Executive Director’s Message

Posted by on Nov 26, 2013 in | Comments Off on Executive Director’s Message The city of Philadelphia is facing enormous opportunities and challenges in preserving its rich heritage. Recent initiatives are as impressive as they are legion. The National Park Service (NPS) is developing a new general management plan for Independence National Historical Park. Following an extensive public process and consultation with historians and planners, the NPS will address several...
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PHMC Highlights

Posted by on Nov 20, 2013 in | Comments Off on PHMC Highlights PHMC leadership has recently been in the news. Executive Director Barbara Franco has been elected chair of the American Association for State and Local History (AASLH) for a two-year term. AASLH, based in Nashville, Tennessee, traces its roots to 1904. It provides leadership and support for members who preserve and interpret state and local history to make the past more meaningful for all...
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A Modest Fountain on the Square

Posted by on Nov 20, 2013 in | Comments Off on A Modest Fountain on the Square The modest appearance of a squat granite fountain hunkered along the curb on the south side of Philadelphia’s Washington Square belies its noble history. The fountain, which began in a much grander form on the opposite side of the square in 1869, was the first project of a sweeping movement that would adorn the city’s streets and quench the thirst of its residents, both man and beast. It was the...
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