The Philadelphia Citizen's Almanac
The Philadelphia Citizen's Almanac

Author: Laura E. Beardsley

Publisher: Turner Publishing Company

Published: 2010-11-24

Total Pages: 551

ISBN-13: 1618588664

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Philadelphia began, nearly a century before the American Revolution, as the colony of Englishman and Quaker convert William Penn. Founded in 1681 on the doctrines of the Quaker faith, the city in Penn’s Woods rose to prominence quickly, ultimately serving as host to the First and Second Continental Congresses, and the Constitutional Convention at Independence Hall, key milestones in the birth of the United States of America. Benjamin Franklin and the other Founding Fathers convened in Philadelphia to sign the Declaration of Independence in 1776, a singular moment in world history celebrated one hundred years later at the International Exhibition of Arts, Manufactures, and Products of the Soil and Mine, better known as the Centennial Exposition, also hosted by the city. For a time, the fledgling nation’s capital was here, and throughout time, Philadelphia has remained front and center in any discussion of America’s time-honored history and traditions. As a project devoted to celebrating the decorated and emblematic past of this great American city, The Philadelphia Citizen’s Almanac: Daily Readings on the City of Brotherly Love showcases pinnacle moments in Philadelphia’s journey through time, along with little known anecdotes, facts, figures, and other lore. Included are essays on a wide range of topics, from John Adams’ account of the signing of the Declaration of Independence to Major League baseball’s encounter with the Phillie Phanatic, spanning every epoch in the city’s history from its origins and growth to the recent past. Every day in the calendar year includes a detailed look at a historical event that took place on that day, followed by a listing of events of consequence, and each of the twelve months concludes with an essay that elaborates on one theme. Begin the new year right by escaping a few minutes each day to retrace key moments in the life of America’s birthplace, the city of Philadelphia.

Philadelphia
Philadelphia

Author: Gus Spector

Publisher: Arcadia Publishing

Published: 2014-05-26

Total Pages: 128

ISBN-13: 1439645388

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Philadelphia: South of Market and East of Broad offers a whirlwind journey to the older regions of the city. Along the way, readers will travel the length of South Broad Street from city hall toward the Naval Yard and the former sports complex and will wander by Market Streets former bustling shopssuch as Gimbels, Wanamakers, and Learys quaint bookstoreto the streets terminus at the Delaware River port and the Camden ferries. They will become reacquainted with Independence Square, Washington Square, and the magnificent buildings that once surrounded them and will also revisit South Philadelphia and its Italian Market. These images grant an opportunity to explore Philadelphias streets, peer into its historic nooks, and seek out buildings that have long since gone the way of the wrecking ball.

Philadelphia Neighborhoods
Philadelphia Neighborhoods

Author: Gus Spector

Publisher: Arcadia Publishing

Published: 2008

Total Pages: 132

ISBN-13: 9780738557441

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Philadelphia Neighborhoods, a compendium of historic views of the major residential sections of Philadelphia, presents a snapshot into the past when old neighborhoods were not so old and when currently established ones were as yet new construction. Through the medium of postcards, readers are invited back to an era before automobiles dominated the streets, before many city roads were paved, and when the local grocery store was not located in a mall. Using chapters divided into subsections that detail the various regions of North, South, Southwest, and West Philadelphia, as well as the "new" Northeast Philadelphia, the author chronicles the vibrant, diverse communities that have helped shape the city's rich history.

Imagining Philadelphia
Imagining Philadelphia

Author: Philip Stevick

Publisher: University of Pennsylvania Press

Published: 1996-08-29

Total Pages: 232

ISBN-13: 9780812233773

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Some travelers visited the classic destinations of earlier times, such as the great waterworks complex, and some reacted generally to the tone and temper of the city. Together, these accounts fall into patterns that often convey a mythic reading of the city, as a place of uncommon order and symmetry, for example, or a place of great torpor and dullness, or a city extraordinary for the way in which elements of wilderness interpenetrate the metropolitan core.

The Other Philadelphia Story
The Other Philadelphia Story

Author: Ram A. Cnaan

Publisher: University of Pennsylvania Press

Published: 2010-11-24

Total Pages: 354

ISBN-13: 0812201620

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For people living in U.S. cities, social services come not only from the government but increasingly also from local religious communities. Ever since the Clinton administration's welfare reform, faith-based institutions, and especially congregations, have been allowed to bid for federal funds for their programs. In The Other Philadelphia Story, drawing on the first-ever census of congregations in any American city, Ram Cnaan and his colleagues provide an authoritative account of the functioning of congregations, their involvement in social services, and their support of other charitable organizations. An in-depth study of 1,392 congregations in Philadelphia, the book illuminates how these groups function as community hubs where members and neighbors alike gather throughout the week. Cnaan's findings show that almost every assembly of parishioners emphasizes caring for others, even if the help is modest. Thus American congregations uphold an implicit but strong norm of social responsibility and work to improve the quality of life for members and nonmembers alike. Many of the problems associated with urban life persist in the face of governmental inaction, and the burden of responsibility cannot be shouldered entirely by congregations. However, in a city such as Philadelphia, where half the residents are regular attenders of religious congregations, hopes for urban improvement are largely to be found in these local groups. Special focus is given in the book to kinds of care that often go unnoticed: volunteerism, provision of refuge, and informal assistance to community members in need. All told, Cnaan asserts, congregations are an essential component of Philadelphia's civil society. Without them, the quality of life would deteriorate immeasurably.