The Philadelphia Evening Post - Volume 1, Issue 2

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autumn 2015 // volume 1.11

the philadelphia evening post

together-we-are.com thejkinz.com/2014/02/wasted/ themarque.org

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staff editor + publisher josh kinney editor@phillyeveningpost.com creative director juliann gates creative@phillyeveningpost.com print ad + web designer mark walz, jr. ad sales inquire at sales@phillyeveningpost.com graphic design intern josephine s. diaz

The Philadelphia Evening Post (c) 2015 is Philly’s original nostalgic bi-monthly magazine published by Infinity News Network, Inc. Contributing writers, photographers and artists: Meredith Edlow, Steven Callahan Jr., Angela Gervasi, Chris Kuncio, Ben Franklin, Scott Becker, Vincent DiCostanzo, Anthony Moat, Alexander Hamilton, Sam Katz, Katie Oxx, Walter Ault, Len Shaffer, Drew Panckeri, Donna Di Giacomo, Margaret Darby, Patrick McGettigan, Michael C. Bertoni, Ed Murch, Kristen Humbert, Alex Tewfik, Will Valentino, Brian Bruno, Noah Friedman “Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment or religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof; or abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press; or the right of the people peaceably to assemble and to petition the Government for a redress of grievances” – 1st Amendment of the Constitution of the U.S.A., Philadelphia, 1787 The Philadelphia Evening Post is a free bi-monthly, vintage magazine where yesterday and today meet in the city of Brotherly Love. It’s a retro throwback covering Philly history, nostalgia, memories and personal stories from the birth of the nation to the present. It exists to promote and serve the city and its family of advertisers, inspiring, encouraging and uplifting readers with a sense of Philly pride. The Post seeks to re-tell Philadelphia’s history from a variety of personal perspectives.

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autumn events send us your stories pope map “she” the pope’s last visit ads of the past posts from ben franklin summer posts the long dark fall then and now sports history sons of liberty catholic imigrants music: drew nugent + the midnight society the great exposition using our heads hidden philly cartoon philly’s italian heritage poetry review hanging in homey horn + hardart’s featured instagrammer business tip of the issue washington loses philadelphia past post food: rooted in restaurants sizing up william penn art: philly’s king of polaroid jackie + denny the monster dear post 5

center city

22-23 south philly

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rittenhouse

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queen village

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old city

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south st. district

16-17 fishtown

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university city

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northwest phila.

northern liberties

follow us facebook.com/phillyeveningpost @phillyeveningpost phillyeveningpost.com 2008 S. 8th Street, #2A, Philadelphia, PA, 19148 484-557-1601

Cover image by Michael Penn three

The response to the first edition of the re-launched Philadelphia Evening Post some 200+ years later, was absolutely unprecedented. My email, voicemail and even snail mail was flooded with positive, encouraging reactions which have instinctively led to people sharing and submitting their own unique Philly histories.

As technology increases and advances, so does the demand for highquality nostalgic print. Paper connects and enriches us in creative, meaningful, and tangible ways smartphones can’t.

I think back to a year ago when I first started plotting The Post, literally drawing and writing on 50 sheets of paper how I imagined the magazine’s look and structure. These pages were placed in a manila enveloped titled “Classified Top Secret Documents” and sent to my Creative Director, Juliann, whose visual genius transformed it into the masterpiece you’re holding today.

I’m incredibly blessed and honored to be doing this. The Post has been the hardest and most challenging job of my life, having started from scratch, taking my past work experience and applying it to this publication, learning as I go through action. So much goes into making this thing happen. It’s overwhelming and rewarding.

But I truly believe our stories are worth it and our city is too exceptional to have her personal memories left unpublished. Stories are the currency of our past, present and future. Without them, we are bankrupt. The most important lesson I’ve learned through this project of passion is not all of the immense challenges and logistics that go into making this venture a reality, but rather what the soul of this undertaking has reminded me of: that the most important things in life are not our careers, ambitions and desires for success and advancement but rather the more important things we can’t put a price tag on: our stories, friendships, family, relationships and companionship. And if nothing else, that’s what I hope The Post serves to remind all of us of. +Josh Kinney editor & publisher

the philadelphia evening post

Employees of Henry Saure & Co. in the early 1950’s, later known as Grinder & Co. located on Spring Garden St. They were makers of orthopedic products much needed during the polio epidemic.

events

autumn LIBERTY ONE OBSERVATION DECK OPENS THE WORLD MEETING OF FAMILIES + POPE FRANCIS’ VISIT TO PHILADELPHIA – SEPT. 22-27 TERROR BEHIND THE WALLS @ EASTERN STATE PENITENTIARY SEPT. 18-NOV. 7 FREE DAILY YOGA CLASSES START AT RACE STREET PIER – SEPT. 20 MIDTOWN VILLAGE FALL FESTIVAL – OCT. 3

PHILA FILM FESTIVAL – OCT. 15-25 HARRY POTTER FESTIVAL IN CHESTNUT HILL – OCT. 16-17 GLOW IN THE PARK AT SMITH MEMORIAL ARCH – OCT. 22 FIRST EVER PHILADELPHIA CHEESESTEAK FESTIVAL – OCT. 24

BLOCKTOBERBEST – OCT. 3

ZOMBIE PROM AT THE TROCADERO – OCT. 24

PHILADELPHIA INTERNATIONAL DRAGON BOAT FEST – OCT. 3

HEAD OF THE SCHUYLKILL REGATTA – OCT. 24-25

PHILADELPHIA OPEN STUDIO TOURS – OCT. 3-4, OCT 17-18

THE DALAI LAMA VISITS THE LIACOURAS CENTER – OCT. 27

CLOVER MARKET OPEN-AIR CRAFT MARKETPLACE IN CHESTNUT HILL + BRYN MAWR – OCT. 4, 25, + NOV. 8TH

PEDDLER’S VILLAGE APPLE FESTIVAL – NOV. 7-8 PHILA MUSEUM OF ART CRAFT SHOW – NOV. 12-15

DESIGNPHILADELPHIA – OCT. 7-16 OUTFEST – OCT. 11

PHILADELPHIA MARATHON – NOV. 20-22 THANKSGIVING DAY PARADE – NOV. 26

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send us your stories Growing up in the 60’s, Will Valentino contemplates the universe next to his Dad’s Chevy on Belgrade Street in the Bridesburg neighborhood of Philadelphia.

our stories, photos and memories are the heartbeat of our publication. We want to publish your submissions and share your stories with all of Philadelphia.

The Philadelphia Evening Post is your chance to have your voice heard. Don’t let your Philly memories slip away or rely upon retelling oral histories when you can turn your story into a magazine feature in Philly’s only nostalgic publication.

Here’s what we’re looking for: Family Stories Does your family have deep roots in our city? Have they lived here their whole lives or emigrated from another country? Maybe you simply have a great family tale that deserves some ink and an audience.

Photo Albums We’ll print your old photos and post them to our Facebook and Instagram pages along with captions and the stories behind them. Whether it’s just one photo or a whole book of them, send copies our way.

