Independence National Historical Park, Philadelphia, Pa.Riley, Edward M.
History
Independence National Historical Park, Philadelphia, Pa.
Riley, Edward M.
Independence National Historical Park (Philadelphia, Pa.)
NO. 4. SECOND BANK OF THE UNITED STATES (Old Custom House), 420 Chestnut
Street. The building, patterned after the Parthenon by the architect
William Strickland, and considered one of the finest examples of Greek
revival architecture in the United States, was erected between 1819 and
1824 to house the Second Bank of the United States. After a bitter
controversy between President Jackson and the Whigs over the renewal of
the charter, the bank closed in 1836. It was then chartered by the
Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, but finally failed in 1841. From 1845 to
1934, the building was the Philadelphia Custom House. In 1939, the
Treasury Department transferred the building to the Department of the
Interior. It has been partially restored to its original design under
the guidance of the National Park Service. Now exhibited and maintained
by the Carl Schurz Memorial Foundation, the building is open to the
public Monday through Friday from 9 a. m. to 5 p. m.
NO. 5. DILWORTH-TODD-MOYLAN HOUSE, on northeast corner of Fourth and
Walnut Streets. This small brick row house, typical of colonial
Philadelphia, was built by Jonathan Dilworth, merchant, about 1775. From
1791 to 1793, it was the home of John Todd, Jr., and his wife, Dolly
Payne. Following Todd’s death during the yellow fever epidemic of 1793,
his widow married James Madison, Congressman from Virginia, who later
became the fourth President of the United States. From 1796 to 1810, it
was the home of Gen. Stephen Moylan, mustermaster general and cavalry
officer during the Revolution and commissioner of loans in 1793. The
building is not open to the public pending its restoration by the
National Park Service.
[Illustration: {Dilworth-Todd-Moylan House}]
[Illustration: {Bishop White House}]
NO. 6. BISHOP WHITE HOUSE, 309 Walnut Street. This large brick
residence, an excellent example of an early Philadelphia row house, was
built shortly after the Revolution by the Reverend William White, Rector
of Christ Church and St. Peter’s Church from 1777. He became the first
Bishop of Pennsylvania in 1787 and acted as a unifying force in
reorganizing the Episcopal Church after the Revolution. After a long
life of service to mankind, he died in his home on July 17, 1836. The
building is not open to the public pending its restoration by the
National Park Service.
NO. 7. CITY TAVERN (site of), southwest corner of Second and Moravian
Streets. A three-story structure, built about 1773, this was the most
fashionable tavern in Philadelphia and was famous as the gathering place
of members of the Continental Congresses and the Constitutional
Convention and officials of the Federal Government from 1790 to 1800.
The building was demolished about 1852.
[Illustration: {Philadelphia Exchange}]
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
Reviews
Reviews
No reviews yet
Be the first to share your thoughts on this work.
Join the Discussion
Join the discussion
Sign in to leave a comment or review.
Sign InorCreate an account