The Powell House

Philadelphia grew immensely in the mid 1700s. From 1746 to 1765, the population more than doubled from 10,000 to 25,000. In contrast, Boston remained stable at about 15,000. In 1765, Philly was probably the 4th largest city in the British Empire, behind only London, Edinburgh, and Dublin.

This great growth occurred because of Philadelphia's advantages as a commercial center. Being surrounded by hundreds of miles by prime farmland and forest, boasting a fine port, and being situated at the central point of the colonies were all advantageous. As the cash flowed in, many of the local merchants began building estates of their own, often settling on whole city blocks. One such house is the Powel House on 3rd between Spruce and Willing's Alley. At one point, the house and its gardens covered the whole block, but its town-house style was clearly designed with future development in mind. Built by Charles Stedman in 1765, some of the interior furnishings have been on display at the Philadelphia Museum of Art, and the original structure is still standing. Samuel Powel was the last mayor of Philadelphia under British rule, and during the revolution hosted many of the continental congress and even Marquis de Lafayette.

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source: wallyg on flickr