Memories Do you have a distinct Philly memory that you’ll never forget? Was it at Veteran Stadium’s 700 Level or growing up in a certain section of town? Share your favorite Philly memories with us.

Business Stories Did you, your family or someone you know start a business in Philly in the

past or the present? Let’s hear your story – the struggles and triumphs, the failures and successes. Maybe your business or your favorite restaurant has been around for decades with rich history worthy of a feature story. If so, we want to hear about it.

Love Stories They’re all over the city. Whether you met at college, a coffee shop, bar, school or Rittenhouse Square, The Philly Evening Post wants to publish and post your story. Perhaps your grandparents have been married for 55+ years and hail from Kensington or South Philly, or you yourself are those grandparents, send us your story.

Living Through Philly History Do you have memories of the Pope’s last visit to Philadelphia in 1979? Maybe you or someone you know happened to be at Shibe Park during the 1929 World Series when President Hoover attended. Did you live through the MOVE bombing; the South Philly mafia wars or camp out during the more recent Occupy movement? Let’s hear about it.

Neighborhood Stories Not only are we proud of our city as a whole, we have deep connections and roots to the neighborhoods we grew up in or now call home. What made or makes your neighborhood unique?

Share your stories and memories of your personal corner of Philly.

Favorite Places Did you grow up going to a park, restaurant, food stand, or baseball field that became or has become your favorite five

place in the city? Even if it doesn’t exist anymore, we want to hear about your favorite place and why you love(d) it.

What you love most about Philly Food? Sports? History? Matchless location smack-dab in the middle of northeast madness, sandwiched between New York City and Washington, D.C.?

Confess your love for that one thing that you believe makes Philly so great.

Then vs. Now Our publication likes to reflect and compare what once was to what now is in the city of Brotherly Love. From the neighborhoods, establishments, politics, buildings, music, fashion and culture, what stands out the most to you?

History Features Are you intrigued by our city’s incredible wealth of history? Do you want to write a story about the American Revolution, Betsy Ross, Edgar Allen Poe’s house, or the construction of the Ben Franklin Bridge? (It was originally called the Delaware River Bridge). If so, The Post is your niche.

(Historical) Fiction and Poetry Calling all of Philadelphia’s creative writers and poets, you deserve an outlet to share your masterpieces. Whether your story’s characters are demanding to be heard or your poems long to be sung, be sure to send them to us for a chance to be published both in our print and online magazine.

editor@phillyeveningpost.com

the philadelphia evening post

center city Here s to the cra ones, the misfits, the re els, the trou lema ers, the round pegs in the s uare holes the ones who see things differentl the re not fond of rules ou can uote them, disagree with them, glorif or ilif them, ut the onl thing ou can t do is ignore them ecause the change things the push the human race forward, and while some ma see them as the cra ones, we see genius, ecause the ones who are cra enough to thin that the can change the world, are the ones who do – Steve Jobs

Meredith Edlow @medlowminus

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A P PA R E L

The neighborhood photos in this edition were taken by Meredith Edlow. She is a freelance photographer and videographer and the former Visual Assets Manager for Visit Philadelphia where she produced several destination marketing projects and visual content for campaign launches. Edlow has freelanced for Philadelphia news outlets, including The Philadelphia Inquirer, Philadelphia Daily News, The Philadelphia Evening Post and was staff photographer and photo columnist for the South Philly Review. She spent time as Photographer in Residence at the International House Philadelphia and has worked managing large scale events and feature length film projects. Edlow is a graduate from Temple University’s Film and Media Arts program and currently serves on the board of the Philadelphia Magic Gardens. Her photography and video work have been featured in outlets around the globe, online and in print. Check her out on Instagram: @medlowminus or view her work on her website: meredithedlowphotography.squarespace.com

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rittenhouse “Over the years I have realized that this city is more than where I work… it is my home, and the people who live here are my family” – Mike Jerrick, FOX 29

Meredith Edlow @medlowminus

Rittenhouse residents + tourists will be looking here for your business.

Follow us on Facebook / PhillyEveningPost

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et’s go to Philly,” she said to me. We were lying on the Ocean City beach and my sunburn was almost finished. I’m too Irish to tan and too German to care about lotion.

“When?” I asked her and she replied in that fiery, passionate voice I would grow to love more and more “Right now.”

“Babe, we can’t go right now” and then the storm came, rolling like a great thundercloud or a turbulent sea. Her brow furrowed and she crossed her arms and huffed. Feigning anger was one of her favorite things to do and she was good at it. She sat up from her towel and turned her body to face the ocean.

Every so often she would turn her head to see if I was paying attention, and when she found me lying there, eyes closed, she’d sigh loudly and turn her head fast so that her gorgeous black hair would flip and hit me in the face. After three times of doing things, I, sitting there, eyes still closed, nose red and hot from the sun said “fine” and she kissed my burnt nose and twenty minutes later were changed and driving to the city of brotherly love.

She was an actress and a poet and as she stared at that golden city, and as the Ben Franklin Bridge carried us into its warm embrace she wrote this:

“sun glinting off the windows of the high-rises, I am this city”

She stared intently at each building, absorbing all the poetic information the city had to offer her. We walked the streets until we came across this coffee shop called Elixr and we went inside. I was nervous and fidgety, that’s my “tell.”

She said that a lot. “That’s your tell” she’d say with a laugh, “you get nervous when you have bad news.” And it’s true.

I had bad news.

Doubt kills. This phrase should be tattooed on the inside of everyone’s eyelids so that way when they sleep, they’ll be reminded to shut up and trust their partner. I had doubted for a while. It started small, little question beetles, burrowing into my gray matter, but it grew into a monstrous hydra, a multiheaded brute that would only grow stronger the more I tired to kill it. I had grown distant and cold and planned on breaking up with her after I took her to dinner tonight. Doubt crippled my heart and I couldn’t bear to be with her anymore. I had closed the door to my soul.

I was being a selfish jerk and it took her selflessness to soften my heart of stone.

After I had this epiphany and the banality of what I saw wrong in our relationship had fizzled into nothing. I began to cry big, clutching your chest because you think you’re about to die tears. She looked at me, and her face softened into this tenderness that melted me into a greater puddle of tears and runny nose.

The only words I was able to choke out were “I’m sorry.”

I fancied myself the resilient type, the kind of person that survives intense grief. I didn’t cry when I buried my dog, or when my grandmother died. I thought I could survive earthquakes nine

she

and volcanic eruptions and avalanches and tidal waves; but nothing prepared me for this. It was an earthquake, for my mind and heart had shifted; it was a volcanic eruption, for the white-hot magma of regret and redemption bubbled and frothed out of me; it was an avalanche and a tidal wave, for the emotions and the love I felt for and from this woman surrounded and overwhelmed me. I found myself where I least expected it: buried under a mountain of regret and bitterness that had coagulated and solidified after months and months of my self and my pride getting the better of me. I found myself, after she showed me where I was, at a coffee shop in Philly with her arms around me, and I knew that no matter what came on the heels of tomorrow, she and I were invincible. + Steven Callahan

“sun glin off the wind the highI am this city”

the philadelphia evening post

the last papal visit: a philadelphia first here are few events that cause a citywide stir in the alreadyactive atmosphere of Philadelphia. In 2008, the Phillies’ World Series victory gathered immense crowds that poured into the area until trains and buses overflowed and Broad Street writhed with the pedestrian presence of fans. Further back in time, the 2005 Live 8 concert conjured up a full mile of spectators that assembled in front of the Parkway, anticipating the performances of contemporary musical giants.

