James Logan

James Logan (1674-1751) was one of the most important characters in early Philadelphia. He arrived to the new world in 1699 as an assistant to William Penn, and in 1701 assumed charge of Penn's local affairs when the original proprietor returned to England for the last time. Between 1701 and his death in 1751, he held many offices such as commissioner of property, chief justice of the Pennsylvania supreme court, mayor (1722-1723) and even served on the board of trustees for the College of Philadelphia (which would later become the University of Pennsylvania) during the first year of classes, 1751.

source: http://explorepahistory.com/

The legacy that Logan left on Philadelphia however centers not on his governing abilities but on his life as an intellectual. His support of formal education and cultivation of local bright minds had lasting impact on the area and helped make Philadelphia the intellectual center of the colonies in the 18th century. Among his students was a "bright young instigator" that would go on to shape the future of not only Philadelphia, but the colonies at large - Benjamin Franklin.

Logan's country estate, located on the road to Germantown to the north of the city, was the first example of Georgian architecture in the Delaware Valley. Stenton - as it is called - still exists in a park near 18th and Courtland:

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source: http://www.stenton.org/

At the time of Logan's death, Stenton housed a library of 2500 volumes, the largest in the sciences, linguistics, and classics in the colonies. This library is actually still intact as part of the Library Company of Philadelphia.

And of course, the Benjamin Franklin Parkway winds its way through Logan Square in center city.

Philly History Blog

I've mentioned the Philadelphia City Archive, hosted on PhillyHistory.org. They also have a very well written blog that draws material from the archives. Each post I have read so far has been well researched and interesting.
I've always been fascinated with the Lenni Lenape (Delaware) place names around Philly. Here is part 1 of a great post about some of these names, and the known settlements along the Delaware River at the time of William Penn. Part 2 is here.

The Greene Country Towne

Philly was a planned city. William Penn named it, chose the site, and created the street plan. This original street plan still exists and can be seen here:
A portraiture of the city of Philadelphia in the province of Pennsylvania in America, 1683.
With its broad streets and large city blocks, stretching from the Delaware to the Schuylkill, Penn envisioned a "greene Country Towne, which will never be burnt, and allways be wholsome." The residents had a different plan, and old-city Philly became what it is today as they crammed in along the Delaware riverfront and divided lots into alleys.


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One thing that caught my attention was the previous inhabitants of the area. The Delaware (or Lenni Lenape) Indians certainly lived in the vicinity for millenia, but at the time of the founding of the city, the west bank of the Delaware had been sold to Swedes - the Svensson brothers - Sven, Olave, and Andrew. The commissioners had to first buy them out to found their city.

Penn's city was different from other colonial cities because of its (among other things) planning, its rapid growth, and its brick houses (good for fire protection). Here is an 1868 photo of these original 18th century brick row homes. One of the coolest things about the Philly History site is the "Google Street View" button below the picture which shows the current street view of the historical location. Click on the picture to be taken by the tubes to the original website.

I also like this photo of the "London Coffee House" (built 1702) on Front and High Streets (Market was called High Street back in the day). This coffee house was a high-end tavern that was superseded by the City Tavern during the revolution. It was mainly a meeting house for merchants to make deals over a few pints. Located on the Southeast corner of the intersection, this lot is now occupied by an I-95 on-ramp.

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Lots more to come as I catch up to my current spot in the book - post revolution.

Motivation

A few weeks ago I began reading "Philadelphia - A 300-Year History" edited by Russell Weigley and authored by a number of scholars in the late 70s and early 80s. The book was published in 1982, and as far as I know, it is the only exhaustive history of Philadelphia. The writing quality varies from chapter to chapter, and at times it's quite pedantic, but supplemented with the vast information resource that is the internets, it's been fun.

I will try and use this space to post interesting tidbits and stories that I encounter. Chances are that I will neglect this shortly, but I figured I'd give it a shot and see what happens.

Some of the great internet resources on Philly:

• Philly History - the Philadelphia City Archive - I haven't spent much time here yet but it looks like there is a wealth of information.
• Philadelphia GeoHistory Network - Lots of maps, new and old.
• Philly Skyline - An old blog by a recently departed resident of Philly. Includes photo essays on the unique neighborhoods and buildings.
• Philaplace - Maps interesting locations with descriptions, stories, and pictures.