of the project from the state. (As Penrose never succeeded, City Hall’s early reputation as a monument to corruption was perhaps undeserved.) The advent of electricity and the invention of the elevator while the building was under construction also necessitated costly retrofitting projects. City Hall cost $24 million to complete (about $2.5 billion at 2005 wage rates), making it the most expensive government building ever built in the United States.
The History of Philadelphia’s City Hall
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silence is the rest of the mind, and is to the spirit “True what sleep is to the body, nourishment and refreshment. – William Penn
”
When the American Institute of Architects asked architects and the American public to name their favorite buildings to commemorate its 150th anniversary this year, Philadelphia City Hall ranked 21st on the final list of America’s 150 favorite buildings.
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The building’s ornate, richly decorated style, already out of sync with Philadelphia’s traditional architectural modesty, had fallen out of fashion by the time of its completion. Noted local architect Paul Phillippe Cret proposed knocking down all but its tower, which would be remodeled into an Art Deco structure, in the 1920s. The even larger sum it would have cost to demolish and replace the building spared it from the wrecker’s ball both then and again in the 1950s. A series of projects begun in 1988 with the rehabilitation of City Hall Tower have slowly restored the building’s exterior. As of 2007, the restoration project has worked its way around three-quarters of the building, and new lights installed on surrounding buildings in 2005 make it sparkle at night.
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When the American Institute of Architects asked architects and the American public to name their favorite buildings to commemorate its 150th anniversary this year, Philadelphia City Hall ranked 21st on the final list of America’s 150 favorite buildings. It was the highest-ranked municipal building in the country and the highest-ranked of all buildings in Philadelphia on the list, as well as the fourth-favorite government building after the White House, the U.S. Capitol and the U.S. Supreme Court. In addition to housing the mayor, the City Council, and the heads of most major city departments, City Hall also houses chambers of the Supreme Court of Pennsylvania and the civil division of the Philadelphia Court of Common Pleas. It had also housed the criminal courts until
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$2.4 million
City Hall cost to complete it is about $2.5 billion at 2005 wage rates
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Timeline of the Philadelphia City Hall
1682 Willam Penn’s Early Plan
1871
1901 Contruction Completed
Contruction Began by John McArthur, Jr.
by John McArthur, Jr.
1950 Tallest habitable structure in the world until 1908
Demolition of the building
Twelve Monkey’s Film location
1989
1994
Restoration with the installation of scaffolding.
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City Hall, Philadelphia, PA. Southeast Pavillion Under Construction, 1881. Historic American Buildings Survey.
a new Criminal Justice Center was built to its northeast in 2002. Much of the city bureaucracy is housed in the Municipal Services Building, a modernist structure to its north, completed in 1965. The building is graced with 250 works of sculpture, from great ones like the 37-foot-tall statue of Penn atop its tower—the tallest sculpture on any building anywhere—to humorous flourishes like the cat-and-mouse motif found in the building’s south portal. All were the work of Philadelphian Alexander Milne Calder, the first of a three-generation line of sculptors that ended with mobile creator Alexander Calder. (A trip up the Benjamin Franklin Parkway from City Hall to the Philadelphia Museum of Art takes the visitor past works by all three Calders, including the Swann Fountain in Logan Circle, by the middle Calder, Alexander Stirling.) Other distinctive architectural features include the cantilevered “flying staircases” in the building’s corner towers and the elaborate Conversation Hall, on the second floor near the mayor’s office, a popular spot for official ceremonies and receptions.
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For most of its history, City Hall was the tallest building in Philadelphia, thanks to an unwritten “gentlemen’s agreement” that limited building heights to the 549-foot-high brim of William Penn’s hat. Even though that agreement was broken in 1987, the free observation deck at the base of the Penn statue remains the best vantage point from which to view the city.
The History of Philadelphia’s City Hall
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ARCHITECTURE 9
Philadelphia contains some of the nations tallest and most interesting buildings. Ranging from rich American history to modern offices that hover above the city, Philadelphia is a popular tourist attraction. Historic landmarks dating back from the eighteenth century, give us citizens a constant reminder of the struggle our nation went through to put us where we are today.
Architecture
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The Comcast Center
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Perhaps the most intriguing and overwhelmin building would be the Comcast Center. This enormous structure, started in two thousand and five and finished in two thousand and eight, gives the Philadelphia Skyline its most distinguishable structure. With its enormous heights of nine hundred and seventy four feet, this earns the title of the fifteenth tallest building in the United States of America. The Comcast Center financially stirred up a bit of controversy before being built. The building took about five hundred and forty million dollars to create. The argument was whether or not the Comcast Building should be given the Keystone Opportunity Improvement Zone, which would enable an unfair advantage as the Liberty Trust could then proceed to charge the building above market rates. The bill didn’t reach the voting stage.
One and Two Liberty Place
The design process of these architectural structures derives from various ideas, but also can emulate prior buildings. One Liberty and Two Liberty Place are prime examples of emulating similar designs. The Chrysler building in New York provided an appealing structure that Philadelphia would incorporate into these two structures. Phase one of the Building was completed in nineteen eighty-seven and phase two was completed in nineteen ninety. Prior to the building of these structures, Philadelphia has a gentleman’s agreement not to build any structures above City Hall’s, William Penn. That agreement ended in nineteen eighty-five allowing skyscrapers to have heightened freedom. One Liberty and Two Liberty Place are respectively the second and third tallest buildings in the city of Philadelphia.
The American Philosophical Society
The American Philosophical Society is a part of the Independence National Historic Park and is an organization that provides scholarly knowledge. This building was founded in seventeen forty-three and discovered by both Benjamin Franklin and John Bartram as an offset of an earlier club. This club held some
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Independence National Historic Park
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Independence National Historic Park contains the heart and majority of history in the city of Philadelphia. This area preserves several site associated with the American Revolution and the nations founding history. The centerpiece of the site is Independence Hall where the Declaration of Independence and the United States Constitution were adopted in the late eighteenth century.
The College of Physicians of Philadelphia The College of Physicians of Philadelphia serves as the oldest private medical society within the nation. The college was founded by twenty-four eager members to advance the science of medicine in seventeen eightyseven. The structure in Philadelphia was built in nineteen hundred and nine and determined a National Historic Landmark in two thousand and eight.
Modern structures provide working environments for citizens and appealing designs, yet, Philadelphia also contains some of the countries richest history within their elderly structures.
Architecture
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The First Bank of the United States
The First Bank of the United States is a member of the Independence National Historic Park and was a central bank built in seventeen ninety-five. This bank was created to stabilize and help the nations credit. The neoclassical design was credited to Samuel Blogdett.
Arch Street Friends Meeting House
Arch Street Friends Meeting House is the oldest meetinghouse of the Religious Society of Friends that is still currently in use within the United States. The land was donated in sixteen ninety-three by the city’s founder, William Penn. The meetinghouse was built in eighteen hundred and four and recently titled a National Historic Landmark in two thousand and eleven.
The Athenaeum of Philadelphia
The Athenaeum of Philadelphia is a library founded in eighteen forty-five that contains a special collection of historic antiquities and useful arts for the public. The structure was designed by John Notman and declared a National Historic Landmark in nineteen seventy-six. The library is used today as a museum of decorative arts from the first half of the nineteenth century.
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City Hall
Arguably the most distinguishable centerpiece of the city would be City Hall. City Hall is the house of government for Philadelphia and stabilizes a sculpture of the city founder, William Penn, whom rests on the top. City Hall was completed in nineteen hundred and one.
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Eastern State Penitentiary
A haunting structure, the Eastern State Penitentiary, was built in eighteen twenty-nine and closed in nineteen seventy-one as a famous Philadelphia prison. The gothic design of the building can be considered fitting for the purpose as well as making it very unique within the city. The building provided a new system of reform rather than immediate death to convicts, which would influence prisons from then on. Famous inmates, William Sutton and Al Capone were held in the Eastern State Penitentiary. The building is currently used for touring.
The Academy of Music
The Academy of Music was built in eighteen fifty-seven and serves as the oldest opera house in the United States. This opera house served as the home for the Philadelphia orchestra from nineteen hundred to two thousand and one. In nineteen sixty-two this structure was given the title of a national landmark. The intriguing design was determined through an architecture competition in eighteen fifty-four and provides an open horseshoe shape to enable maximum visibility for crowds. This approach was unique and influential for future opera houses.
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The Athenaeum of Philadelphia
The Athenaeum of Philadelphia is a library founded in eighteen forty-five that contains a special collection of historic antiquities and useful arts for the public. The structure was designed by John Notman and declared a National Historic Landmark in nineteen seventy-six. The library is used today as a museum of decorative arts from the first half of the nineteenth century.
Boathouse Row
Along the Schuylkill River a row of historic boathouses rest and light up in the night to add charm to the city of Philadelphia. These boathouses were built in eighteen sixty and host major rowing regattas. The construction of Boathouse Row began after a Schuylkill dam was built to bring coal downriver.
Architecture
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My City, Philadelphia Dain Kim
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When I arrived at Philadelphia about three years ago, I though that Philadelphia was the most boring and uninteresting city because Philadelphia was really different than Korea which is my country. Korea has many interesting places such as theaters, karaoke, and nightclubs. However, after visiting some of the places in Philadelphia that are really cool, and beautiful, I changed my mind. Philadelphia is very interesting. There are a lot of beautiful places such as Rittenhouse Square Park, Love Park, Clothespin, and Magic Garden.
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Landscape of Philadelphia’s Center City
My City, Philadelphia
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It is a favorite place to read the morning paper, sip coffee, or just take a break for all ages.
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Statue in the pool in Rittenhouse Square Park ������5.indd 4
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Spring in Rittenhouse Square
Rittenhouse Square Park is a really peaceful, lively, and enjoyable place. There are no special amenities, but there are many green and tall trees, benches, and people who are taking a rest in the Rittenhouse Square Park. Usually, they take a nap under the tree, read a book, and take a sunbath. According to the author, Kalyan, “Activities are a drawback, I suppose, to Rittenhouse. It is a small park and there are no particular amenities here. But it is green, there are interesting sculptures, and plenty of families and dogs. That said, users do vary greatly in age and gender. It is a favorite place to read the morning paper, sip coffee, or just take a break for all ages”(Kaylan 42). I really agree with her opinion. They never mind those around one. Besides, many families
go to picnic to this park on weekend and children enjoy their time in the Rittenhouse Square Park; children play in the water, run on the grass, and play with a ball. Also, some people ride a bicycle and other people jog in the park. Although Rittenhouse Square Park is very Lively, Love Park is even more exciting. I think that the Love Park is the most famous in Philadelphia. There are some reasons. Not only is the Love Park very beautiful but also it is very lively. It is located near City Hall. The Love Park has a grand fountain, and an im nteresting sculpture. In the article the Visit Philly, J.Smith reports that “A favorite destination for tourists and locals alike, John F. Kennedy Plaza gets its famed nickname “LOVE Park” due to its famous sculpture”(Smith
1).The Love Park has been more famous since set up the sculpture which is the Love made by Robert Indiana. It looks just a simple capital Love, but its color is an impression; red, and blue. Every year, many tourists visit the Love Park to see the Love sculpture, and a lot of young people skate board in the park. In the article, the Us History, LOVE Park in Philadelphia is famous as a mixed-use urban space and world capital of skateboarding, celebrated by millions as one of the most recognized landmarks of a $2 billion-ayear industry.