But nothing rouses a city quite like a visit from the Pope, who drew an estimated 1.2 to 2 million people to a sunlit, red and white-trimmed Logan Circle on Oct. 3 and 4, 1979. Karol Józef Wojtyła, better known as John Paul II, stood three stories high behind a makeshift altar on the Parkway, gazing down at a swelling swarm of religious followers and admiring spectators alike. The altar, built by city workers and fueled by state funds under Mayor Frank Rizzo’s direction, would later serve as a symbol of controversy in the battle of separation between church and state. But the city was vivacious in preparation for the Pope’s arrival: newspapers led up to Oct. 3 with papalcentric articles, while a vast number of shops and stores announced that they would close solely due to the occasion.

The recently-elected Pope John Paul II led a trail of monumental visits that year. In June he became the first pope to enter a communist country when he visited Poland. The 9-day trip to his

homeland is known to have ignited a sense of strength and determination in its politically oppressed people: communist dictator Wojciech Jaruzelski would later refer to the Pope’s mere presence in Poland as “the detonator” of the explosive anti-Communist Polish Solidarity movement.

In 1979 alone, John Paul attended an Episcopal Conference in Puebla, Mexico, pleaded for peace in Drogheda, Ireland, and explored both the stately U.N. headquarters and a destitute housing project in New York City.

Meanwhile, a young student was preparing for priesthood at the St. Charles Borromeo Seminary, a scenic and secluded campus on the outskirts of Philadelphia that served as one of the Pope’s rest stops on his American excursion.

Today, Father Stephen Leva doesn’t remember exactly how he heard the news of the papal visit to Philadelphia.

But he recollects the elation of his peers with ease—and recalls his superiors warning the prospective pastors to stay calm: “‘Be respectful, don’t be crazy, don’t be catcalling or anything.’ And I just remember, when the Pope walked in the chapel, the place went nuts,” Leva says.

And the excitement was mutual.

Known for a contagious charisma caused by what Leva referred to as “his need to be with the people,” the Pope seemed to absorb the energy in the room as dozens of graduate theologians and undergraduate seminarians clapped and cheered for what felt to Leva like half an hour—although, he recounts, it ten

Philadelphia Archdiocesan Historical Research Center: Robert and Theresa Halvey Photograph Collection

was probably only a couple of minutes.

The joyful chaos escalated for Leva and his peers when the Pope— surrounded by a protective wall of body guards—slipped past the Secret Service men, much to their frustration, to greet the seminarians sitting in the front row.

Pope John Paul II shook the hand of a young Timothy Senior, who would later become known as Bishop Senior, in an exceptional moment that would be captured on camera and saved for years to come. According to Leva, who had also happily shared a handshake with the Pope, the religious leader stopped at almost every row on the way out of the jam-packed chapel to exchange words and shake hands. Leva, now a pastor at the St. Alphonsus Church in Maple Glen, saw the gesture as exactly what one would expect John Paul to do. And it was—days later at Madison Square Garden, the Pope could be spotted cruising down the aisles in his signature “Popemobile”, reaching out for the hands of teenage admirers in the audience.

“But that pope really, he loved, I think the same with our new pope, he loves to be with his people. Like he wants to be right where they are. He’s not just somebody you see in Rome up in a balcony, he’s down on the streets, he’s down on the square, he goes to the hospital, he goes to the jail, that’s just what John Paul did,” Leva said. + Angela Gervasi

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Company: Stephen F. Whitman & Son, Inc. Location: 1316 Chestnut Street, Philadelphia, Pa Year: 1842

Image: A can of Whitman’s famous “Instantaneous Chocolate”

Simply mix in boiling milk. Gives the most pleasing results also, in the home preparation of desserts.

Sold by dealers in fine food products and at the selected stories with the green signs. If you cannot buy instantaneous conveniently, send 40 cents for a half-pound can, postpaid, or send 10 cents for sample, postpaid.

Content: FIRST AID for chilly folks.

INSTANTANEOUS cheers and comforts, warms and strengthens.

Made in a jiffy – de-light-ful!

ads of the past hey just don’t make them like they used to. There’s something unique and appealing to vintage advertisements.

We’re immediately drawn to the nostalgic look and flavor of something, so much so that we’ll read over it instead of just skim. What if all modern advertising took a turn toward the past?

Would you be excited and interested to view and read what our modern companies would look like under an antiquated lens?

Back in 1842, a 19-year-old Quaker named Stephen F. Whitman set up a small “confectionery and fruiterer shoppe” on Market Street close

to the Delaware River waterfront.

The store’s prime location not only attracted Philadelphians, well-traveled sailors who brought Whitman exotic ingredients also frequented it.

To Whitman, presentation was as important as taste, so he created striking packaging and well-crafted advertising campaigns focusing potential customers on the quality of his candy. Soon, his company became popular in the Northeast, eventually becoming a household name thanks to ads in newspapers and magazines.

As Whitman’s Philadelphia business expanded, new products were created including tinned instantaneous chocolate, which was a major hit. In 1869, eleven

Whitman’s son took over the company and introduced cellophane, helping to keep candy fresh and colorful.

Do you have or know of an old advertisement that deserves a comeback and should be reprinted? Email us at Editor@PhillyEveningPost. com, subject: Old Ad. We’ll be sure to print it and credit you for the discovery.

the philadelphia evening post

olde city

t is the first responsi ilit of e er citi en to uestion authorit Ben Franklin

Meredith Edlow @medlowminus

Olde City residents + tourists will be looking here for your business.

For less than $5 a day you can advertise your business in The Post!

Email Sales@PhillyEveningPost.com

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POSTS FROM BEN

Illustration by Steve Teare

To Members of the Philadelphia Coffee House Scene, bid you good day and “HELLO.” My NAME, I fear, is a name of relative importance and brings with it a certain level of GRAVITAS. I hesitate to introduce myself beginning with my name for it is a TITLE, which I subsequently must live up to. Certain expectations will be made for me; goals to attain, which I fear I will not be possible. It is not for a lacking sense of self-worth, but rather for a rational understanding that no one could live up to these expectations.

However, I am truly CONFIDENT in my own ABILITIES. Believe me when I say that I am an IMPRESSIVE individual.

