A guide book of art, architecture, and historic interests in Pennsylvania
History
A guide book of art, architecture, and historic interests in Pennsylvania
Architecture -- Pennsylvania; Art -- Pennsylvania; Historic buildings -- Pennsylvania; Pennsylvania -- Guidebooks; Pennsylvania -- History
The first Roman Catholic Church for Germans was organized in
Philadelphia in 1787. Ground for a building was purchased at the
northwest corner of Sixth and Spruce Streets. Articles of incorporation
were granted October 4, 1788, under the title of “The Trustees of the
German Religious Society of Roman Catholics, called the Church of the
Holy Trinity in the City of Philadelphia.”
The first medical library in the United States was established in
connection with the College of Physicians in Philadelphia, in April,
1788.
“The Free African Society” was founded April 12, 1788, by Absalom Jones
and Richard Allen, two negro clergymen of Philadelphia. The “African
Church,” the first church in America exclusively for and controlled
entirely by negroes, was built by this Society, and opened for public
worship July 17, 1794. It was incorporated March 28, 1796, as “The
Minister, Church Wardens and Vestrymen of the African Episcopal Church
of St. Thomas, in the City of Philadelphia.”
In 1789, Lucian’s “Dialogues,” first Greek book printed in America, was
by Joseph James at Philadelphia.
The Philadelphia Stock Exchange, the first in America, originated in
1790, in a building at the southwest corner of Front and Market Streets,
known as the “London Coffee House.” It was known as the “Philadelphia
Board of Brokers” until the 8th of December, 1875, when it was changed
to its present name, “The Philadelphia Stock Exchange.”
The first law school in America was opened by the University of
Pennsylvania, December 15, 1790, President Washington and the members of
his cabinet taking part in the exercises.
Turkish and Axminster carpets were first made in this country in 1791,
by William Peter Sprague, in the Northern Liberties.
First Bank of the United States, was established in Philadelphia,
February 25, 1791.
The first patents for machines for threshing grain in the world were
awarded to Samuel Mulliken, of Philadelphia, March 11, 1791.
In 1791, Charles Willson Peale established a drawing school, which was
succeeded in 1794 by “The Columbianum,” also established by Charles
Willson Peale. This was the first society in the United States for the
promotion of the fine arts.
The first canal in the United States was the “Schuylkill and Susquehanna
Navigation Company,” chartered here in 1791. There were 2000 shares of
stock at two hundred dollars per share, and the officers were Robert
Morris, president; Timothy Matlack, secretary; and Tench Francis,
treasurer.
The first United States Mint was built in Philadelphia, at what is now
37 and 39 North Seventh Street. The corner stone was laid July 31, 1792,
and the first coins, consisting of dimes, half-dimes and cents, were
struck in October of the same year. David Rittenhouse, a Philadelphian,
was the first director.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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