My City, Philadelphia
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As well as, Magic Garden is the most colorful and fabulous garden in Philadelphia. According to the author, Jason B, in Locationless living, “Before creating the Gardens this area of Philly was crap. The government wanted to tear it wall down and build a highway instead. That never happened and so Zagar and his wife both came into the area despite its derelict character and are known as a big reason why South Street is now the hip and welcoming area it is today. But forty plus years ago that was a different story. Now it sits across the street from the likes of whole foods and independent record shops. But it was only in 1994 that Zagar build the mosaic in its space and only in 2008 did he finish” (Jason 14). When I visited the Magic Garden first time, it was really marvelous. The Magic Garden which is designed by Iziah Zagard is decorated in broken mirrors, bicycles, and bottles. I could not believe that a person made it! Moreover, Iziah Zagard draw a painting on the mirrors with colorful color. It was very interesting experience to me. If I have a time, I want to make my house like the Magic Garden. Finally, one of my favorite places is the Clothespin sculpture. When I saw the Clothespin sculp ture at first time, I did not have any feeling or question about this, because it was just huge clothespin to me. Actually, whenever I had passed it, I did not know that it was one of the famous sculptures in Philadelphia. However, I changed my mind after reading a book about the Clothespin. The Clothespin has very interesting things that are an elongated version of Brancusi’s Kiss, look like number seventy-six, and are symbol of brotherly love.
Robert Indiana’s Love Sculpture
Fountain in the Love Park ������5.indd 6
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Oldenburg’s Clothespin
My City, Philadelphia
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Art should not be segregated i live freely among us.
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In conclusion, Rittenhouse Square Park, Love Park, Magic Garden, and Clothespin, after visiting the places, are very impression to me. The Rittenhouse Square Park is very peaceful and enjoyable, Love Park is more lively and beautiful, Magic Garden is really fabulous place, and Clothespin is meaningful sculpture in Philadelphia. I’m very happy because I have lived in Philadelphia that is having a lot of beautiful and wonderful places. I glad to know these places and I would like to introduce these places to my friends and my family.
Isaiah Zagar
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ated in museums; it needs to
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–Isaiah Zagar
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My City, Philadelphia
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Squares
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William Penn envisioned Philadelphia as a "Green Countrie Towne." Prominent in his design for the "towne" was a central square, with four other squares equidistant from the center. The five public squares, open green spaces to be shared by all, would be havens of respite in a busy world. Initially given humble directional appellations, northeast square, centre square and so on, today the squares bear the names of inspirational individuals in the city's history. 300 years after Penn completed his city plan, four out of the five squares are lush urban landmarks, places of retreat, refuge and even inspiration. The fourth is the hub to which all roads in the city lead, where City Hall is.
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Rittenhouse
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Rittenhouse Square is one of the five original open-space parks planned by William Penn and his surveyor Thomas Holme during the late 17th century in central Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. The park cuts off 19th Street at Walnut Street and also at a half block above Manning Street. Its boundaries are 18th Street to the East, Walnut St. to the north, Rittenhouse Square West (a north-south boundary street), and Rittenhouse Square South (an east-west boundary street), making the park approximately two short blocks on each side. Originally called Southwest Square, Rittenhouse Square was renamed in 1825 after David Rittenhouse, a descendant of the first papermaker in Philadelphia, the German immigrant William Rittenhouse. Rittenhouse’s original paper-mill site is known as Rittenhousetown, which is located in the rural setting of Fairmount Park along Paper Mill Run. The beauty of the Park is due largely to the efforts of Friends of Rittenhouse Square, which was a public-private partnership with the Fairmount Park Commission. Landscaping, lighting, restoration of fountains and fencing, even the installation and stocking of doggie-bag dispensers are projects of the Friends of Rittenhouse Square.
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Squares
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Franklin Square has undergone dramatic renovation since William Penn’s original plan. He originally named it “North East Public Square,” in his plan in 1682. The 7.5 – acre green was later renamed in 1825 after founding father Benjamin Franklin. The park’s renovation now include several family – oriented attractions, including a carousel, burger stand selling famous “Square Burgers,” a picnic area, storytelling bench, and a mini – golf course. There are four brink walking paths with lighting to bring a warm charm to Franklin Square after dark. The paths lead to the centerpiece of the square, the Franklin Square Fountain. The fountain, made in 1838 is surrounded by wrought iron fences along its marble masterpiece.
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Over the years, the square was used as a cattle pasture, a horse and cattle market, a burial ground, and a drill and parade ground for the American military during the War of 1812. Today it still stands as a welcoming city park.
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Franklin
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Washington Square, originally designated in 1682 as Southeast Square, is an open-space park in Center City Philadelphia’s Southeast quadrant and one of the five original planned squares by William Penn. It is part of both the Washington Square West and Society Hill neighborhoods. In 2005, the National Park Service took over ownership and management of Washington Square, through an easement from the City of Philadelphia. Washington Square is now part of Independence National Historical Park. During a 1952 renovation of the square, it was decided that, instead of the original proposed monument to Washington, a monument to all soldiers and sailors of the Revolutionary War would be built. The monument was designed by architect G. Edwin Brumbaugh. His design retained a bronze cast of Houdon’s statue of Washington as the centerpiece. The Tomb of the Unknown Soldier memorial is located within the square. An unknown number of bodies remain buried beneath the square and the surrounding area; some are still occasionally found during construction.
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Washington
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Squares
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Logan
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Logan Circle was originally called “Northwest Square,” and was, in fact, a square. It was renamed Logan Square after Philadelphia statesman James Logan. Although the origins of the square are still intact, the park today is distinguished by its circle, constructed in the 1920’s as a segment of Benjamin Franklin Parkway. Jacques Gréber, a French landscape architect, converted the Square to a circle similar to the oval of the Place de la Concorde in Paris. Philadelphia even modeled its Free Library and Family Court Building after the twin buildings of the Hôtel de Crillon.
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Early 2005 brought efforts to clean up and redevelop the park to make it more accessible to pedestrians. Most noticeably the large paulownia trees that are featured prominently around the fountain were removed. City planners determined that they had reached the end of their life span had become an eyesore. A much larger plan to improve the space replaced the missing trees with similar ones.
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Passy 32
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syunk Square
Just another place we took from the Indians.
33 Pronounced “pah-shunk” by any South Philly native, Square’s boundaries stretch from Broad Street to 6th Street (West to East), and Washington Ave. to Tasker Street (North to South). The square gets its name from the original Native American village and corresponding trail located there. Many of Philadelphia’s streets followed in some instances well defined Indian trails that were worn away by the red man long before the white “brother” made his appearance in this part of the country . The old paths have been straightened, widened and, in some instances, graded more in agreement with modern civilization’s needs than they were primarily. Many of the old pathways have been wiped out, through the desire to build upon its original design of William Penn. Spellings on various deeds and past records of the neighborhood range from Passyunk, spelled in old deeds and records Perslajingh, Passayunk, Passyonck, Passajon, Passajungh, Passaming and Paisajungh, the name of [the] Native American village. It formed a tract of land computed at 1,000 acres, originally granted by Queen Christina, August 20, 1653, to Lt. Swen Schute in consideration of important services rendered to the New Sweden colony by the said gallant lieutenant.
Passyunk Square
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34 By the Civil War the area had a few work shops and factories (including an armament factory that had a tremendous explosion in 1863 or 64 and showered body parts along Passyunk Ave) , by the 1890’s the prison was now surrounded by a solid and built up working class Catholic neighborhood. It was at this time that the Moyamensing prison held its most infamous inmate. His was America’s first known serial killer , H.H. Holmes, who killed maybe 200 people, many in Chicago. He was arrested while in Philadelphia and his terrible trail of murder and mayhem was revealed within the walls of the prison. His crimes shocked and fascinated America and I guess he was our first Pop Culture criminal. He was hanged in the prison in the 1890’s and if you are interested, I suggest you read Erik Larson’s Devil in the While City, it even has a chapter entailed The Moyamensing prison.
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The neighborhood by 1930 ,now predominantly Italian, was just too crowded , making it an unwise location for a prison. The prison ceased to hold violent criminals in the 30’s or 40’s as it would pose too big a threat to the neighborhood- and too easy an escape opportunity for the inmates. .But I would guess the neighborhood had even more violent criminals then were held in the prison.
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Passyunk Square
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The neighborhood of Passyunk itself has seen a great deal of change throughout the years. The block of 10th and Reed was once Moyamensing prison, which housed some notorious inn mates including Edgar Allen Poe, and America’s first serial killer, H.H. Holmes. It was build as part of a prison reform movement in Philadelphia in the early 19th century. It was large, made of stone, airy and had things like solitary cells etc.. That was reform 1830 style. It was called the Moyamensing after Passyunk’s sister creek- the Moyamensing ( where Moyamensing Ave is now.) It was modeled after the Temple of Amenophis III, along the Nile. When the prison was build in the 1830’s , this was about the city limits to the south , with only a few houses nearby and farms further off- farms in South Philly, but the neighborhood grew and developed around the prison. By the Civil War the area had a few work shops and factories (including an armament factory that had a tremendous explosion in 1863 or 64 and showered body parts along Passyunk Ave) , by the 1890’s the prison was now surrounded by a solid and built up working class Catholic neighborhood.
I can’t talk about Passyunk with out talking at least mentioning the pissing contest between the two tourist traps known as Pat’s and Geno’s located across the street from each other on of the area’s many weird cross-section intersections. Both joints are open tewnty-four hours, and just fight for your attention. I think Geno’s might win out of the pure ridiculousness of their Neon signage and near-blinding fluorescent light underneath the awning. According to the little plaque on the sidewalk, Geno’s has been there since 1966, so if you’re ever in the mood for some over-advertised, mediocre food, stop on by.
Passyunk Square
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eastern state itentiary
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The Eastern State Penitentiary is a 172-year-old, former state prison, located in Philadelphia Pennsylvania. It was one of the most famous prisons in the world, known for it’s grand architecture, and one of the world’s first true penitentiaries. It was also the largest and most expensive buildings of its day, costing nearly $780,000.