How impressive am I? Well, it would not be amiss for me to tell you that my feats of accomplishment have become the foundation for more outlandish myths to be told of my life relating to SUCCESS and INNOVATION. In my wisdom, I learned how to evade confirmation of these stories during my life, while still taking full advantage of the aura that it placed me in. This made me more successful in my different business, social, and political projects since I appeared of a higher quality to all other players. Sometimes it caused REVERENCE, but often it caused JEALOUSY amongst my contemporaries. Needless to say that, when I died, some were sad, some were

relieved, and some – well they probably did not take heed.

And yes, I did, in fact, DIE. Though it was after a good long life. I enjoyed witnessing how my LEGEND flourished after my death, as many individuals in history do. I am PLEASED to see that my name and accomplishments have been imitated and improved to further ADVANCE individual and collective success throughout the years. An even greater reason for the growth of my EGO can be sighted in the area now known as OLDE CITY Philadelphia – an area that I had known simply as Philadelphia.

You see, it would appear that I am the NAMESAKE of every other coffee shop, restaurant, street, bridge, and building.

(Note: it is NOT ARROGANCE if it is the TRUTH…) My name is appearing far more in the world of popular CULTURE. Music and entertainment often mentions me in reference to, well…. EVERYTHING. That is what happens when my FACE is on the SYMBOL of CAPITALISM and POWER, the hundred-dollar bill.

Who knew that being a JACK-OF-ALLTRADES could propel one to such a level of prestige? This is precisely why I choose to grace you with my presence after all of these years.

I have decided that 2015 would be a good time to plunge back into the realm of the living. This world is an exciting place with various forms of communication and technology that overwhelm all who were born before 1990. Since I died in 1790, I will not, needless to say, spend too much time attempting to catch up with technology.

There is far too much technological evolution for me to try to understand.

(Note: it took 30 more years after I died for someone to create the bicycle… thirteen

so I would really be starting from the beginning.)

Instead, I have decided to focus my thoughts and writings within the realm of SOCIETY. I have always had a keen sense of people and I do find my sharp witticisms take hold within well-focused niches of society, most specifically, yours. Yes YOU, the coffee shop dwellers; the artisans; the students; the young professionals. You are free spirits and free thinkers. I sense that we are not so different. Therefore, I consider it my DUTY to ENTERTAIN and PROVOKE THOUGHT in a light manner so that I may help you IMPROVE your outlook, even if only slightly. Topics of discussion shall vary but shall always revolve around people and SOCIETY. I do hope that you appreciate my RHETORIC for what it is, the thoughtful musings of a very, very, old soul who is always quick to alter his opinions if persuaded through LOGIC and WISDOM. I will leave this letter with this quick description of my CHARACTER: I am COURTEOUS and AFFABLE, unless I am provoked. I am a lover of all GOOD PEOPLE and a true friend to VIRTUE. I am HANDSOME and usually quite WITTY; and therefore struggle with HUMILITY. However, I am open to acknowledgement of my flaws, whatever they are. I shall look to you, as my friends, to ensure that I do not make too much of a fool of myself, since I intend to do the same to you as a whole. With this introduction, I wish for you a good day and good coffee! Until next time….

Your Best Friend, + Ben Franklin

the philadelphia evening post

@PhillyEveningPost: On July 3rd, The Philadelphia Evening Post relaunched after 200+ years, officially remaking Philly history.

@PhillyEveningPost: Jazz Age on the Delaware was a massive 1920’s party held on August 1st at the Glen Foerd Mansion. Like a scene out of The Great Gatsby, hundreds gathered in their roaring 20’s attire for food, drinks and jazz. Pictured above: Bully, the Philly comedy duo.

@rinaspix: The Oval Pop-Up Park returned to the Ben Franklin Parkway with outdoor movies, food trucks, games and a beer garden.

@saracals: Produced by WXPN, the XPoNential music festival on the Camden waterfront offered three days of great music from both local and national artists.

@lbfutbol: This summer, Philadelphia hosted the CONCACAF Gold Cup Finals - The signature tournament for North + Central American soccer teams at Lincoln Financial Field.

@Jadetree: 2nd Street was shut down between Germantown Ave and Spring Garden for this year’s 2nd Street Festival which featured live bands, food trucks, beer gardens and shopping.

@PhillyEveningPost: This year’s Diner En Blanc was held at The Navy Yard. The annual pop-up party’s location was revealed just minutes prior.

Philadelphians dressed in white made their way south on Broad Street despite the rain.

@Shanlitton: Suzie Hunter, Brenna Roshea and Shannon Litton enjoy Made in America Festival over Labor Day weekend.

@yamchac: This August, the Philadelphia Folk Fest descended on the beautiful pastoral landscape of Schwenksville with five stages and exciting performances.

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the long dark fall

s the fall season begins, the nights will grow darker and longer.

There might not be a gloomier place in the city of Philadelphia than the former jail on Fairmount Ave: Eastern State Penitentiary.

The old prison is a fortress like building that resembles a castle. It has rising towers and arrow slit windows.

The stone walls rise thirty feet above ground and go yet another ten feet below. When the complex opened in 1829, it was the largest and most expensive structure in North America, having running water and central heat even before the White House.

An aerial view of the building reveals a radial design that looks similar to the tire of a bicycle. In the center is a rotunda with ‘spokes’ that jut out.

This design enabled guards to stand in the center and look down into each of the cellblocks.

Prisoners housed at Eastern State were subject to a solitary lifestyle. In the beginning there was only one inmate per cell and the convicts were not allowed to converse or associate with one another. This system of imprisonment became known as the ‘Pennsylvania System’ based loosely on the Quaker faith.

French politician Alexis de Tocqueville wrote Democracy in America, which talked about the living standards and social conditions in the early U.S. Writing on Eastern State, he said “The founders of the new

penitentiary at Philadelphia, thought it was necessary that each prisoner should be secluded in a separate cell during day as well as night…the convict, once thrown into his cell, remains there without interruption, until the expiration of his punishment. He is separated from the whole world.”

The idea of the prison was to reform the inmates, preventing them from committing crimes upon their release. The system was designed to keep criminals separate in order to not distract them from the goal of repentance. Over the years, due to overcrowding, the practice of solitude went away.

Eastern State would house many inmates, but none more famous than Al Capone. Capone spent a year at the penitentiary on charges of carrying a revolver. Rumor has it Capone was using Eastern State as a hiding place.

Another famous inmate was ‘Pep the fifteen

Dog.’ Pep was a black Labrador retriever that was admitted in 1924. As the story goes, the governor of Pennsylvania sentenced the dog to prison for killing his wife’s cat. The governor’s version of the tale is that the dog was brought in as a mascot for the prisoners. The dog’s sentence lasted about ten years.

Eastern State closed its doors in 1971 with prisoners transferred to other areas of Pennsylvania. Even though the prison had been named a National Historic Landmark in 1965, the city let the massive empty jail rot, using it as a dumpsite. It wasn’t until the late 1980’s that a task force was formed and the city was able to restore Eastern State to its current status as one of the top tourist destinations in the city.

