Search results
Jan 8, 2016 · History. Logan Circle. Rittenhouse Square. Washington-Square Restaurant. William Penn. Sandy Hingston @sandyhingston. shingston@phillymag.com. The five open public squares William Penn laid out to ...
- Logan Circle
Now the long nightmare that was our ten-or-so days without...
- Rittenhouse Square
Rittenhouse Square is one of Philadelphia’s most popular...
- William Penn
Whenever spring decides to show its face, boy-OH-boy will we...
- History
On a Tuesday in late June, we gathered six distinguished...
- Logan Circle
- Early Uses
- 'Congo Square'
- Burial Grounds
- The Story of The Unknown Soldier
- A Washington Tale
- Park Development
- Fountains of Social Reform
- Publishing Boom
But the square, first planned by Penn in 1682, had natural elements that seemingly would make it unrecognizable to Philadelphians today. Washington Square sloped significantly, creating a deep gully on its eastern end. Two small streams, one known as Munday's Run, converged in the square before eventually emptying into Dock Creek. That creek, a tri...
Washington Square originally was known as Southeast Square until the city renamed it after George Washington in 1825. But long before that, the square was dubbed "Congo Square" by the city's slaves and free blacks who sought to hold onto their West African heritage. The city's black population gathered at the square to celebrate festivals and holid...
Washington Square was the first of the city's public squares to be used as a potter's field, a place to bury the city's black population, poor people and criminals. This usage dates to 1706, according to Watson's "Annals of Philadelphia." At one point, a brick enclosure of about 40 square feet was constructed at the square's center to serve as a pr...
The Washington Square Planning Committee sought to pay tribute to Washington and the deceased soldiers when they sought to redesign the square in 1954. The committee, composed of local business executives, opted for a memorial of Washington — first proposed in the early 19th century — and the tomb of the unknown soldier. The act of digging up the r...
Southeast Square was renamed after President George Washington in 1825. The leader of the Continental Army needs no introduction here. But the "Father of Our Country" found himself in an unusual place on Nov. 27, 1798 — the Walnut Street Jail. The prison, which bordered Washington Square's east side from the 1770s to 1835, housed his friend, Robert...
By 1815, Philadelphians were ready to transform Washington Square into the space envisioned by Penn. George Bridport's plans called forcircular gravel walkways and the planting of native trees — as many as 60 to 70 varieties, creating one of the country's first arboretums. "There were evergreens in here, which we don't have today, as well as differ...
Before streetcars and automobiles rose to prominence, Philadelphians relied on horses to traverse the city. A remnant of that horse-powered era still remains along Washington Square's southern border. In 1870, The Philadelphia Fountain Society installed the city's first drinking water fountain on the square's northwest corner, at Seventh and Walnut...
Washington Square had fallen into decline at the turn of the 20th century as the city continued to expand westward. Municipal offices, once a short walk from the park, now were housed in the Philadelphia's massive City Hall. Rittenhouse Square had established itself as the housing destination of the city's elite. By contrast, one newspaper noted th...
Oct 13, 2017 · The City of Brotherly Love ballooned from two to 129 square miles in 1854, the largest American city at that time as measured by territorial area and second only to London across the Atlantic. Today, the size of modern day Philadelphia is 135 square miles.
- Harry Kyriakodis
Hugo Becker (born Jean Otto Eric Hugo Becker, 13 February 1863, died 30 July 1941) was a prominent German cellist, cello teacher, and composer. He studied at a young age with Alfredo Piatti , and later Friedrich Grützmacher in Dresden .
In the fall, hundreds of artists from around the country “Circle the Square” during the traditional Rittenhouse Square Fine Art Show. During the holidays, hundreds of celebrants pack the park for the official start of the season during the Rittenhouse Square Christmas Tree Lighting, featuring more than 5,000 brilliant holiday lights.
Today, visiting Washington Square means strolling its tree-lined pathways, observing the clone of Philadelphia’s only Moon Tree and stopping to recognize the memorial to Washington and unknown soldiers of the American Revolution. The park is just a block from Independence Hall and a popular gathering spot for residents and visitors alike.
750+. The Becker Building is located in the heart of Northern Liberties, featuring units with modern finishes, expansive floor plans, chef kitchens and spa bathrooms. View Availability.