Eastern State Penitentiary
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From it’s original erection, carried throughout the decades, it’s marvelous structure and unique rules of reformation used on criminals quickly modeled for over 300 prisons thereafter. There’s 450 centrally-heated cells to the prison, to which housed many criminals over time, including the notorious Alphonse Capone and William Sutton. By 1858, the penitentiary had over 10,000 tourist visits just in that year. After its abundance, the prison became known for it’s ghostly reputation as well. The dark, gothic halls are said to be haunted with past inmates’ souls. The prison’s reputation revolves not only around its grand architecture and haunted halls, but for it’s philosophical legacy as well. The prison, opening in October 1829, was known for it’s strict regulations, punishment practices and “new” means of reformation for prisoners of that time. The structural guideline confine criminals in strict isolation, and mandate labor. It was believed criminal behavior was an act inflicted due to one’s environment. One of the purposes of the prison (if not to rehabilitate these criminals back to society) was taking measures to correct inappropriate, sinful behaviors and replace or modify them with the obvious appropriate behaviors. This particular set up, along with strict rules, set up the foundation for putting these prisoners back into society. And if it’s not for means to return to the outside world, it still served the purpose of guidance, reformation and solidarity. So the goal of the solitary confinement was to provide the prisoner with “solitude,” so that they can repent and gain remorse towards their transgressions, hence the com-forth of the term “Penitentiary.” This soon became a model for other prison’s world wide. By 1913, the concept of pure solitary confinement for all inmates was officially abandoned, though they were still not allowed to have family or friends visit during their stay.
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Eastern State Penitentiary
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Old cell-block from the Eastern State Penitentiary
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“Each cell had accommodations that were advanced for their time, which included a faucet with running water over a flush toilet, as well as curved pipes along part of one wall which served as central heating during the winter months where hot water would be run through the pipes to keep the cells reasonably heated. The toilets were remotely flushed twice a week by the guards of the cellblock... An article in the Philadelphia Public Ledger, August 20, 1929, describes Capone’s cell: ‘The whole room was suffused in the glow of a desk lamp which stood on a polished desk.... On the once-grim walls of the penal chamber hung tasteful paintings, and the strains of a waltz were being emitted by a powerful cabinet radio receiver of handsome design and fine finish...’ ”
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Not only did it provide the foundation of solitary confinement with punishment and labor, but as stated, it guided criminals in a spiritual journey towards reflection and change through it’s architectural structure as well. The penitentiary was build in a Gothic style, with walls designed to feel like a church. The Gothic style was also intended to intimidate those on the outside from “doing wrong.” The concrete cells included vaulted ceilings with a sky-light, along with metal doors that allowed the prisoners to enter and leave their cell-blocks. The sky-light was to represent “The Eye of God” The ambiance created through the sky-lit cells along with the church-like halls provided prisoners this symbolic gesture of holiness, in hopes to inspire penance or regret from within their hearts and conscience. Along with it’s vaulted, lit cells and “decadent” halls, the penitentiary itself was designed with a unique “wagon wheel” formation, a concept created by architect John Haviland.
Although most cells in prison were above typical jail standards, (inmates provided with heat, beds and toilets,) notorious inmate Al Capone lived above and beyond the cell-standard. His cell (shown in image above) presented a luxurious living space, one you would not presume to even be in a prison. Doused with pristine furniture and lighting, his cell did not mimic that of a cell remotely close to what one would imagine prison to be like, and was decadently daecorated unlike the other cells in the prison. The cell was filled with a warm bed, a desk, fine chairs, oriental rugs, wall decor, plants, lamps and radio. All this gave the illusion that you aren’t even looking into that of a jail-cell, but to that of a luxurious suite of a five-star hotel. Capone’s cell is one of the main attractions for many who visit the Penitentiary, and to this day, the room remains (and is maintained) exquisitely decorated as Capone had it.
The prison closed in 1970, and was abandoned in 1971. Afterwards the prison stood for over 20 years with no maintenance. Although it’s in ruins, it opened to the public in 1994 and is considered a National Historic Landmark (since 1996), where world-wide tourists gather for guided tours. Yearly, Halloween sets the mood for eery-tours, to display the legacy of the lost, misguided souls of the prison. To date, tourists still gather from around the world to view everything the Eastern State Penitentiary has to offer.
ntiary
Eastern State Penitentiary
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Old jail-cell at Eastern State Penitentiary.
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notorious inmates
The history of inmates has an interesting background as well. The first inmate at the Eastern State Penitentiary was Charles Williams, incarcerated for burglary. The first female prisoner was in 1831, while Freda Frost was the last female inmate at the Penitentiary, incarcerated for poisoning her husband. Al Capone, Chicago’s most famous gangster, was notorious for violating prohibition laws, by smuggling and bootlegging liquor, along with other illegal activities. Capone was incarcerated at the Eastern State Penitentiary for 8 months between 19291930 for a weapons possession charge. Another notorious inmate was William “Slick” Sutton, incarcerated for 11 years at the Penitentiary for robbery. Willie was one of the most famous bank robbers in American history. In 1945, Sutton and 11 other inmates escaped the prison through a dug, underground tunnel, but was captured minutes after his escape. In the 142 active years of the Eastern State Penitentiary, there have been many attempted escapes and approximately over 100 which did, though were recaptured short after. Of those 100, inmate Leo Callahan (incarcerated for assault and battery with intent to kill) was the only one to successfully get away in 1923 by sliding down the Eastern walls with a makeshift ladder. “In 1961, John Klausenberg tricked a guard into opening the cell of another inmate. With the cells open, the inmates overpowered the guard and began the largest riot in the prison’s history.” Shortly after the riot was when discussions on closing down the penitentiary began. In 1970 the Penitentiary officially closed.
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Eastern State Penitentiary
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Philadelphia’s Haunts written by Stephanie Konieczny
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Philadelphia began its ghost tours in 1995. The organization wanted to take a look at the haunted history in this city and the different stories to tell. Philadelphia Ghost Tours allow for different experiences with its different tour types. They have a walking tour where the tour guide is dressed up as you take a walk through Society Hill and Independence Park. On the haunted trolly tour, you travel by a Victorian-style trolly and visit many more locations than the walking tour in the same time, but it is less intimate. With this, you also go through Society Hill, but head off into Old city. The other ghost tour is the Ghost Hunting Tour. This is especially interesting as you are granted entry into a haunted, colonial-era mansion in Society Hill. Either the Powel House or the Physick House, both very haunted buildings. You are supplied with an EMF (electromagnetic field) reader and are suggested to bring cameras.
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Knowing that Philadelphia is such a historic city, let us take a look into some haunts starting with the Powel House. Samual Powel was the last mayor of Philadelphia under Birtish rule and then the first mayor of independent Philadelphia. Back then, the home used to be much larger, extending from Third to Fourth street. In 1965, a respected historian reported seeing General Lafayette and several other ghosts of Continental Army officers. His wife has reported seeing a young woman in a beige and lavender gown, but she was not the only one see have seen her.
Phillip Sying Physick lived in the Physick house. Phillip was often cited as the “father of American surgery”. At the time, Mr. and Mrs. Physick were going through a divorce, which left Mrs. Physick very emotional. Medical wisdom back then indicated that opium could help sooth her nerves, when it actually did more harm. She found herself spending a lot of time with an unusual tree in the back yard. In times of stress, she would often sit beneath the tree which was a source of comfort for her. Shortly after the tree was cut down, by orders of a doctor, Mrs. Physick died. Ever since, on the anniversary of her death she would be seen in the yard, kneeling over the area where the tree was cut down, and weeping over it.
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Not only is the Betsy Ross house an historical monument, it is also the location of the shooting of a security guard in 1980. Since then, there have been reported cases of people hearing disembodied voices and having the feeling of being watched when nobody else was present. The basement, where the kitchen resides, seems to have the most activity. In 2009, the SyFy television show, Ghost Hunters visited the Betsy Ross house for the season premier. In 1773, the City Tavern opened. In 1854 there was a fire and it was demolished. Since then, the building has been reconstructed, but that did not stop ghostly sightings from occurring at the historic restaurant. There are rumors of two ghost: a writer who died in a bar fight and a young bride who was burned in the recently mentioned fire. This fire occurred during her bridal party, while the groom had his party down stairs.
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In 1829, Philadelphia opened the first penitentiary in the country. It used colitary confinement as the primary punishment for prisoners, but that was not the only one. The Eastern State Penn is one of the most haunted Philadelphia locations. It is haunted by hundreds of prisoners that have been executed, beaten to death, or commited suicide. There have been reports of people hearing laughter, seeing shadowy figures, and the feeling of being grabbed. The most famous sighting is that of a prisoner that killed twenty-seven people in an attempted prison break.
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St. Peter’s Church in Philadelphia was opened in 1761. There are years of history in its walls and graveyard. Every night, at 9pm, a supposed phantom of an Indian chief can be seen in that very graveyard. He has been seen and reported since about 1840. It is said he protects the spirits of the five other Indian chiefs buried there.
Baleroy Mansion is said to be one of the most actively haunted houses in the U.S. Built in 1911, it is currently owned by George Meade Easby, the great- great grandson of Civil War General George Meade. Sever spirits seem to inhabit this home, including sightings of Thomas Jefferson in the dining room, a spirit resembling a monk in the bedrooms, Meade’s younger brother, Steven, who died shortly after moving there at 5 years old, and a malicious ghost in the Blue room that was given the name, Amanda.
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Fort Mifflin was built in 1771. It is the only Revolutionary War battlefield completely intact. Some say that with a battlefield this intact comes spirits from this time. Two specific ghosts are Elizabeth Pratt, also known as “The Screaming Woman” and William Howe, sometimes called “The Man without a Face” or “The Faceless Man”. Elizabeth Pratt hanged herself after her daughter died from typhoid fever. People have heard screams coming from the Officer’s Quarters where she supposedly died. William Howe supposedly appears as a faceless figure in the casements where prisoners were kept.
Philadelphia is one of the oldest cities of America. With all the history and events the city of Philadelphia holds, it is no surprise there are rumors of so many haunted places and areas. Take the time to explore and enjoy the history and stories the city has to offer. 51
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Bars and Taverns Original Bars and Taverns
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Travel with me back in time to historic Philadelphia. The Old City of early America, where secrets lived and legends echoed through cobblestoned streets. As you walk among ghosts of the past, you might hear the hollow clogging of Paul Revere’s horse galloping into a bustling city. Let your imagination wander. On an evening breeze, the words of John Adams linger, arguing politics at the threshold of City Tavern—whispers of “intolerable acts,” sparking a revolution. City Tavern opened in 1773 and became the favorite stomping ground for the First Continental Congress a year later. But by the 1800s, the Brewerytown area of Philadelphia had come into its own with more than100 breweries operating within nine square blocks. One newspaper account described the region: “The air here is like vaporized bread.” By 1854, City Tavern’s legendary past became scarred from fire and the tatters of time. The building was demolished. But a century later, Congress would vote with resounding “ayes” to replicate the old girl, preserving her historical significance for future generations. Completed in time for the bicentennial celebration in 1976, City Tavern (138 s. 2nd Street) now stands as an old drinking establishment awaiting discovery during Philly Beer Week.
