Philadelphia History Contest Entries (22)

Tucked away on a quiet tree-lined street in the Rittenhouse Square district, the Rosenbach Museum is a bibiophile’s dream and a monument to the passion of two men, brothers Philip and Dr. A.S.W Rosenbach, fine art and book dealers. Housed inside the historic townhouse where the Rosenbachs lived in the 1900s and furnished as it was during their lifetime, the museum contains the brothers’ private rare book collection, those items that meant so much to them, they would not sell them, including the hand-written manuscript of James Joyce’s masterpiece, Ulysses and the only surviving copy of Ben Franklin’s first-edition Poor Richard’s Almanac. More recently, noted author and illustrator Maurice Sendak, after visiting the museum, selected the Rosenbach to be the sole repository of his work. If available, opt for the guided tour, led by knowledgeable docents, who share stories of the men who lived here and their clients, including Alice Liddell, the inspiration for Lewis Carroll’s Alice in Wonderland, who sold her original copy when she needed money.

Fort Miffilin is a historical place of interest,you can hear the swooping sounds of the jets as the fly through,feel the spirts of the past war heros.As I wondered through the caves and tunnels,I felt as if I were hiding from the enemy waiting to conquer the conquest.I adorded the quaint shop that sold quill pens and liberty bells.We climbed up to the look-out points and viewed the peaceful sernity of a piece of history perserved in time,as if it stood still.The cannon was exciting as we caught a re-enactment scene,the loud boom startled me,yet I loved the experience.

"It will be found, in fact, that the ingenious are always fanciful, and the truly imaginative never otherwise than analytic." - from "The Murders in the Rue Morgue" Only creaking of wooden floorboards is heard as I approach the doorway. A beam of light shoots downward, as if Poe, himself, has summoned this luminary presence. I look at the surrounding walls, and imagine Poe crafting his verse, from a desk situated in the corner. Although he was not born in Philadelphia, this house holds special memory to one of America's most prominent writers.

Cicero - American philosophical society guest speaker! I remained transfixed as the booming voice of this roman majestic orator cleft the hallowed halls of this storied Philadelphia sanctuary. His every word rang as true today as when first uttered prior to when the golden age of Rome eclipsed by marauding hordes from all points of the compass! Despite Latin being Greek to me, the undulations of this melodious voice quaffed as balm to the soul of this commoner, who quickly found himself buoyed aloft as if floating in a pacific sea replete with an edenic archipelago of lush tropical islands! This provocative master of persiflage possessed profound ability to hypnotize t least one rapt listener (me) held in suspense whenever even the minutest pause occurred in the extemporaneous monologue! With eyes closed, an ability to envision the ethical, judicial, moral heft of principles permeated psyche of peasant christened Matthew Scott Harris who felt an automatic reflex to reform wanderlust!

Hidden between the hip stores and restaurants in Old City is a magical place frozen in time. Elfreth's Alley, a street preserved from the 1700s, is a perfectly preserved slice of history. Upon entering, you really feel as though you’ve been transported back to the days of the city’s early founding. Walk among the houses and explore beautiful courtyards, gardens and architecture, as they must have been when the city was first founded. For an additional few dollars, you can get a guided historical walking tour. Elfreth's Alley is the perfect place to go if you are a history buff who likes to experience sites off the beaten path.

I live close enough to hear the musket and cannon fire each fall when the Battle of Germantown is re-enacted at Cliveden. It's a beautiful old house that still bears the signs of that battle and is now the object of a three part cooperation to preserve and protect it. The Friends of Cliveden have teamed up with the Philadelphia Water Department and the Tookany-Tacony Watershed organization to re-vitalize the one block park that make up the grounds around this national historic landmark. How fortunate I feel to have Cliveden as a neighbor!