One reason it’s such a fascinating place for people, aside from standing out as a medieval fortress smack-dab in the middle of the city, is the idea that’s it’s haunted. Is it possible that the ghosts of the inmates who perished within the prison still roam the corridors and tunnels? During the long, dark nights of fall, Eastern State is now turned into a giant haunted attraction known famously as ‘Terror Behind the Walls.’

Eastern State is certainly an unforgettable Philadelphia landmark.

Not many cities can boast having an abandoned, sprawling, and haunted prison right near their downtown.

+ Scott Becker

the philadelphia evening post

fishtown “When I was in high school at Northeast Catholic in Philadelphia in the late ‘30’s, I found that drawing caricatures of the teachers and satirizing the events in the school, then having them published in our school magazine, got me some notoriety” – Bil Keane

Meredith Edlow @medlowminus

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Antiques & Collectibles

312 E. Girard Avenue, Philadelphia

267-970-4213 · NicNacs4Peanuts@ymail.com

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W W W . S T B EN J A M I N B R EW I N G . CO M

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the philadelphia evening post

The old Lit Brothers building on 8th and Market Streets boasts one of the most impressive architectures in our city. With a style straight out of London, the building was constructed in 1859, opening to the public in 1891. Lit Brothers was a moderately priced department store that was more affordable than alternative competitors such as Strawbridge’s or Wanamaker’s, which was further down the street, currently Macy’s.

The chain closed in 1977, leaving the elegant Market Street building vacant until it was redeveloped as office and commercial space in the late 1980’s. With the redevelopment of Market Street underway both above and below ground, the throwback building’s architecture of renaissance revival embodies Philadelphia as a whole, especially in our present day.

Opening in 1893, the Reading Viaduct’s 9th Street Branch was built by the Philadelphia and Reading Terminal Railroad as an approach to the then new Reading Terminal building (now the Reading Terminal Market above Jefferson Station, formerly known as ‘Market East’)

Abandoned and left to decay, the elevated railroad will soon be transformed and repurposed. An approved proposal to turn the viaduct into an elevated park similar to New York City’s High Line is underway, re-inventing Philadelphia’s past for her future.

All eyes turned to Philadelphia in September of 1926 when heavyweight champion Jack Dempsey (right) lost to former U.S. Marine Gene Tunney (left) in front of 120,000+ fans. The fight boasted the largest attendance and highest gross of any sporting event in the first half of the 20th century.

This year, filming for the movie Creed began in Philadelphia. Written and directed by Ryan Coogler, co-written by Aaron Covington and produced by Rocky Balboa himself, Sylvester Stallone, the movie is a spin-off from the Rocky series, and as such, will be the 7th film in the series, premiering this November.

then & now

Philadelphia is remaking the past, building upon what once was and transforming into something new. Now more so than ever, Philadelphia is becoming an internationally known, global destination with a thriving business, music, art, and restaurant scene drawing not only tourists and visitors but entrepreneurs, college graduates, and people from other cities that are relocating to Philly, making the city of Brotherly Love their home.

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SPORTS HISTORY

The Philadelphia Bell, Papergate, and Possibly the Most Disastrous Pro League Ever ctober 18th, 1975, was a soggy, rainy night at Franklin Field, and almost everyone in Philadelphia had found something better to do. A mere 1,293 fans were on hand to watch the Philadelphia Bell take on the Charlotte Hornets, and those fans were treated to a sloppy, turnover-filled game that ended with the Bell ahead 1810. There wouldn’t be much time for the home team to celebrate, however. The World Football League would go under 4 days later. It was the last game the Bell would ever play.

The team had started with so much promise the year before. The owners, Al Sica and John Bosacco, convinced Jack Kelly, Princess Grace’s brother, to be their president. They signed King Corcoran as their QB, a playboy whose cocky swagger and eccentric dress had given him the nickname “the poor man’s Joe Namath.” At wide receiver, the squad signed a former track star at St. Joseph’s by the name of Vince Papale.

They decided to play games their first season at JFK Stadium. It was considered a strategic error. JFK had

seating for 100,000 people, and the puny crowds that were expected, according to many critics, would look even tinier in such a massive stadium.

But those pundits were proven wrong when over 55,000 fans showed up to cheer the Bell on to a 33-8 victory over the Portland Storm (a team that had a young linebackers coach by the name of Marty Schottenheimer) in their home opener.

Two weeks later, the Bell returned home, and a crowd of 64,719 showed up to see them battle the New York Stars.

The game was a thriller, with the Bell missing two field goals in the final three minutes and falling 17-15. Nonetheless, the enormous crowd had the city abuzz and the World Football League looking like a real challenger to the NFL. Then, a few weeks later, it all fell apart.

Reporters began asking questions when a mere 12,396 fans showed up for the Bell’s next home game. It turned out that the Bell had been selling many of their tickets at a remarkably cheap discount, and in fact gave tens of thousands of tickets away to local businesses to give to their customers.

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Jack Kelly

When the league was forced to pay city taxes on the tickets, the actual figures for paid attendance for those two games was a paltry 13,855 and 6,200. Bell Executive Vice President Barry Leib confessed, “What can I say? I lied. I never thought those figures would come out.”

A few days later, Jack Kelly held a press conference at the Warwick Hotel and announced his resignation. The team, and the league, never recovered from a scandal that was quickly dubbed “Papergate.” The league began a downward spiral, but the stories of the characters that were players, coaches, and owners in the league became legendary. + Johnny Goodtimes Local pub quizmaster, Johnny Goodtimes is the editor of PhillySportsHistory.com and owner of Shibe Vintage Sports retail store in Center City.

the philadelphia evening post

northern liberties “Philly is a place where people love change as long as things stay the same for them” – Mayor Michael Nutter

Meredith Edlow @medlowminus

Is your business looking to attract NoLibs residents + tourists?

Advertise here!

Follow us on Instagram @PhillyEveningPost

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the sons of liberty SONS OF LIBERTY

To the People of the Tri-State, t was said, and is still repeated, the idea that we find ourselves at the end of history; that our ultimate political goals have been reached and our liberal democracy, or some mixture thereof, will spread across the globe as the final stage of historical development. I would argue rather we are seeing the disconnection from history and a disintegration of liberal democracy.

Generations growing up in the information age face a unique problem—the constant flow and overflow of information. This constant revolution of ideas in such rapid succession is wholly new for human beings and its subtle effects can be seen everywhere in our political movements. We no longer think of systems as a whole, but instead focus on the various parts, disconnected atomized little parts. In the information age, we never have to struggle with not knowing. The result of this is our inability to ask the right questions.

We get our information piecemeal and mostly on an as-needed basis with little or no context. We are contented with tidbits and slogans, causes of the week, and carelessness as a measure of cool. What religion did to unify the Middle-Ages, Liberty did for the Enlightenment, but today we no longer value principles as such. We no longer

express a love of Liberty as valuable in itself. This disconnection from history is the result of streams of information ceasing to eddy and brook. As dams are built, the spheres of our lives get narrow and we lose touch with the rivers that carried us here. The past is a great reservoir of information from which to draw. If only we weren’t so acclimated to the hunt and peck method of study, we would find all kinds of connections to problems we face today. America is in the midst of an identity crisis; we are inexorably divided on fundamental issues and all of our political notions are awash with contradictions. This mixture—philosophy à la carte— will never produce a viable system. We must rediscover our basic principles and carry them under one banner. Friends of liberty and popular government must again be united.