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“City Tavern now stands as an old drinking establishment awaiting discovers during Philly Beer Week.”
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The U.S. Marine Corps was established in Tun Tavern at Water Street and Tun Alley, built by Samuel Carpenter in 1685. But don’t look for it. Beer Historian Rich Wagner says: “There is a historic marker at the site of the Tun Tavern (nowhere near Penn’s Landing) on Front between Chestnut and Walnut. It actually stood on Water Street, but is not there anymore.” So, how do you find the city’s old alehouses and taprooms? You might just look for ghosts. As the oldest continuously operating tavern in Philadelphia, McGillan Olde Ale House (1310 Drury St.), has its own Lady in White, who is just dying for you to visit. Her gauzy image appears in a mirror, photographed by paranormal researchers in April 2007. Co-owners Chris Mullins and his wife, Mary Ellen, celebrate Ma McGillin, their resident spirit, as part of the bar’s 150th anniversary this year, during Philly Beer Week.
“I don’t feel 150,” quips Chris, but adds: “It’s WWan honor and a privilege to be involved. We feel we’re trustees, a part of this great tradition.” A black-tie gala marks this milestone from 5-8 p.m. on June 6, with prizes for best costume. Tickets for this inside-outside party are $45.00. During the gala, McGillan’s Olde Ale House launches an exclusive anniversary beer, McGillin’s 1860 IPA, crafted by Stoudt’s Brewing. A secret recipe, it is unfiltered, with a slamdunk of centennial and amarillo hops. This new brew complements two popular house beers, McGillin’s Real Ale and McGillan’s Genuine Lager, also brewed by Stoudt’s. “Our patrons will love it,” Chris says. It’s a Cheers kind of place.”
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“Choosing and converting the firehouse was easy because the neighborhood is an eclectic mix of people who mirror my own 70’s philosophy,” she says. “I simply combined those roots with my obsession for making quality products and ended up creating an environment that is counter-culture and the beer and food is artisanal in nature.” -Robert Shepard (Owner)
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Want old-time retro ’50s and ’60s? Hit up Johnny Brenda’s (1201 Franklin Ave.), which sports art-deco balconies and the corner entrance of an old-time taproom. And there are tons more—city taverns, inns on the outskirts of town…footprints of time in Philly town’s mecca of beer.
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Another old but great standby in Philly is Dock Street Brewery (701 South 50th St.) in West Philly. Founded in 1985 as the first microbrewery in Philadelphia and one of the earliest in the country, it stands as the epitome of innovation, independence and creativity. “Dock Street was never on Dock Street,” says Owner Rosemarie Certo. “It was called that because at the turn of the century that was where all the breweries were.” Built circa 1903, the classic firehouse that has served as Dock Street’s home since August 2007 meshes well with Certo’s bohemian style. Dock Street beer has been masterful since the early days when Beer Hunter Michael Jackson applauded its virtues. With Brewer Ben Potts, Dock Street’s beer menu remains adventurous with such brews as Saison du Potts (the brewer’s namesake interpretation of summer farmhouse ale), Bubbly Wit, Summer Session and Man Full of Trouble Porter.
Another not-to-be-missed city secret is National Mechanics Bar & Resturant, (22 South 3rd Street) Located in the 1837 National Mechanics Building and designed by William Strickland, this newer bar is immersed in the Old Guard feel of established history. The beer selection can make your chops water with a hefty toke of local brews such as Yards, Victory and Philadelphia Brewing, while balancing the act with Belgian Corsendonk and German Franziskaner. Johnny Brenda’s is a bar, restaurant, and music venue located in the Fishtown section of Philadelphia. Featuring a worldclass sound system, and a balcony (a rarity for a room it’s size), it is unlike any performance space in Philadelphia. It maintains the feel of an elegant, iconic historical social hall with design elements reminiscent of a turn of the century burlesque club or theater.
Built on a philosophy of supporting the local community, Johnny Brenda’s serves alldraft high quality beer from local brewers as well as an eclectic menu using fresh ingredients supplied from area farmers. Johnny Brenda’s is a bar, restaurant, and music venue located in the Fishtown section of Philadelphia. Featuring a world-class sound system, and a balcony (a rarity for a room it’s size), it is unlike any performance space in Philadelphia. It maintains the feel of an elegant, iconic historical social hall with design elements reminiscent of a turn of the century burlesque club or theater. Built on a philosophy of supporting the local community, Johnny Brenda’s serves alldraft high quality beer from local brewers as well as an eclectic menu using fresh ingredients supplied from area farmers.
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Comfort Food
Philadelphia’s cuisine is a remarkable mix of traditional ethnic recipes and new culinary inventions, well-known treats and unbelievable dishes. It’s cuisine is shaped largely by the city’s mixture of ethnics and history.
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Wiz Wit!
Cheesesteak Among the region’s number one signature food is the famous cheesesteak, Philly’s claim to fame. Invented in the 1930‘s they're greasy, delicious and the most well known icon of the city. Although most people outside of Philadelphia are familiar with the Philadelphia cheese steak, locals think in terms of steak sandwiches with or without cheese. Without cheese, the sandwich is referred to as a "steak”, not a "steak sandwich". With cheese, it's a "cheese steak", or "cheesesteak" - both spellings are in use. Beware of any restaurant, even in Philadelphia, that offers a "Philly Cheese Steak". Most likely, you will be disappointed. If they have to say "Philly", then it's not authentic! A Philly steak is not really a steak at all - it's a sandwich made with shredded beef, cooked on a grill top.
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Comfort Food
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Soft Pretzel Other popular signature foods include the delicious philadelphia soft pretzels, which have become a part of Philadelphia’s culture. The origins of the Philadelphia soft pretzel can be traced back to a strong Germanic influence during the early history of Pennsylvania. During the 1700's, a large proportion of Pennsylvania's population spoke German which became the official language! The "Pennsylvania Dutch" still speak an old German dialect. And, many places in southeastern Pennsylvania bear German names. Along with the language came a tradition of pretzel making. The true Philadelphia soft pretzel is usually bought from a street vendor or small "mom and pop" shop from a chain store. It is fresh, soft, and chewy, comes in a sort of slab in which a number of pretzels are stuck together, and is sprinkled with just the right amount of coarse salt. When choosing a good pretzel: Never buy pretzels that are wrapped in plastic, they are almost guaranteed to be stale, soggy, or hard, the best packaging
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is a brown paper bag. If the pretzels look in the least bit moist, pass them up, moisture is caused by the extraction of water by the salt, this indicates that the pretzel has been sitting around too long. Avoid pretzels that have been reheated by the vendor, they are usually hard. Look for a golden brown color and a "fresh" appearance, if the pretzel looks good, it probably is good.Most Philadelphians enjoy their pretzels with yellow mustard, which is usually applied by the customer himself from a squeeze bottle, don't accept imitations. The true Philadelphia pretzel is worth the search! It will make your taste buds very happy indeed, and, it will make you very happy because it's a true "comfort food".
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The first American pretzel was baked in 1861, in Lititz, Pennsylvania.
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“It’s easy to conclude that
were hearty drinkers,
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Philadelphia’s earliest settlers but there was a reason for this madness. water, for the most part, was undrinkable
”
Beer & Other Philadelphia has one of the most awesome beer cultures around. Philly’s Annual Beer Week is just staring and guaranteed you won’t be left without entertainment. Out of South Philadelphia have come the sandwiches that are considered Philadelphia's greatest contribution to the culinary arts. What makes them so special? The answer is simple - it's the rolls! Deep within South Philadelphia are bakeries whose hearths yield Italian rolls of unspeakable perfection. Their crust has a medium texture, midway between the hard crust of a baguette and the wimpy crust of a packaged supermarket roll. And, the interior is soft, with a wonderful yeasty taste. These long rolls are the essential and irreplaceable ingredient of a true Philadelphia sandwich. Early each morning, they travel in brown paper bags from South Philly to small sandwich shops throughout the city and suburbs. You simply cannot make an authentic Philadelphia sandwich without an authentic Philadelphia roll. You can't freeze it, and you can't ship it. You cannot make a true Philadelphia sandwich in Los Angeles, or Chicago, or New Orleans, or even in New York. If you are more than a 1 hour drive from South Philly, forget it - give it up!
The hoagie is a sandwich that was invented in Philadelphia, other states have subs or heroes, but none are as good as an Italian hoagie from Philadelphia. Slice a fresh Philadelphia Italian roll. Sprinkle lightly with oil. Then add shredded lettuce, onions, your sandwich fillings, and sliced tomato. Finally, sprinkle with oregano, basil, salt, and pepper. A Philadelphia hoagie normally contains cheese in addition to the specified filling. So, for example, a roast beef hoagie contains roast beef plus cheese. The cheese is normally sliced provolone. If you don't want cheese make sure you say "No cheese". Pickles are almost never used in a Philadelphia hoagie. Different Hoagie Variations are: "Dry" - hold the oil - less fat, but still tastes great. "With Mayo" - to many (including me), it sounds sacrilegious, but hoagies are occasionally ordered with mayo instead of oil. "No Onions" - for certain social occasions - however, definitely less tasty. "With Hot Peppers" - add sliced hot cherry peppers (medium hot flavor). "With Sweet Peppers" - add jarred sweet peppers. "No Cheese" - for those who want to cut fat or who don't want to mix cheese with meat - still tastes great. "With American Cheese" substitute American cheese for the provolone.
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FARE Market-Frankford Line Broad Street Line
Whether snow, rain, or heat each weekday there is a routine that many Philadelphians go through that allots them a small adventure. After leaving the comfort of their humble homes they set out towards the nearest subway entrance. As they approach the threshold at the top of the stairs, a nauseous stench of bodily fluids from the revelers of the previous weekend mixes with the exhaust of the passing cars and train system below. Looking into the cavernous entrance they continue on their journey down to the gated turnstile. Approaching the platform they hear the sounds of other potential passengers rushing through turnstiles, creating an orchestrated rhythm mimicking the sound of locks closing. They reach into their pocket to pick their fare, and hear the jingle of loose tokens as they pluck one out. At this point in time they are surrounded by other Philadelphians about to embark on the same adventure now anxiously awaiting the squeal of the brakes from the oncoming subway car. It is not until the boxcar stops in front of them and the gear driven doors jittering, slide open. Now the real adventure begins with a look into the past to see what makes this all possible. The Southeastern Pennsylvania Transportation Authority (SEPTA) is a metropolitan transportation authority that operates various forms of public transit—bus, subway and elevated rail, commuter rail, light rail, and electric trolley bus—that serve 3.9 million people in and around Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. SEPTA has the 6thlargest U.S. rapid transit system by ridership, and the 5th largest overall transit system, with about 306.9 million annual unlinked trips.
