Broadly, this represents an effort to read the region’s cultural geography. More narrowly, this is a continuing series in the social history of Philadelphia’s built environment, a study of the forces that cause structures to come into and pass out of existence.
We take seriously J.B. Jackson’s liberal definition of a monument, that:
A monument can be nothing more than a rough stone, a fragment of ruined wall as at Jerusalem, a tree, or a cross. Its sanctity is not a matter of beauty or of use or of age; it is venerated not as a work of art or as an antique, but as an echo from the remote past suddenly become present and actual.
Further, we believe that the study of the landscape and its monuments is didactic and invigorating; that geography reveals lost linkages, that there is no present space segmented from its former state of being cared for and honored.
NFR is, in Jackson’s parlance, “the necessity for ruins.”
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Hi Chris,
I discovered your fascinating website today (by accident while exploring the web). Do you know where I could find out the history, or any info about the abandoned Ridge Ave. Subway stop at 13th Street and Ridge? The stops currently in use for this line are Broad Street, Chinatown, and 8th $ Market. You can see the remains of a fourth closed up station for the Ridge Ave Subway on Ridge Ave. between 13th Street and Spring Garden Street. Judging by the design of this closed subway stop it looks like it was still in use into the 1970s. –Carl
Comment by Carl Gainsborough October 5, 2006 @ 3:55 pmMr. Dougherty,
Do you accept requests? I have heard of a colony of parrots living in Philadelphia. They migrate above ground during warmer weather and nest by a transformer in cooler weather. Have you come across any information related to this in your extensive readings?
TMJ
Comment by Thomas McJunkin October 20, 2006 @ 1:10 amI chanced upon your website this morning. It seems we have similar interests.
Thank you for your comments.
James
Comment by James Hill October 27, 2006 @ 12:35 pmPlease consider adding your blog to PhillyFuture. The directions and form are here.
Comment by rzklkng February 23, 2007 @ 5:19 pmthis website is dead amazing.
j.
Comment by j. kates March 3, 2007 @ 3:13 amGreat web site!
I was curious, do you know anything about an underground boulevard in Center City designed only for police and emergency vehicles?
Comment by Evan March 28, 2007 @ 2:50 amWould you be interested in participating in an upcoming riverfront planning charette sponsored by Neighbors Allied for the Best Riverfront? Please contact me.
Comment by Jeremy April 18, 2007 @ 6:48 pmChris, I was wondering if you might look into the original Chestnut St. bridge as a subject.
You can see some pictures of it here:
http://www.phillyideas.com/Chestnut/
I assume that this was demolished primarily to make room for the Schuylkill Expressway — a crying shame.
Comment by Adam Krom May 29, 2007 @ 11:43 pmwonderful!
Comment by alita April 28, 2008 @ 9:43 pmWonderful blog; I just discovered it through Inga Saffron’s Skyline Online. I am also a blogger, but I tend to write about archaeology in Greece (my academic expertise). While in Philadelphia (where I’m from), I wrote a posting this summer that you might find interesting: http://kourelis.blogspot.com/2008/06/buried-in-bottles.html
Comment by Kostis Kourelis September 8, 2008 @ 12:40 pmI look forward to reading more of your postings.
Hi there:
This is a treasure trove of a blog! I happen to be working on a project about smokestacks in and out of Philadelphia, and was wondering whether you knew any in the city/environs?
Thanks,
Comment by Jessica Yu January 17, 2009 @ 6:23 amjess
Doc, what a great blog! It’s helping me see Philly from an entirely different perspective. Right on.
Comment by polianarchy November 14, 2009 @ 5:30 pm