By Jing Xi Li and Mollie Naessens
Nestled in the heart of Philadelphia, City Hall is a testament to the city's rich heritage and architectural history. As one of the most iconic landmarks in the "City of Brotherly Love," this magnificent building invites visitors to explore its history, admire its intricate design, and appreciate the role it has played in Philadelphia's past and present every day.
The story of Philadelphia's City Hall began in the late 19th century, a period marked by rapid growth and ambitious public programs. On July 4, 1874, various prominent state and national officials, military officers, and citizens witnessed the ceremonial laying of the cornerstone of the “New Public Building” at Penn Square—now, City Hall—at noon, exactly, as described in these ceremony invitations.
City Hall took three decades to construct, leaving plenty of time for public interest to build and misinformation to spread. In July of 1891, Samuel Perkins, a Philadelphia lawyer who served as President of the Commission for the Erection of Public Buildings for the majority of the construction of City Hall, took issue with one “guide” to City Hall produced by Frederick Turner Jr. that claimed the bronze doors of the Southern Entrance were cast abroad. In this letter to the publisher found in Perkins’ Letterbook, Perkins verifies that not only were all features of City Hall built in the country, but that he personally saw part of the bronze doors cast at a firm in New York. Another letter reveals that John McArthur, Jr., the architect of City Hall, initially faced public criticism and scrutiny at word of his appointment. Samuel Perkins did everything he could to support and preserve his efforts and vision. (Butterfield, 439) In appreciation of Perkins' dedication to the City Hall project, eight of his cats are sculpted around the walls of a chamber in the South Entrance hall with the word "JUSTICE" inscribed above the entrance, acknowledging Perkins' career as a lawyer as well as his efforts to build City Hall. Finally, the letter books offer rich insight into early operations, plans, and challenges facing City Hall through records of planned visits to lumber mills and quarries, the pursuit of contracts with various sculptors, builders, newspapers, and suppliers; and plans to open meeting rooms for public use, despite ongoing construction.
Philadelphia's City Hall is more than an architectural wonder; it is a living history of the people who worked to see it built, be it Samuel Perkins, John McArthur Jr., or the many masons, bricklayers, and construction workers who dedicated themselves to its construction over the course of three decades. A visit to City Hall not only provides an insight into the impressive architectural heart of Philadelphia, but these personal stories and historical roots hidden in the walls marking Center City everyday.
Jing Xi Li is a student at Temple University majoring in Communication and Mollie Naessens is a student at Temple University majoring in History. Li and Naessens were participants in the 2024 Public History Summer Academy for undergraduates. Students spent a week in August learning about archival research and public history practice and careers. Drawing on the vast collections at the Historical Society of Pennsylvania, the students focused their research on city government and citizen action in Philadelphia. Visit https://www.portal.hsp.org/phisa for more information.
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