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M A R K E T- F R A N K F O R D
SEPTA was created in 1964 to subsidize most of the suburban (commuter) transit rail lines originally operated by the Pennsylvania and Reading Railroads. Such subsidies had started in the late 1950s under other local transit agencies to help keep the commuter lines of these railroads running in the face of growing operating losses. SEPTA initially made operating contracts, which provided funds in return for concessions on fares and service improvements. The Authority later owned and operated these lines outright. Furthermore, in 1968, SEPTA took over the Philadelphia Transportation Company (PTC), which had operated the city’s network of subways, elevated trains, bus routes, and trolley lines since 1940. The PTC was the largest transit company still in public hands by the time of the SEPTA takeover. It had come into existence as a successor to the city’s first major transit enterprise, the Philadelphia Rapid Transit Company (PRTC). PRTC had been organized in 1902 from several Philadelphia-area surface and elevated railway companies. The PRTC built most of Philadelphia’s subway and elevated rail lines, long before going bankrupt in 1939.
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RD LINE
The original subway tunnel from City Hall to the portal at 22nd Street, as well as the bridge to carry the line across the Schuylkill River, just north of Market Street, were built from April 1903 to August 1905. Construction on the Market Street Elevated west from this point began In April 1904, and the line opened on March 4, 1907, from 69th Street Terminal to a loop around City Hall at 15th Street. The line was elevated west of the river and underground east of the river. The tunnel was also used by streetcar lines, now SEPTA’s SubwaySurface lines, that entered the line just east of the river and turned around at the City Hall loop. Philadelphia was fairly unique in that construction of its initial downtown subway was undertaken using PTC private capital only, with no contribution from public funds. Extensions took the subway east to 2nd Street on August 3, 1908, and via a portal at 2nd street and several elevated curves it reached the Delaware River between Market Street and Chestnut Street on September 7, 1908. The Delaware Avenue Elevated (also called the Ferry Line, because of the multiple ferries across the river) opened on October 4, 1908, as a further extension south along the river to South Street. The only two stations on this extension were Market–Chestnut and South Street. Although the Frankford Elevated had been built several years earlier, disagreement with the City of Philadelphia (who built the line) over the terms of operation meant that it wasn’t opened officially until November 4, 1922. With the adoption of regular service the following day, trains from 69th would alternate between Frankford and the Ferry Line endpoints. Following the opening of the Delaware River Bridge in 1926, traffic on the Ferries line declined sharply. Beginning on January 24, 1937, operations were changed to use the Ferry Line only during the day and not at all on Sundays and holidays,
though Sunday and holiday service was temporarily resumed during the summers of 1937 and 1938. On May 7, 1939 the line to the ferries was closed temporarily, although PRT was forced to return service in 1943. Service was finally ended permanently in 1953, and the structure was demolished. The old interlocking tower and stub remains of the junction with the Ferry Line survived until the realignment into the median of I-95 in 1977. As part of a program of railroad improvements undertaken by the City of Philadelphia and the Pennsylvania Railroad, a new section of tunnel from 22nd Street to 46th Street was started in 1930, which would allow for removal of the elevated structure east of 46th Street and the old Schuylkill River Bridge. Coinciding with this project, a new bridge was also to be built across the river for automobile traffic; this raised the level of the street to permit the roadway to pass over the underground tracks of the Pennsylvania Railroad near their new 30th Street Station. This resulted in a reduction of vertical clearance under the old elevated structure from 20’ to only 8’, which was expected to be only a temporary problem until the new subway tunnel was complete. Unfortunately, funding ran out before the subway extension could be finished. Although streetcar tracks were installed in the new Market Street Bridge, there was insufficient clearance to pass any cars under the elevated, and no service would ever be provided over the new tracks. Subway construction resumed in 1947, and the current configuration opened on November 6, 1955. The old elevated structure was removed by June 20, 1956. While the track was redirected into the new subway, a short stub of the old elevated structure remained at 45th Street until the reconstruction of the Market Street Elevated in 2008.
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LEFT: Switch box on the northbound track at Spring Garden Station. RIGHT: Septa transit transfer.
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The AT&T Station contains a lower level platform, built to accommodate additional trains for large crowds at sporting events. Seldom used in recent years, these tracks are most often used to store rolling stock and work trains. Two of the Broad Street Subway system’s stations have been closed: Spring Garden on the Ridge Spur and Franklin Square on the former Bridge Line, now PATCO Lindenwold Line. The Broad Street Line is one of only two rapid transit lines in the United States outside of New York City to use separate local and express tracks for a significant length, the other being Chicago’s Purple Line.
Service on the northern half of the Broad Street Line, between City Hall and Olney Avenue, opened on September 1, 1928. While the original subway tunnel had been finished to just north of the present-day Lombard-South station, service to the Walnut-Locust station did not begin until 1930; the Lombard-South station entered service in 1932. Service from that point south to Snyder Avenue began on September 18, 1938. Service to a new park-andride station built next to the Fern Rock shops began in 1956, and the line was extended further south to Pattison Avenue in 1973 to serve the recently completed Sports Complex. Although the Broad Street Line was originally planned in the 1920s to be a 4-track facility for its entire length (Fern Rock portal to Snyder), the tunnel was built with provision for 4 tracks only from the portal to just north of Lombard-South. At the time of opening, the outer 2 tracks were built along this length, whereas the inner 2 express tracks were built only in two sections, from the Fern Rock portal/ shops to just south of Olney, and from Girard to their terminus just north of Lombard South. To close the gaps, the two inner express tracks were laid from Erie to Girard in 1959, and again from Olney to Erie in 1991. From Lombard-South station south to Snyder, the tunnel was constructed differently – only the eastern half of the line was built. The track currently used for southbound trains is actually the northbound express track. The extension to AT&T Station in 1973 continued this arrangement. Space exists under the western half of Broad Street for the construction of the western half of the tunnel, which would include the remaining 2 tracks and additional island platforms for southbound local and express trains. The resulting infrastructure would match the configuration built in the northern half of the line. Provisions for flying junctions exist in the tunnels at three locations: north of Olney station, north of Erie station, and between Tasker-Morris and Snyder stations. These were to connect to planned but never built extensions to the north, northeast, northwest and southwest. Tracks were laid in the upper levels of the flying junctions north of Olney and Erie; these have been used over the years to store out-ofservice trains and as layover points for express and Ridge Spur trains.
ET LINE
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LEFT: Token machine at Spring Garden Station. RIGHT: Fare tokens thoughout the years.
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HISTORICAL TIME
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MFL | BSL Legend
MELINE
Market-Frankford Line Broad Street Line Ferry Line (Demolished) Begin Original Subway Tunnel Construction
1903
Market Street Elevated West opens
1907
Subway Tunnel Extended to 2nd street
1973 Olney to Eerie express track laid
Track extended to AT&T station Market-Frankford Elevated opens for full service
1991
1959
1908
Eerie to Girard express track laid
2008
1922
1908
Curernt Subway configuration completed
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1955 Curernt Subway configuration completed
Market-Frankford Elevated Reconstruction
1956
Service extended to Fern Rock Park-n-Ride
1930
Service extended from Olney to Lombard-South
1928
Broad Street Line Opened
1953
Line demolished due to lack of use
1977
Service extended from Olney to Lombard-South
LEFT: Septa Transpass reader and turnstyle.
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D E S I G N A N D I L L U S T R AT I O N
THE HEADS OF STATE
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THE HEADS OF STATE is the illustration and graphic design firm of Jason Kernevich and Dustin Summers, and is located in Old City Philadelphia. Jason and Dustin graduated from Tyler School of art in 2002 and have been working together in one form or another since 2003. They started by making silk-screen posters for Philadelphia’s independent music scene and then slowly working their way up. Their collaborations focus on conceptual simplicity, texture and strong color. Local clients paved their way for bigger and more international assignments from the likes of R.E.M., Wilco, Penguin, Starbucks, Wired Magazine and The New York Times. They have also won awards from Communication Arts, American Illustration, Print Magazine, Graphis, and the Society of Illustrators. Now they run a full-service design and illustration operation for a variety of clients. They like the tactile quality of offset printing, coupled with simple graphics and sharp visual wit that hints at the ideas of revolution, rebellion, solidarity and that print is not dead. They believe images should be simple, memorable and must possess a quality of familiarity, and they want their work to resonate conceptually, emotionally and stylistically.
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JASON AND DUSTIN say that over the years they have developed a shorthand for working with one another. Their process is simple and usually consists of conversation while sketching out ideas. Some projects get labored over more than others and they have their share of arguments, but in the end they are both in the pursuit of the best idea they can come up with. For Four Years Before relocating to Philadelphia the two were working with each other between coasts, Kernevich was living in Brooklyn and Summers in Seattle. Because of this distance they had to develop a short and precise way of communicating to get ideas across quickly. This has allowed them to work even more effectively together now that they are in the same place. Their work is informed with a certain stylistic sensibility and ideas are adjusted to fit this, but always starts with the conceptual jumping off point. They say that they probably spend 75% of the time figuring out concept and a lot less working with actual image. That stylistic sensibility comes from the tactile feel of offset printing, something that is incorporated into most of their work. Their biggest influences are Spaghetti Westerns, 1966 and the first half of 1967, typography, electric guitars, facial hair, leather boots, Swedish automobiles, New Zealand, wine and spirits, the out of doors, Saul Bass, Alex Steinweiss, Dashiell Hammett and General Ulysses S. Grant. They also love early silkscreen designers of the 50s and 60s, the travel posters of David Klein, and book designers like John Gall and Paul Sahre. They are also very inspired by their friends who are also working artists in the industry. For the last five years Kernevich and Summers have been lecturing on the design circuit. They have travelled to many different states to talk about their art and process. They Recently The Heads of State gave added a new member to their team, Woody Harrington who recently
graduated with an award-winning portfolio from the Tyler School of Art this last May. They have also spent some time traveling to different cities and giving lectures on design and their aesthetic. They say that they like being located in Philly since there are only a handful of agencies and shops that work similarly design-wise, so it has a more cozy feel. Also the cost of living is much better compared to New York, and its easy to find a good working space. Their workshop in the Old City neighborhood is both their studio and where they run their online store from, so it is pretty chaotic and hectic but a great workshop and very productive.
