William Penn Annex East in Philadelphia in Philadelphia County, Pennsylvania — The American Northeast (Mid-Atlantic)
A Street Scene in the Capital City
Independence National Historical Park
Photographed By Beverly Pfingsten, July 5, 2008
1. A Street Scene in the Capital City Marker
The building at the corner of Library Street is a quaint and substantial example of the old style architecture where substance and solidity were objects of the first importance.
Public Ledger, April 20, 1887
Close by the Pennsylvania State House and other important government buildings were vibrant neighborhoods which mixed the elegant with the mundane.
This historic print depicts the street in front of you in 1799, at the close of the decade when Philadelphia was the capital of the United States. Side by side with the stately public buildings and the brick houses of the wealthy were the small wooden homes of the working class. Next to Library Hall stood the unpainted shanty of a craftsman.
None of the original buildings in the drawing survive. Library Hall, with the statue of Franklin above the door has been reconstructed.
[Caption:]
Engraving of 5th Street in 1799 by William Birch & Son. Library Hall, on the left housed the oldest subscription library in the United States, founded by Benjamin Franklin. The original structure stood from 1790 to 1884. Rebuilt in 1959, it now contains the library of the American Philosophical Society.
Erected by National Park Service, U.S. Department of
this page online
Topics. This historical marker is listed in these topic lists: Education • Government & Politics • Notable Buildings • Settlements & Settlers. A significant historical date for this entry is April 20, 1613.
Location. 39° 56.91′ N, 75° 8.984′ W. Marker is in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, in Philadelphia County. It is in William Penn Annex East. Marker can be reached from Chestnut Street. The marker stands near 4th Street. Touch for map. Marker is in this post office area: Philadelphia PA 19106, United States of America. Touch for directions.
Other nearby markers. At least 8 other markers are within walking distance of this marker. American Philosophical Society (a few steps from this marker); Philosophical Hall (within shouting distance of this marker); Independence Square (within shouting distance of this marker); a different marker also named American Philosophical Society (within shouting distance of this marker); Independence Hall (within shouting distance of this marker); Commodore John Barry, U. S. N. (within shouting distance of this marker); Peale’s Mastodon, 2017 (within shouting distance of this marker); In This Building (within shouting distance of this marker). Touch for a list and map of all markers in Philadelphia.
Regarding A Street Scene in the Capital City. Engraving of 5th Street in 1799 by William Birch & Son. Library Hall on the left
Photographed By Bill Coughlin, July 25, 2017
2. A Street Scene in the Capital City Marker
Credits. This page was last revised on February 2, 2023. It was originally submitted on July 17, 2008, by Bill Pfingsten of Bel Air, Maryland. This page has been viewed 1,197 times since then and 13 times this year. Photos: 1. submitted on July 17, 2008, by Bill Pfingsten of Bel Air, Maryland. 2. submitted on August 1, 2017, by Bill Coughlin of Woodland Park, New Jersey.