“Bury in Silence all the Causes of your separation. Recollect that explanations may be proper between lovers, but are never so between divided friends.”

- Benjamin Rush to John Adams: o

ff

o

Philadelphia December 16, 1811.

Politics is not a sport. Politics is an extension of philosophy applied socially—the ethical rules that govern appropriate action in our relationships with each other writ large. We may easily forget that our Constitution was forged out of and dedicated to philosophy; that American is the only national identity someone can choose to be a part of and is not solely the result of such accidental causes as place-ofbirth. We are better to recognize our place in history, not at the end but the beginning, at the start of a new epoch. We do not by our Constitution create new truths, the declarations and amendments merely serve as reminders, an acknowledgement of ultimate truth: we are all value-driven in our pursuits and are free to pursue our own values.

In the current waves of identity politics, we need a “cultural federalism” where all individual cultures are respected and practice mutual forbearance in view of higher connections among people. We are not our class differences; we are not our religious or racial differences. It is not enough to go on repeating the truisms of our founding documents; instead we must go out and discover the truths of those propositions for ourselves. For it is our responsibility, in our time, to seed the ideological connections of history toward a future steadfast in Liberty.

+ Hamilton @nwsonsofliberty twenty-one

the philadelphia evening post

south philly

“I came out swinging from a South Philly basement caked in stale beer and sweat under half-lit uorescents spent the winter writing songs a out getting etter nd if m eing honest, m getting there – The Wonder Years, “Came Out Swinging”

Meredith Edlow @medlowminus

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RAYâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;S HAPPY BIRTHDAY BAR Good Times, Cold Drinks & Great Friends

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Come in on your birthday and receive a drink on the house with valid ID. 1200 East Passyunk Ave. Philadelphia, PA

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did you find a mistake?

Itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s our policy to include something for everyone.

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the philadelphia evening post

philadelphia history through the lens of its catholic immigrants rban Trinity: The Story of Catholic Philadelphia is a 78-minute documentary film, produced by the Philadelphia documentary film house, History Making Productions. The film portrays the history of successive waves of immigrants to Philadelphia whose common bond was their Catholicism and who came to the city seeking religious freedom, personal survival and a better life. Despite its reputation as the place of William Penn’s “holy experiment”, enabling all forms of religious practice, Philadelphia, like America itself, imposed significant obstacles in the quest of Catholic immigrants for acceptance, opportunity and dignity.

From the outset, faithful Catholics strove to preserve the distinct ethnic and cultural traditions that they carried with them while simultaneously seeking to create a unified church in a mission based nation. But internal struggles within the Church often paled in comparison to conflicts with those who thought Catholicism foreign - even a threat - to the democratic American experiment. In the 1830s and 1840s, discrimination and violence erupted, as the city was flooded with Irish Catholic immigrants, fleeing the famine-induced starvation and persecution experienced in Ireland at the hands of a hostile Protestant British government. A fierce mid-century anti-Catholicism led to the first large-scale urban violence in American history, during which Catholic churches, convents, and homes were destroyed and dozens of Catholics (and Protestants) were murdered and maimed. Yet, within the ensuing decade,

Catholics would become the largest religious population in the city, and a cradle-to-grave network of institutions schools, colleges, hospitals, benevolent societies, craft unions, even banks – were established to protect and serve the flock. Following the pattern established by German Catholics, Irish, Italians, Poles, African-Americans, and others built national churches. By the end of the 19th century, Philadelphia was not just a city of neighborhoods, but had become a city of parishes, with a Catholic institutional and cultural network - a sacred cocoon - within the growing urban metropolis.

At the dawn of the 20th century, Philadelphia’s first Cardinal and Pennsylvania native son, Dennis Joseph Dougherty – often known as “God’s bricklayer” – had become the city’s most powerful figure. During his 33-year reign as Bishop of Philadelphia, the Catholic landscape consisted of nearly 500 parishes, 2,000 priests and 7,000 nuns serving more than 1.2 million Philadelphia Catholics. A confident Catholicism flourished as a once-feared demographic of ethnic communities assumed leading roles in every aspect of the city’s economic, political, civic and religious life. Real estate advertisements listed homes for sale by parish. Even non-Catholics often geographically defined themselves by parish. This was the apex of Catholic predominance.

But as America emerged from World War II and deindustrialization and an accelerating suburban boom yielded economic and social stresses in the city, the pews of those same parishes gradually emptied, leaving traditional row-house life behind. By the century’s end, the closing and merger of twenty-four

many schools and churches, and the scandal and cover-up of priest sexual abuse of children, had shaken the trust of the faithful.

And yet now, at the beginning of Philadelphia’s fifth century, Catholics - both immigrants and native born continue to come to the city, seeking what so many before them aspired to, and imbibing their cultural traditions and forms of devotionalism to the revitalization parish life. Catholics now sense that this changing landscape of the urban church will produce creative new models to maintain the faith - not just today, but forevermore.

Urban Trinity: The Story of Catholic Philadelphia is that story: the story of the people, the Church and the city. It will be broadcast exclusively on 6abc/ WPVI-TV. The first two parts will be aired on Tuesday, September 22nd at 7:00 pm. The final part will be aired after Pope Francis departs Philadelphia, at Midnight, Sunday, September 27th.

Following the broadcasts, the film will be available for further public screening at www.urbantrinityfilm.com and www.historyofphilly.com. + Sam Katz + Katie Oxx Sam Katz is the founder and Executive Producer of History Making Productions, a former Philadelphia Mayoral candidate and civic leader.

Katie Oxx is an Associate Professor of Religious Studies at St. Joseph’s University and is the Senior Historical Advisor and Producer of Urban Trinity.

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drew nugent + the midnight society MUSIC

never liked jazz music because jazz music doesn’t resolve. But I was outside the Bagdad Theater in Portland one night when I saw a man playing the saxophone. I stood there for fifteen minutes, and he never opened his eyes. After that I liked jazz music. Sometimes you have to watch somebody love something before you can love it yourself. It is as if they are showing you the way” – Donald Miller, “Blue Like Jazz” Drew Nugent loves what he does to the point of a borderline unhealthy obsession. His passion overflows into every facet of his life. He’s a scene from an era we have a deep nostalgia for, whether we’ve lived through it or not.

His band, The Midnight Society, delivers the sound of jazz, blues and pop, sweet and hot from the 1920’s-30’s. They’re Philly’s very own red hot jazz ensemble specializing in the jazz age, performing both obscure and known tunes.

A Chestnut Hill native raised in Blue Bell, Drew’s family has a long Philadelphia history. Growing up, his two favorite songs were “Sugar Pie Honey Bunch” and “Ground Control to Major Tom.” His parents knew good music. He even listened to Raphie as a kid. Elvis, The Beach Boys, Rod Stewart and The Eagles were just a few of his early musical influences. Playing the piano at age seven, violin at nine and trumpet at 15, Louis Armstrong was his spirit guide. He became infatuated by ragtime around ten years old.