"Our office is on the second floor of an old storefront building in the Old City neighborhood of Philadelphia. We’re surrounded by Ben Franklin impersonators giving walking tours of the Betsy Ross house and Independence Hall. The studio is pretty jammed packed with our books and paper scraps and ephemera. We have all sorts of design objects around including presidential busts, globes, old books, and a vintage blue-collar thermos collection. We also run our online store from this space so our poster and print archive is stored here as well as our mail room. It gets pretty chaotic at times but it has the great organized chaos of a workshop." ‘From the Desk of’ interview with the Heads of State
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BOOK COVER DESIGN ‘Solo’ by Rana Dasgupta
How did you become a book cover designer? What do you enjoy about your job? We found our way to book cover design through poster design and editorial illustration. Book covers are sort of close cousins to posters, especially illustrative posters. Designing covers is always a big honor and an even bigger challenge. We’re both avid readers, so seeing our work wrapped around a bound book is always quite a kick. But it’s a unpredictable challenge. Digging in and finding the right cover for a story is a different errand every time and that is what makes it terrifying and exciting. What is Solo about? The story is told partially from the perspective of a 100 year old man on his deathbed who recollects the pieces of his life as seen through the events of the 20th century. Did I mention he is also blind and Romanian? It’s kind of like Murakami meets Garcia Marquez, Ionesco, and Terry Gilliam. Sort of. Were there any steps taken before starting, and was there a clear working process that led to the final? Any known influences? The story was too grandiose to be specific. We tried a lot of different imagery as symbolism for the main character. Eyeglasses. Soviet-era housing structures with many, many windows. In the end, we felt the solitary figure dissipating seemed to speak volumes on it’s own. It had the right feel. It started out as a sketch that we actually passed on. But as our first few rounds of comps failed to resonate, we went back to our sketchbooks and found this idea. This is a big part of our process. We’re always diving back into notes and doodles to see if we missed something interesting.
What was the message behind the design? And what’s something unique you learned while working on this project? ‘With the scope of the story being so broad it was hard to sum it all up in one image but we feel the birds represent both the entirety of the character’s life as well as his memories. A parrot also plays into the story so there is a literal nod as well.’ When you have a story with such a broad range with some many aspects that a person can get latched on to, we feel it’s best to approach it in a more general manner. Simplicity can be an evocative device. When all else fails, go back over your thoughts and ideas. In this instance we went through a number of rounds and nothing seemed to work. We started paging back through sketch books and stumbled on a little tertiary sketch that never made it past this kind of after thought, didn’t even make it into our internal crop of potential covers. But after all the dust settles that little spec of a sketch really encapsulated the story.’ Interview with The Heads of State by Faceout Books
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The Heads of State
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TYPOGRAPHY WORK ‘The Great Gatsby’
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One of the Heads of State’s newest projects is a letterpress print inspired by F. Scott Fitzgerald’s novel The Great Gatsby. They created business cards and personal stationary for the guests in the book that attend Gatsby’s party in the summer of 1922. They made a lot of the information up for each guest up since little detail is given in the book itself, only hints of professions or addresses. But they combined this with beautiful vintage typography and design. They said that although in high school they at first hated reading the book, it was a joy rediscovering it later in life. The time period of the roaring twenties holds a lot of allure to them, and really inspired this project. The aesthetic already had a connection with the work The Heads of State make, using hand lettering and classic typefaces found in old books. Their biggest goal though was capturing the spirit of the age, even if it wasn’t 100% historically accurate, since a lot of actual business cards made at that time were much more utilitarian and less decorative. Their favorite of all the cards they designed is Jordan Bakers since she is the only main character who got a card.
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BAND POSTERS
and Working with Wilco How did you end up working with Wilco? JK: Word of mouth, really. Their manager contacted us, and it went from there. There were (and are) a lot of different poster styles out there. Some are more tattoo-art-based, while others go for more a comic-book feel; we were doing these minimal, mid-century graphic inspired pieces. With certain bands, like Wilco and R.E.M., it just fits with what they do musically. DS: Since then, we’ve had some pretty big acts like Elton John and Dave Matthews contact us about doing work for them, but we turned them down. They’re not really a part of that aesthetic, but they wanted a poster that would make it look they were. They wanted a product to sell.
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So, they were trying to swagger jack? Both: Yeah. Interview: Graphic designers and gig-poster makers. The Heads of State by CityPaper
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1ST F R I D AY
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First Friday
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Known for it’s thriving art and music scene, Philadelphia is home to many social and lively gatherings. Whether it be concerts, exhibitions, carnivals or flea markets, there’s no doubt that there will be something to discover daily. One of Philadelphia’s most beloved and well-known events is called “First Friday”.
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First Friday consists of hundreds of art lovers that crowd the streets of Center City bordering the waterfront to wander through the 40 to 50 galleries that hold brand new exhibitions. The casual atmosphere allures people of all ages to experience the magic and plain old good time that First Friday never fails to bring.
Twenty years ago, First Fridays felt almost daring—discovering new artists, cafés and watering holes, and occasionally new friends, in a quirky, bohemian neighborhood. Art galleries, both unpredictable not-for-profits and sleek highend ones, threw open their doors to the public on the first Friday of every month, regardless of the weather, from 5 to 9 PM. Sprinkled among these was the odd vacant warehouse, reminders that Old City was just beginning to put itself back on the cultural map. Now, as First Friday approaches its 20th anniversary in what has become “the gallery district,” it continues to draw people to the area, in the process taking on a frenetic life of its own, filling the streets with commercial activities, often of dubious artistic merit. Regardless, it is still the most entertaining show in Philly without a price tag.
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Among the cities with art-oriented First Friday events are: Albany, Anchorage, Augusta, Bellingham, Binghamton, Burlington, Chicago, Columbus, Denver, Honolulu, Indianapolis, Juneau, Kalamazoo, Kansas City, Knoxville, Lincoln, Louisville, Las Vegas, Scranton, Oakland, Philadelphia, Phoenix, Pittsburgh, Raleigh, Richmond, Rochester, San Antonio, San Jose, Santa Rosa, Spokane, and Tallahassee.
Started in 1991 by a group of galleries as a collaborative open house evening, First Fridays grew quickly into one of Philly’s most vital, signature cultural events. Some of the arts organizations you can visit on First Fridays include the Clay Studio; the Temple Gallery; the cooperative galleries Nexus, Highwire, Muse and Third Street Gallery; and collaborative Space 1026.
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Additionally, these are “see and be seen” events that serve as a block party or social gathering open to the general public. Many of these events are centered around political networking between Republicans, but in many cities these events may involve pub crawling, other retail establishments such as cafes and restaurants, and performances by fire twirling acts, belly dancing, street musicians, or others.
If you are interested in selling your own artwork, but don’t have enough of it to fill a gallery, you can open up shop right on the sidewalk. Most of First Friday’s most interesting and beautiful art is sold outside by students or regular folks that have a talent in jewelry making, screen printing, painting, drawing etc. And most of these artists sell their work for half the price of those sold in galleries.
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Aside from all of the viewing and listening pleasures this event has to offer, it also ties in another part of the senses– taste. Most galleries often have free wine, cheap beer and sometimes even free finger foods to munch on while you take in all there is to see.
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If you aren’t sold on the inviting and exciting atmosphere, the cultural as well as the artistic exploration, and the almost completely free indulgence (did I mention FREE WINE?), then also consider that First Friday is a wonderful chance to meet talented artists, as well as purchase beautiful artwork of all kinds for reasonable (and sometimes down right cheap) prices. First Friday is surely an experience worth having; whether it be for critiquing and viewing artwork, or merely people watching– be sure to check it out!
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Philadelphia’s
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hiladelphia’s Magic Gardens (PMG) is a mosaicked visionary art environment, gallery, and community arts center that preserves, interprets, and provides access to Isaiah Zagar’s unique mosaic art environment and his public murals. The Magic Gardens site, Zagar’s largest artwork, includes a fully tiled indoor space and a massive outdoor mosaic sculpture garden that spans half a block on Philadelphia’s famous South Street. Inside, visitors can view folk art statues, bicycle wheels, colorful glass bottles, Zagar’s hand-made tiles, and thousands of glittering mirrors. The installation pays tribute to Zagar’s artistic influences, along with community and personal experiences. Open to visitors daily, PMG has become a unique Philadelphia destination, hosting year-round, low-cost public programs within its own distinctive venue and the surrounding community. PMG, a nonprofit organization, inspires creativity and community engagement by educating the public about folk, mosaic, and visionary art.
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About the Artist Isaiah Zagar is an award-winning mosaic mural artist whose work can be found on over 100 public walls throughout the city of Philadelphia and around the world. Born in Philadelphia and raised in Brooklyn, Zagar received his B.F.A. in Painting and Graphics at the Pratt Institute of Art in New York City. When he was 19 years old, Zagar discovered the folk art installations of Clarence Schmidt in Woodstock, New York. Influenced by Schmidt, Picasso, Jean Debuffet, Curt Schwitters, Antonio Gaudi, Simon Rodia and Joseph Ferdinand Cheval, he was inspired to include the concepts of untrained artists as manifestations of fine art. Zagar’s artwork is heavily influenced by his travels and the personal connections he
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has made with international folk and visionary artists. Isaiah and his wife Julia completed three years of Peace Corps service in Peru in the mid1960s, working with folk artists in the Puno region near Lake Titicaca. Soon after, they settled in Philadelphia and began their lifelong work of creating public art and fostering creativity in all its varied forms. In addition to his three-year Peace Corps service in Peru, Isaiah has completed artist residencies in Tianjin, China and Rajisthan, India. He also participated in a residency at the Kohler Ceramic Factory in Wisconsin. Zagar’s work is included in the permanent collections of numerous art institutions, including the Philadelphia Museum of Art, the
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My work is marked by events and is a mirror of the mind that is building and falling apart, having a logic but close to chaos, refusing to stay still for the camera, and giving one a sense of heaven and hell simultaneously.
Pennsylvania Academy of Fine Art, and the Hirshhorn Museum in Washington, D.C., and has been featured in solo exhibitions throughout the Philadelphia area. Zagar has received grants for his artistic excellence from the National Endowment for the Arts and the Pew Charitable Trust for his work in Interdisciplinary Arts. Isaiah Zagar has gained recognition in various films and publications, most notably in the 2008 documentary, In A Dream, created by his son, Jeremiah Zagar. He has spoken at several prominent conferences and artists’ lectures both domestically and internationally. Through 40+ years of creating artwork on a grand, public scale, Zagar has helped shape Philadelphia into a thriving creative community.
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Art is the center of the real world, Philadelphia is the center of the art world.
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History Zagar has devoted himself to beautifying the South Street neighborhood since the late 1960s, when he moved to the area with his wife Julia. The couple helped spur the revitalization of the area by purchasing and renovating derelict buildings, often adding colorful mosaics on both their private and public walls. The first such project was Julia’s still-thriving folk art store, The Eyes Gallery at 402 South Street. Zagar started working on the Magic Gardens in 1994 in the vacant lot nearby his studio. He began by constructing a massive fence to protect the area from harm and then spent the next fourteen years excavating tunnels and grottos, sculpting multi-layered walls, and tiling and grouting the 3,000 square foot space.
