Old City in Philadelphia in Philadelphia County, Pennsylvania — The American Northeast (Mid-Atlantic)
A Working-Class House in the Capital City
Photographed By Beverly Pfingsten, July 5, 2008
1. A Working-Class House in the Capital City Marker
Wealth makes all the distinction of classes in Philadelphia.
Duc de la Rochefoucault-Liancourt, 1783
The house of a workman stood here in the late 1700s when Philadelphia was the temporary capital of the United States. Its location is marked by the brick square in front of you. The house had only two rooms and an attic, each on top of the other. Houses like this often served as both residence and workplace.
A shoemaker, a turner, a coachman, a tavernkeeper, and a coppersmith --each in turn--lived here during a ten-year period. Like eight of ten Philadelphians, they rented rather than owned their own houses.
Today the house is gone, and few traces of its occupants remain. Their belongings were inexpensive and commonplace, things easily discarded. No one wrote their biographies. Rarely did their names stand out in history. Yet they made up the vast majority of Philadelphia's population.
Erected by National Park Service, U.S. Department of the Interior.
Topics. This historical marker is listed in these topic lists: Industry & Commerce • Notable Buildings • Settlements & Settlers. A significant historical year for this entry is 1783.
Location. 39° 56.851′ N, 75° 8.871′ W. Marker
this page online
Other nearby markers. At least 8 other markers are within walking distance of this marker. James Madison 4th President lived here (a few steps from this marker); A Changing Neighborhood (within shouting distance of this marker); Todd House (within shouting distance of this marker); 18th Century Garden (within shouting distance of this marker); Old St. Joseph's Roman Catholic Church (within shouting distance of this marker); Saint Joseph's Roman Catholic Church (within shouting distance of this marker); Robert Morris (within shouting distance of this marker); Carpenters' Hall (within shouting distance of this marker). Touch for a list and map of all markers in Philadelphia.
Photographed By Bill Coughlin, July 25, 2017
2. A Working-Class House in the Capital City Marker
The Todd House can be seen beyond the marker.
Photographed By Beverly Pfingsten, July 5, 2008
3. The Todd House
The marker sits behind the Todd House at the corner of 4th & Walnut Streets. This was the home of Dolley Payne Todd. After her first husband died in 1793 during the Yellow Fever epidemic, she remarried James Madison.
Credits. This page was last revised on April 6, 2024. It was originally submitted on July 16, 2008, by Bill Pfingsten of Bel Air, Maryland. This page has been viewed 1,191 times since then and 20 times this year. Photos: 1. submitted on July 16, 2008, by Bill Pfingsten of Bel Air, Maryland. 2. submitted on August 1, 2017, by Bill Coughlin of Woodland Park, New Jersey. 3. submitted on July 16, 2008, by Bill Pfingsten of Bel Air, Maryland.
