William Penn Annex East in Philadelphia in Philadelphia County, Pennsylvania — The American Northeast (Mid-Atlantic)

REMOVED

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Peale’s Mastodon, 2017

American Philosophical Society Museum

Photographed by Bill Coughlin, July 25, 2017

1. Peale’s Mastodon, 2017 Marker

Inscription.
In 1801, Charles Willson Peale excavated a mastodon skeleton in upstate New York. Afterwards, he made this painting that shows how he did it. Eventually Peale displayed the skeleton in his Philadelphia Museum. In this garden, you see an artist’s interpretation of how Peale would have put the skeleton together.

To learn more about Peale and his curious family, visit the APS Museum across the street. It’s in the same building where Peale had his Philadelphia Museum.

Erected 2017.

Topics. This historical marker is listed in these topic lists: Animals • Paleontology. A significant historical year for this entry is 1801.

Location. Marker has been permanently removed. It was located near 39° 56.917′ N, 75° 8.952′ W. Marker was in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, in Philadelphia County. It was in William Penn Annex East. It was on South 5th Street, on the right when traveling north. Marker is located between Walnut Street and Chestnut Street. Touch for map. Marker was at or near this postal address: 104 S 5th St, Philadelphia PA 19106, United States of America.

We have been informed that this marker is no longer there and will not be replaced. This page is an archival view of what was.

Regionally, this marker was in Southeast Pennsylvania. It was also in the American Northeast

and in the Mid-Atlantic.

Globally, it was in North America,

the Western Hemisphere,

the Western World,

and the Anglosphere.

Historically, it found itself in what was once the Haudenosaunee (Iroquois) Confederacy,

New Netherland,

and one of the original Thirteen Colonies.

Other nearby markers. At least 8 other

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markers are within walking distance of this location: American Philosophical Society (a few steps from this marker); The Signer (within shouting distance of this marker); a different marker also named The Signer (within shouting distance of this marker); Philosophical Hall (within shouting distance of this marker); Gilbert Stuart House (within shouting distance of this marker); a different marker also named American Philosophical Society (within shouting distance of this marker); Library of the American Philosophical Society (within shouting distance of this marker); a different marker also named The Signer (within shouting distance of this marker). Touch for a list and map of all markers in Philadelphia.

More about this marker. The painting, Exhumation of the Mastodon, by Charles Willson Peale, 1806-1808, courtesy of the Maryland Historical Society, appears at the top of the marker.

Photographed by Bill Coughlin, July 25, 2017

2. Peale’s Mastodon, 2017 Marker

Two identical markers can be seen on each side of the garden gate.

Photographed by Bill Coughlin, July 25, 2017

3. Peale’s Mastodon, 2017 Marker

Reproduction of Peale’s Mastodon image. Click for full size.

Photographed by Bill Coughlin, July 25, 2017

4. Reproduction of Peale’s Mastodon

Exhumation of the Mastodon image. Click for full size.

Photographed by Allen C. Browne, May 28, 2016

5. Exhumation of the Mastodon

This 1806-1808 painting by Charles Wilson Peale hangs in the Museum of the Maryland Historical Society in Baltimore Maryland. C. W. Peale and members of his famous family can be seen on the right.

Credits. This page was last revised on November 26, 2025. It was originally submitted on July 31, 2017, by Bill Coughlin of Woodland Park, New Jersey. This page has been viewed 491 times since then and 15 times this year. Photos: 1, 2, 3, 4. submitted on July 31, 2017, by Bill Coughlin of Woodland Park, New Jersey. 5. submitted on January 8, 2021, by Allen C. Browne of Silver Spring, Maryland.