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The installation pays tribute to Zagar’s many artistic influences, as well as the events and experiences of his life. Enveloped in visual anecdotes, the mosaicked walls refer to his wife Julia and sons Ezekiel and Jeremiah through playful images and words, but also reference important elements of the wider world. Las Pozas and Day of the Dead, the dance community of Philadelphia, and even the airplanes of the nationwide 9/11 tragedy.
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Founding the Organization In 2002, the Boston-based owner of the once-vacant lot located at 1022-1026 South Street decided to sell the land in response to rising South Street property values. Unwilling to witness the destruction of Zagar’s neighborhood art environment, the community rushed to support the artist. His creation, newly titled Philadelphia’s Magic Gardens, became incorporated as a nonprofit organization with the intention of preserving and promoting Zagar’s works at the site of the Magic Gardens and throughout the South Street region.
Philadelphia’s Magic Gardens is now a permanent art institution that is open to visitors throughout the year. Trained guides are available to lead tours of the Magic Gardens and Zagar’s surrounding public murals. In addition, PMG offers monthly mosaic workshops led by Zagar himself, and regularly hosts concerts, dance performances, and other public events.
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In the Eye of the Beholder
art histor y revisited
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“Beauty in things exists merely in the mind which contemplates them.� -David Hume 91
I have been a student at the University of the Art for four years now. I have taken many art history classes throughout my high school and college career and I have written many papers. Because of the university’s location, I have the privilege to be surrounded by art and history walking around my neighborhood. I am also lucky to have the Philadelphia Museum of Art. As I sat in my first Women Artists class as my sixth art history class, I decided that I should pursue art history as a minor. I have always appreciated the ever-changing techniques and styles of art throughout the ages, and with all of the art surrounding me in Philadelphia, I was able to venture out and see these pieces for myself. Declaring an art history minor is highly beneficial for a graphic design major. I feel that having a vast knowledge of art that has come before comes in handy to a designer since not all the work that designer do is going to be contemporary. Some jobs will challenge designers to look back to the past and make something that beckon back to different times in history; and knowing the techniques that those artists used is of paramount importance when researching those kinds of projects. On top of that, having a knowledge of art history is just another method in broadening the mind. In this article I will be revisiting a piece that can be found locally. I will be seeing, or re-seeing, the Dream Garden, a Tiffany glass mosaic that was made in 1916, that I had written about for my American Art class in the fall
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of 2011. The assignment was go do preliminary research on the piece whether it was reading, looking at photographs, et cetera. Then I was to take the walk down to the Curtis Center, which is located on 6th and Walnuts Streets, and compare what I had seen in my research to what was in front of me. The Dream Garden was commissioned especially for the company’s Georgian Revival style building by Louis Comfort Tiffany based upon a painting done by Maxfield Parrish. The mosaic consists of glass in over 260 colors. In 1998, it was sold to famous business mogul, Steve Wynn, and he had planned to put the large masterpiece in one of his casinos. Local historians and art appreciators protested this and raised $3.5 million to prevent the relocation of the garden. In my opinion, I feel that a second look is never the same. For one thing, one’s life is in a completely different place than the last time. Even if one walked out of the building and back in five minutes later, the piece would still look different, because his life wasn’t the same five minutes ago as it is now. I was excited to get that second look because my life has changed
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drastically in the past year since I had seen the Dream Garden. Coincidentally, it was October when I went to see the Dream Garden for the first time. Taking the walk down Walnut Street, which was my original route, I observed everything around me. Then I arrived at the Curtis Center, which is home to the Curtis Publishing Company. The company was formed in 1891 by publisher Cyrus Curtis, who published the People’s Ledger, a news magazine he had started in Boston in 1872 and moved to Philadelphia in 1876. He had also established the Tribune and Farmer in 1879, from the women’s section of which he created the Ladies’ Home Journal with the help of his wife, and editor, Louisa Knapp in 1883. These publications were taken under the wing of the new company. In 1897, Curtis spent $1,000 to buy The Saturday Evening Post, which would become one of the nation’s most popular papers, known for its articles and stories and frequent cover illustrations by Norman Rockwell. Depending on which way you enter you may come in and see the famous atrium in the main lobby of the Curtis Center. The atrium is
a large, polished black and white marble fountain with plants around the top register. A thin film of water moves down the curves of the fountain and falls to what seems like the floor but is the very edge of the fountain drain. The fountain is two stories tall and is a marvel to witness in real time. In the atrium where the fountain resides is a beautiful space with marble floors and high ceilings. Many people rent this space out for weddings and when it is decorated look beautiful. The atrium is usually decorated for the seasons, especially Christmas. It is covered in elegant garland and lights and there is always a big, ornate tree in the center. I went to the atrium first, which was a different way than I had went through the last time. When I had written the paper, I had seen the mosaic first before the atrium. I was more impressed with the atrium. I found that to be so because the images of the Dream Garden that I had previously searched upon taking the walk to see it were different. There had been plants surrounding the piece, but mainly there is a pool of water in front of it that, in the images, was filled and the glass would reflect over the water, making for a beautiful aesthet-
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From left to right: Stained glass windows adjacent to the Dream Garden, the fountain in the atrium of the Curtis Center, facade of the Curtis Center, close up of the Dream Garden.
Tiffany Studios “The work was exhibited at more than 7,000 in New York City, attracting read critical acadmirers and gaining widesp took six months claim. The Dream Garden iladelphia.� to install into its home in Ph
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The Saturday Evening Post The Saturday Evening Post published current event articles, editorials, human interest pieces, humor, illustrations, a letter column, poetry (with contributions submitted by readers), single-panel gag cartoons (including Hazel by Ted Key) and stories by the leading writers of the time. It was known for commissioning lavish illustrations and original works of fiction. Illustrations were featured on the cover and embedded in stories and advertising. Some Post illustrations became popular and continue to be reproduced as posters or prints, especially those by Norman Rockwell.
The Ladies Home Journal The Journal, along with its major rivals, Better Homes and Gardens, Family Circle, Good Housekeeping, McCall’s, Redbook and Woman’s Day were long known as the “seven sisters”. For decades, the Journal had the greatest circulation of this group, but it fell behind McCall’s in 1961. In 1968, its circulation was 6.8 million compared to McCall’s 8.5 million. That year, Curtis Publishing sold the Ladies’ Home Journal, along with the magazine The American Home, to Downe Communications for $5.4 million in stock.[Between 1969 and 1974 Downe was acquired by Charter Company,[9] which sold the magazine to Family Media Inc., publishers of Health, in 1982 when the company decided to divest its publishing interests. In 1986, the Meredith Corporation acquired the magazine from Family Media for $96 million. By 1998, the Journal’s circulation had dropped to 4.5 million.
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osaic allows one to “The vastness of the m ine landscape, and ist pr is th by ed ur vo de be e viewer’s head that plants the image into th rfection.” the Dream Garden is pe
ic. However, when I arrived a year ago, there was no water, thus lowering my expectations. It didn’t disillusion me completely, I seemed to still have a positive reaction to the piece, stating, “The vastness of the mosaic allows one to be devoured by this pristine landscape, and plants the image into the viewer’s head that the Dream Garden is perfection”. The space surrounding the Dream Garden is a Georgian revival style of architecture, with solid stained glass windows. The space is small, but the atmosphere is warm and pastoral. The coffered ceilings also give the space a vintage feel. Usually ina spaces with a lot of intricate architecture, there isn’t much color, but in this case the colored glass from the mosaic and the windows is the catalyst for an all around beautiful space. Employees come down to sit on the benches and have their lunches and people passing through stop to look at this grand piece that is the Dream Garden. As I looked over my notes I had taken the year before, I approached the Tiffany glass masterpiece with “fresh” eyes. The plants still weren’t there. The water wasn’t in the pool. It was exactly the same as I had left it one year
before. I started to feel disappointed. Maybe it was because of the fact that it did look the same as it did before, but then I started to realize how different my life is now compared to then. I’ve learned more than I knew before I visited the first time, and my eyes had been opened to more experiences than I had known a year before. So even if I personally didn’t think that it looked different, I was seeing it through different eyes. After standing in front of it for several minutes longer, I began to strip away the grandiose ideals that had been put into my head upon looking at the photographs I had seen prior to visiting. I then began to see how truly beautiful the piece is. It was a colossal mosaic made of millions of pieces of glass in over 260 colors. That in itself is unbelievable. I felt, then, that we all seem to take these kinds of pieces for granted. People pass by it every day and don’t think about how amazing it really is. But I suppose that’s how everyone is sometimes, but stand there that day made me think and I learned that a second look is always worth it.
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L A R U M E L I M
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Philadelphia is well known for its vibrant arts community. The city has one of the largest museums in the United States and has more public art than any other city in the nation. A major contributor to the public scene is mainly due to the Mural Arts, changing the facades of something not only visually compelling, but into something that is nearly audible. Each of the murals found within the city have their own vibrant voice, becoming a speaker for their represented community.
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PH In 1968, Jane Golden and then Mayor Wilson Goode envisioned Philadelphia to be an artistic haven with a clear sense of direction. Prior to their involvement, graffiti had been scattered throughout the city and in effect, lowering the general aesthetic of one of the founding metropolises of the United States. With Mayor Goode’s Anti-Graffiti Network program, Jane Golden became personally involved with the graffiti artists of Philadelphia and allowed each to become a visual voice for their unique communities.
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Jane Golden found a great deal of talent within these self-taught artists, but lacked an outlet for their skills. By befriending and encouraging this raw creative force, the city of Philadelphia has now become an international hub for murals and in turn given the name, “The City of Murals.” Artists from around the world now come to the city to improve upon their own abilities or to simply become involved in the experience. Their efforts have allowed a denizen of the city to be immersed in the history in a dynamic way.
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S L A R U M 0 0 0 3 R VE O O T E M O H S I A Philadelphia is home to over 3000 murals, each a visual caption of the neighboring cultures and inhabitants. Within the 3000, the Mural Arts Program has dedicated a small selection of merely 17, all within a single mile span, as a simple tasting. Aptly named the Mural Mile, the collection is found within the heart of the city, allowing the exteriors of various different buildings as a canvas to be a display for the work. A few parking lots, bars, restaurants, and even an animal shelter, the work is always fresh and often eccentric in delivery.
Without a need for a guide, a person is able to have a general understanding of the community it is representing. A few could be a bit abstract, but the inclusion of a title and a short briefing makes it easy to understand. Along with the tour, a viewer can download the audio tour found at http://www.muralarts.org and bring it along with their audio player or phone. If a player is not available, a viewer could always call (215) 525-1577, along with an extension, to still hear the tour through a phone.