“Louis played with effortless emotional zeal,” he said, explaining that the famous artist wasn’t playing for the crowds at his shows but rather his mom, and the people who believed in him,

because he knew they’d never judge him.

“There’s no filling his shoes,” Drew said, “But I want to play like I would. I can only be me. I want to sound like me and be me. Everyone has their own way to swing this music.”

At age 13, Drew tried to write ragtime and by 14 he was learning jazz. It was then that he knew his heart’s niche was found.

Graduating from Bloomsburg University, Drew ended up playing the president’s dinner, making gig connections and leads all over the area

from Pottstown to Bethlehem, with a plan to eventually take over Philadelphia.

Having spent the summer of 2006 aboard a steamboat traveling the Mississippi, Drew played the calliope organ without ay ear protection. This exciting, life-changing gig gave him a rich, unforgettable experience cruising America from Baton Rogue to St. Paul. It was during this time that he bought his first vintage suit.

From gigs with the Bookstore Speakeasy in Bethlehem, The Hotel Bethlehem, Beach Creek Oyster Bar & Grill in Wildwood, Room 429 in Cape May, The Gaslight, Underground Arts, brunches aboard the Moshulu, 1920 at The Playground in Atlantic City, and what was once The Farmer’s Cabinet, twenty-five

Drew and his band have been able to live what they love.

Along with his drummer, Skip Rohrich of Newark, DE, the two put together The Midnight Society and set their plan of a Philly takeover into motion. When it comes to jazz, Drew believes that Philly has more of a chance now than Chicago, stating that it’s also easy to get lost in New York, but in Philly you can be known. Our city’s music scene and history is another huge draw for Drew, aside from Philly simply being home.

As a modern, yet throwback band, the group seeks to keep the true spirit of hot jazz alive from their approach at playing and improvising the music right down the line to dressing in vintage and second hand suits. To them, it’s not a costume or uniform, it’s more of a way of life. “Dressing up is a labor. This is not,” Drew said, adjusting his tie.

Living to uncover artists that have fallen by the wayside over the 20th century, Drew is set to produce more albums and perhaps someday open a club in Philadelphia. The band’s latest album “Alice Blue Gown” is available online.

“If you love something this much, and if you’re even doing it for free, you’re going to do it the best.” + Josh Kinney Looking for a band that’s the genuine article to play your next special occasion or venue?

Contact Drew Nugent + The Midnight Society at midnightsocietyjazz@gmail.com

the philadelphia evening post

The Great Exposition The First World’s Fair in the U.S. Philadelphia, 1876 hiladelphia is widely known as a city of firsts, with many significant and lasting accomplishments as early as 1681 to 1899.

The first public school in the American colonies was established in Philly in 1698. In succeeding years the City of Brotherly Love established the first fire department (1719); the first of America’s botanical gardens (1729); the first public library (1731) and the first hospital (1732): just to name a few of many noteworthy, seminal achievements.

The impressive list continued unabated

Exposition, were Philly’s three biggest successes. The two earth shattering documents established the principles of a democracy that ultimately became the envy of the world and still draws millions to our shores. The Exposition, held in Fairmount Park from May 10 to Nov. 10, 1876, to celebrate the country’s 100th anniversary, drew an astounding 10 million people from around the world to the park; impressively, equal to 20% of the nation’s population at that time.

standing, majestic Memorial Hall (the Art Gallery Building), being quite massive. In fact, the Main Exhibition Building was the largest in the world at the time, enclosing an incredible 21.5 acres of space. The second biggest building was Machinery Hall, which had exhibits revolving around newly emerging machines and rapidly changing industry.

Besides Memorial Hall, one other building of the Exposition, Horticultural Hall, was intended to be a permanent

The scope of the Exposition was amazing indeed, with thousands of hard working and determined individuals erecting 200 buildings; some, like the Main Exhibition Building, the Machinery Hall building and the still

structure. Designed by famous architect Herman Schwarzmann, the Moorish architectural style building was devised as a tribute to the famous Crystal Palace from London’s Great Exhibition.

Unfortunately, the building was badly

until the country’s inaugural National Export Exposition in 1899, which was preceded by such memorable events as the establishment of the first building and loan association, the first art school and the first zoological society.

What is arguably one of Philadelphia’s most impressive and monumental achievements, besides the adoption of the Declaration of Independence and the Constitution, of course -- and like those revered history making documents, an event which captured the world’s attention -- was the Centennial Exposition of 1876, widely recognized as the first World’s Fair in the U.S. It certainly wouldn’t be an exaggeration to also say that the signing of the Declaration and the Constitution, along with the Centennial

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damaged by the infamous Hurricane Hazel in 1954 and was sadly demolished.

Luckily for history buffs as well as every Philadelphian with a sense of civic pride, Memorial Hall still stands, and still serves the community as a truly beautiful and awe inspiring testimonial to one of our city’s greatest moments.

Interestingly, it also still draws big crowds, just as it did 139 years ago. Of course, the majority of the visitors nowadays are much younger than in 1876 because since Memorial Hall now serves as The Please Touch Museum.

happened here because it has had a very positive, long-lasting effect on the city.”

“There were multiple reasons for choosing Philadelphia. First of all,” Swigart reported, “the city was well known and respected and was considered a good central location. The organizers felt, ‘why not celebrate the centennial of our independence in the city that was the birthplace of America.’”

It is truly amazing to learn just how much the Exposition impacted, influenced and improved Philadelphia, and continues to do so 139 years later.

In any case, it is a fascinating, beautiful building well worth visiting for any age.

Even before entering the large beaux-arts style building, also designed

by Herman Schwarzmann, visitors become captivated by two very large Pegasus statues -- one on each side of the main entrance -- that, according to Please Touch Curator Stacey Swigart, were brought over from Vienna and donated to the Exposition. As one enters the building, the awe and amazement are quickly multiplied.

When you step into the main lobby you are immediately impressed by the tall walls, the 50-ft. high central dome, the marble floor, the ornamental plaster frieze all around and the many beautiful statues: somewhat like what one might envision walking into a palace.

Not surprisingly, the crowd is much more frenetic nowadays, with happy, energetic kids running all over the place and enjoying the many hands-on displays of the Please Touch Museum. But there are still some intriguing displays and remnants of Memorial Hall’s -- and Philadelphia’s -- glorious past, highlighted by a meticulously built scale model of the Exposition’s buildings and grounds.

“Construction on the Centennial started in 1874,” Swigart said. “It was a big, big job; a tremendous challenge, but Philadelphians came through in impressive fashion. It was an amazing event. And we are fortunate that it

After serving as an integral part of the Exposition, the Art Gallery Building reopened in 1877 as the Pa. Museum of Art, which was moved to its present location at the head of the Benjamin Franklin Parkway in 1928 and later renamed the Philadelphia Museum of Art. The former Art Gallery Museum School of Industrial Art ultimately became the city’s prestigious University of the Arts. Memorial Hall also served the city as a police station, and, of course, has been thrilling kids from the area as the Please Touch Museum since 1958.

