Historic Houses of Philadelphia: A Tour of the Region's Museum Homes

Historic Houses of Philadelphia: A Tour of the Region's Museum Homes. Roger W. Moss is the Author and Tom Crane took the photos. The book was published in 1998 and is 240 pages in length. I checked this book out of the library on the recommendation of the guide instructor at Waynesborough National Historic Site. The book is large and full of glossy photos and supporting text. The book covers 48 homes built in the 17th through the very early 20th century. The bulk, 80%, of the homes was built in the 18th century. There are about two to three pages devoted to each house. The book covers villas, country estates, and town houses. The houses are grouped by region for easier touring. In fact the author makes suggestion to that effect on how best to tour them. Each region is introduced by a history of that region, its styles, peculiarities and a quick overview of the houses and why they were selected as well as some that were not. These brief introductions do provide an interesting orientation to the area and to the subject matter. Though these houses are all located in or around Philadelphia they are not homogenous. There was great variety in the styles of both architecture and interior design. Some of this depended on the ethnic background of the builders (German and English styles dominate but are not exclusive). Even though some designers and builders slavishly followed English design books local influences especially as regards materials and furnishings shine through. The author also points out how and when the terrain was allowed to influence the designs as well. Each house typically has an exterior photograph and two or three interior photos as well. Some of them have floor plans provided. The history of each house is traced as well as notable reasons for the inclusion of the house in this book. The author has gone to great lengths to put each building into a local and historical context. Where controversy seeps in the author acknowledges this and explains the controversy with out taking sides. In many cases this serves to place the building in context. This is especially noted when discussing the reconstruction of Pennsbury and the issues about historical presentation via research or interpretation (i.e. colonial design and style versus colonial revival design and style.) In essence it comes down to history as reality juxtaposed with history as memory. Included is also a brief biography of the most important residents of each building. Included in the appendix of the book are explanations with line drawings of various styles and terms. The bibliography comes in two sections. The first section lists resource specific to each house and the second section is generic era and location references. The book is more than just a large glossy coffee table book. It is also more than just a big boring architectural reference book. It is good starting point for understanding the life and times of people in Philadelphia and for visiting these import

Roger Moss's new book on the historic house museums in greater Philadelphia fills a void that has existed for a long time. From the turn of the century through the 1920's there were many guides published to help a newly mobile society re-discover the landmarks that the new highways were both making more accessible and threatening. The Bicentennial did not bring a major updating of the available literature, but it did give many local historical societies and sites a major boost. This new book spotlights many of the smaller house museums in groupings meant to encourage touring. While not an architectural guide, the design of the buildings is given equal emphasis with descriptions of the history and collections. There are many interesting themes that are independent of specific buildings. The introduction recaps the history of historic preservation in Philadelphia in the context of the national movement, with the early effort to preserve Independence Hall and other 's! hrines' of democracy. A theme of this topic is the relationship of private citizens and the government. Many of the sites described are only still in existence due to the efforts of concerned individuals, families, or grass roots organizations. Women play a particularly important role, again through individual efforts or through groups such as the Daughters of the American Revolution, the Colonial Dames, or women's groups connected with museums. The huge number (relatively speaking) of historic sites in the immediate area makes any kind of guide a daunting proposition. Moss cites almost 200 house museums alone. His criteria for inclusion in this book consisted of location, original use as a residence, being open to the public without a special appointment, and finally, those houses where the interiors and collections are also distinguished. The fifty properties are grouped geographically to encourage visitation of multiple sites in one trip. The text aids in planning da! y trips. The text is very informative, with the themes pr! eviously mentioned, and interesting anecdotal information. For example, an owner of the Physick House stripped out most of the original woodwork because of her phobia about dust. The Barclay Farmstead is a 32 acre park in the middle of Cherry Hill, The Solitude sits in the middle of the Philadelphia Zoo, Woodlands in a cemetery. Harriton in Bryn Mawr was originally a tobacco plantation with slaves. Henry Mercer's 44 room house in Doylestown with 44 rooms 200 windows and 18 fireplaces is built entirely of reinforced concrete. The generous support of the Barra Foundation ensured that the production of the book is of the highest quality, and available at a moderate price. The photography by the noted local architectural specialist Tom Crane is first rate. In combination with the text the illustrations are a strong enticement to take a few weeks off, hop in a car, and start checking off the list.