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The tour begins at 707 Chestnut St and starts with the mural, “Legacy” and ends with the mural, “Mapping Courage: Honoring W.E.B. Du Bois & Engine #11” on the intersection of 6th and South. An abridged walk of the tour can be started at 1301 Market St with, “Tree of Knowledge, and ends at “Gimme Shelter,” on 1236 Lombard St. The abridged tour is literally a mile, while the full tour will require you to walk two and a half. The full tour is an easy walk and the time does fly while enjoying the different neighborhoods along the tour, but if time is an issue, the abridged version is still worth the trek.
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LEGACY Legacy is a powerful image depicting the history of bondage found in the United State. Not only is it a literal portrayal of slavery, it also illustrates the stories of the inmates who were involved in the project and their personal histories.
Jane Golden, while allowed to visit Graterford Prison, interacted with 40 inmates all serving life in prison. She reveals that, “if they had all a mural arts program, perhaps they wouldn’t be sitting in prison.”
Many of the inmates were allowed to create the large-scale murals and in turn, feeling as though they were contributing beneficially to their environment.
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“Gimme Shelter” mural on the side of the Morris Animal Refuge is my personal favorite. The image is that of a large backyard showing real dogs within the community.
Through the use of a raffle, an owners pup could be immortalized on the side of Morris Animal Refuge. Muralist David Guinn absolutely loved the experience, developing a personal affinity towards all of the dogs he painted. He still remembers each of their names and their owners and the bond he was able to build through his work process.
Looking for a loving companion? Morris Animal Refuge is a fantastic place to try and their friendly workers makes the experience a delight.
S K N A R F DIRTY The corner of 13th and Pine showcases the comedic mural of “Dirty Franks.” The mural shows all of the great iconic Franks found in history, such as the horror mascot, Frankenstein. Dirty Franks has a bit of a history.
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A few of the community members nearly closed the establishment, but the bar was able to find a compromise to keep place a float. Unfortunately, the corner was left a bit barren having to remove all the signage out on its exterior. Muralist David McShane was able to find a humorous solution to the outside, showing the famous Franks found in history and culture.
The many Franks shown include Aretha Franklin, Franklin D. Roosevelt, Frankenstein, Frank Lloyd Wright, Frank from Mash, Benjamin Franklin, Frank Purdue, and of course, Frank the Hot Dog.
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One of the best things I like to do in Philadelphia is find my own personal spots to relax and explore my thoughts, listen to music, and draw creativity from. This is not only self-exhilarating but it is something that is personal with priceless value. As an artist I find it very inspiring to have a spot with a nice view to remind me of the positive realities and possibilities of life. I use these locations to reflect on all the journeys life has allowed me to enjoy so far and will allow me to enjoy in the future. There are spots with beautiful perspectives where I sit by the water and enjoy nature’s inspiration. Every spot has it’s own special characteristics. Some spot’s allows you to overlook all of Philadelphia. These spot’s are very interesting, because they can outline the difference of the people fixated in their daily lives, and a spec-
tator observing from a different perspective. I highly recommend everyone to go out and find their own personal spot. Having a good spot to go to and share with friends as well as private spots could allow you to reload and clear your mind. It is a refreshing way to release stress from those long and difficult days. Having a spot could be a great place to study if your a student all the while it allows a place for you to get away from whatever troubles you may develope throughout a stressful week. The best thing about the adventure of finding a personal spot is that there are no limits to the number of location just waiting be explored. I have realized that having nice spots to relax and hang with a group of friends share stories, laugh, and have fun makes exploring the world worth wild.
Chill Spots
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e. of mine hous ildhood friend tion of playing ch a to g in op remember go d room with the only n food that age of 14 I rk cluttere ll of half eate fu da around the s es as hi at w in pl I y n ng had been rt he W ber sitti led with di at my friend there I remem hours. The room was fil evidence th being his e er ks w ea es br When I got at for countless week. The pl ith school and bathroom st es at least m pa s, e ga tie th o ci de vi s dresser from spot for over a week w plates built up like Lego food. I’d had hi on d ne ai act rem w the molded that same ex watched ho mention the of draining idleness stationary in outside intervention. I room, not to urs rk ho da l om al fr of sm e world ng ce d remaini sit in that only sour ore what th not stand to of energy I ha t we go out and expl ndpart d ra bi ul G co y tle I lit m e til to th ou un of my house away watching the most of I said to him, “how ab us ith di W ra ! e gh th n, enou ng was rned e age of 14 tter then rotti e a suggestio I finally mad f course the world at th ng would have been be adventure game. He tu tell O hi ce . yt uld r” pa an fe co t I . ow bu sl , om er fr ry has to of rn e ve co lution to a planet I cam around the e out what ure out a so ents house tempt to fig if he was tr ying to figur at ly ow sl him e as looked at m around and
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out ys awaited us n, what journe tio e es se gg ’t su dn y ul he co gest m tr ying to di ing on his doors. After only one th as w e er th it. “Why?” id sa he I could tell rely enough went on mind, and su confused stare. Then I a shining ith as w w , n id he sa m how the su just perfecthi to d ne ai ze was and expl t and the bree n’s rays. a golden mis the harmony of the su ith cture of w pi e e nc th la g ba tin ly e I was pain ing up ak tim m e as m w sa The that day, he . He on ty om au ro s be hi nature’s ng to leave si fu ave re le t ld ou his mind ab a person wou t was ha to see why w le of ab al un go as t w ac without an ex their house
Wa t ch i n g t h e g r e a t b l u e s k y r e c e d e . . .
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rite eate our favo at oards to recr th as had w eb at at at so sk th , r r be ou ve er d hate ations an at re I’d rath done, and w uld imagine ly our imagin to offer. Now ainer” of whe going to be thing he co tely, I could nds using on io Cart. It was a “no-br g what the world had t ie es fr e nn m fu so e na ith ar in r. I can’t even tu w or M fe ll or pl d of hi to be th nf ex lle to U t ca s me I kindly t of time. positive abou e the world and all it ha itar, four dollars for k od video ga in ho th ild s ay ch that momen him to leave his room. w d to al n. but my gu y to explor om playent I decide the mentalit the world with nothing r for protectio not persuade mained sitting in his ro eat- mom have grown I still have y grandfathe ve in y, t m re ha da ou ld he s om hi ou le fr go w hi of ld I ed I w that left, I wou e rest I retain g places e game for th off of his imagine how many times the little bit of wisdom many amazin and wisdom from ing the sam and wiping the crumbs ok me too so and dge to n, le e ho or tio ow w ta ym kn le or s an ughed, te ed sp op Septa tran ing pizza bi e spending ed, sang, la so many pe s and attain me to meet rent culture not participat e television screen . I have danc found d ffe ed ith ve ul di w w ha lo co s I en I al th es se is s. pa lip rectly into th then his mother Th r imaged going. I have tuations I’d often cross Through these experienc to you is what di g in ar st s ve s si hour tion orld. other and ne the numerou life, my ques ploring the w terruptions, I went out ever y one of d, and loved through ex s granted us the gift of with zero in e to eat. So th od d fo ie ha he cr m , ac od hi Once I re performed bringing lieve that G o ideas e of life. I be e of my life. had the tim n to contemplate the tw steep the true valu ft? gi ur yo ith ga a gw are you doin fresh air I be house, or riding down a of sitting in
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Chill Spots
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I n t o t h e b l a ck s p a c e , listening to the lapping of an active river u n d e r t h e g r e a t b l u e s k y, feeling the soothing warmth of an active river u n d e r t h e g r e a t b l u e s k y. . .
Growing up in Philadelphia I found that there is a substantial amount of diversity and appreciation for culture.
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The beautiful music, the people, and the different dialects has influenced my views on life. The collaborations of cultures has molded me to respect those different from me and appreciate the beauty of diversity.
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Chill Spots
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History of Philadelphia City Hall
2-7
Architecture
8-13
http://bettercities.net/images/13734/comcast-center-philadelphia
My City, Philadelphia
14-21
Squares
22-31
http://philadelphiausa.travel
Passyunk Square
32-37
Personal Photography
Eastern State Penitentiary
38-45
Philadelphia’s Haunts
46-51
Original Bars and Taverns
52-57
Comfort Food
58-63
http://www.thewalkmagazine.com/home/?p=1696
Token Fare
64-71
Personal Photography
The Heads of State
72-77
http://theheadsofstate.com
First Friday
78-83
Magic Gardens
84-89
In the Eye of the Beholder
90-95
Mural Mile
96-101
Philly Chill Spots 102-107
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http://www.nyc.gov/html/om/html/cityhall_history.html
http://www.gogreenhealthcare.org/greenworks-philadelphia http://www.flickriver.com/photos/29923994@N03/3549921529/ http://www.gogreenhealthcare.org/greenworks-philadelphia http://www.flickriver.com/photos/29923994@Nr03/3549921529/
http://www.easternstate.org/learn/notable-inmates http://www.easternstate.org/ http://www.visitphilly.com/museums-attractions/philadelphia/eastern-state-penitentiary/ http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Al-capone-cell.jpg http://img1.etsystatic.com/006/1/5374608/il_fullxfull.377143965_52zt.jpg, http://www.delcoghosts.com/powel.html http://www.theshadowlands.net/places/pennsylvania.htm http://www.unexplainable.net/ghost-paranormal/haunting-at-the-physick-house.php http://www.experienceproject.com/stories/Get-The-Paranormal-Report/575008 http://mcgillins.com http://dockstreetbeer.com http://johnnybrendas.com
Personal Photography http://www.visitphilly.com/events/philadelphia/first-frday/
http://www.emagineemergeembark.wordpress. com http://www.gabekphoto.com http://www.phillymagicgardens.org http://edtrayes.com http:// photopro-imaging.blog.spot saturday evening post http://muralarts.org Personal Photography
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Type Standard
Buddy Harris Ell Levi
- Comfort Foods
Eric Shelton
Grid
Pagination
- Token Fare
- Squares
Michael Burke
- Magic Garden
Pilsung Kang
- History of Philadelphia City Hall
Kate O’ Hara
- The Heads of State
Matt Guida
- Passyunk Square
John Montesano
Cover
Chloe Anselmo Henry Blount
- Old Bars
- Eastern State Penitentiary
- Philly Chill Spots
Angela Minecci - In the Eye of the Beholder Taylor Pavacich
- First Friday
Bryan Thompson
Content/ Colophone
- Architecture
DaIn Kim
- My City, Philadelphia
John Kim
- Mural Mile
Stephanie Konieczny
- Ghost Tours & Hauntings
This project was completed as part of the requirements of GDES 311, Typographic Systems, in the Graphic Design Department of The University of the Arts
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Credits
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December 2012 211 South Broad St. Philadelphia, PA 19107
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et cetera.
A Literary Collage of Philadelphia
December 2012
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