After the U.S. Congress approved the plans for the Exposition, and created a board of finance to help raise needed funds for the immense project, the city responded admirably.

“People in Philadelphia really wanted this event. The politicians, the engineers and the members of the Fairmount Park Commission worked together to get the plans approved,” said Swigart. “Then thousands of people came forward to lend a hand.”

To say those concerned were confident the Exposition would be well attended -- and that Philadelphians would be ready for the challenge -- is putting it mildly. To accommodate the many expected visitors, temporary hotels were constructed, some even adjoining the Exposition grounds.

Leaflets were available that listed available rooms in hotels, boarding houses and even private homes. It twenty-seven

was an ancient form of AirBnB and Couch Surfing. In addition, access to public transportation was dramatically increased. Doesn’t this sound familiar with the current Pope’s visit?

“The transportation set up for the event was incredible,” Swigart reported.

“There were new railroad tracks laid, even inside the fair grounds. And there were horse-drawn trolleys and even a double decker monorail.” The Centennial National Bank was formed specifically to serve as the financial agent of the Exposition.

The main goal was to enlighten visitors about the substantial, amazing and pervasive technology that had emerged from the recent Industrial Revolution and had so drastically changed life at the time. In fact, the Exposition itself was a testimonial to this new industrialization, with an updated Corliss steam engine powering most of the other machines on display.

New products displayed at the Expo that had profound and lasting impacts on life in general included Alexander Graham Bell’s telephone, a Remington typewriter, a WallaceFarmer electric dynamo (precursor to electric light), Heinz ketchup and Hires root beer.

Of course, one other outstanding characteristic of the Exposition was the door it opened for many people into the world of art, with the Art Gallery leading the way.

Along with the up close look offered into technology and art, visitors were also impressed with the size of the Exposition, with the aforementioned 200 buildings stretched out over three miles, with all kinds of intriguing exhibits presented by 12 different nations and 26 of the U.S’ 37 states. Of course, Philadelphia being Philadelphia, visitors got a good dose of patriotism and national pride as well.

Perhaps a good way to illustrate the sense of patriotism that was displayed, as well as a telling example of the extreme effort of those responsible for making the Exposition truly unique and memorable, is the mention of just one truly astounding exhibit; the actual right arm and torch of the Statue of Liberty, which visitors could enter for 50 cents. + Walter Ault

the philadelphia evening post

using our heads s we all know, Philadelphia is home to many world-class museums: from our art museums such as The Barnes Foundation, The Institute of Contemporary Art, and of course, The Philadelphia Museum of Art; to our historic museums such as The Philadelphia History Museum and The African American Museum, to our scientific ones: The Franklin Institute, The Wagner Free Institute of Science, and The Academy of Natural Sciences.

But there is one I’ve noticed most visitors to Philly haven’t heard of and most residents have but many choose not to visit. It seems unknown to those outside the city and misunderstood by those inside.

The Mütter. Or more fully, The Mütter Museum of The College of Physicians of Philadelphia. The Mütter was completed in 1863 and is located at 19 South 22nd Street, where it’s been since The College of Physicians built that location moving from its prior residence at 13th and Locust. When forced to paint a broad stroke people seem inclined to understand the Mütter as something akin to attending a performance at the Grand Guignol, gawking at the taxidermied body of a two-headed chicken, lining up at Coney Island for a freak show, or even the perfectly legitimate science of an autopsy room that’s most frequently witnessed for shock value on the various incarnations of CSI and Law and Order.

But the Mütter has no place in these ranks. It is a museum, as are the Franklin Institute and Academy of Natural Sciences. And to be a museum is a very particular thing. A museum is not a simple ‘house of interest’ or spectacle, but something with a decidedly higher ambition. From its very foundation the objective of the Mütter Museum was one of education:

“The Mütter began as a donation from American surgeon Thomas Dent Mütter, MD (1811-1859), who was determined to improve and reform medical education. Dr. Mütter stipulated that by accepting his donation of 1,700 objects and $30,000, the College must hire a curator, maintain and expand the collection, fund annual lectures, and erect a fireproof building to house the collection.”

The exhibits are meant to expand our minds and abilities, not just widen our eyes. Further to this end, the Mütter is both a scientific and historical museum. They go so far as to make available ten online lessons “intended for High-school students and first or second year undergraduates in history, social studies, or science” which have the goal of enabling students to “assess how Civil War Americans understood the relationships among body, mind, race, and character in creating the model soldier.”

While there are indeed numerous skulls and various body parts submerged in jars that are of interest for all manner of reasons, and even a book bound in human skin waiting to be observed by the Mütter’s students and patrons alike, these are there for individuals with a scientific curiosity. One of the permanent exhibitions at the Mutter museum is Albert Einstein’s Brain: “The Mütter Museum is one of only two places in the world where you can see pieces of Albert Einstein’s brain. Brain sections, 20 microns thick and stained with cresyl violet, are preserved in glass slides on display in the main Museum Gallery.”

Specimens at the Mütter may not, for some, embody the aesthetic ‘beauty’ one might be searching for at The Art Museum, yet all fine art doesn’t do this in the same way either. Many great paintings offer transcendence through twenty-eight

what one couldn’t conventionally call a ‘beautiful’ image. Just think of the slaughtered imagery in Francis Bacon paintings - admittedly not everyone’s taste, but undeniably high art. This is just as no one could deny the scientific rigor, and I’d say intellectual transcendence, of the Mütter’s collection.

There are many ‘beautiful’ scientific images, the Hubble telescope reminds us of this all the time. But I am just as fascinated by Einstein’s brain as I am by distant galaxies. You just have to come to it in the right frame of mind.

+ Len Shaffer

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“Ay, so you wanna know about cheesesteaks? I mean, real cheeseteaks?

The ones you’d serve your motha’?

hidden philly cheesesteak guide

Forget Pat, Geno and Jim, if you’re in Philly, you go here. Period.

Each issue we invite one of our local “experts” to show you Philadelphia’s best kept secrets.

This week we welcome Tony. Take it away T-Bone...

Oh and tell ‘em Tony gabagool sent ya’.”

mighty mick’s

wolf & wash

“You wanna talk old school? This is old school. A real South Philly staple. It’s been here from before you were born and it’ll be here long after, an’ that’s because they make a good fricken’ sandwich. You come away feelin’ and stinkin’ like the champ.”

“What with cell phones and the internet and stuff like that, things are movin’ pretty fast these days, that’s why I like the Wolf & Wash. You order, you eat, and boom, by the time your done, your Olds looks like a million bucks.”

joey’s mother’s house

skunky’s eat n’ puke

“You remember Joey from the old days, right? Over on Shunk?

Well his Motha’, bless her soul, makes a damn good steak.

I’m tellin’ ya, out of this world. So next time you’re in the neighborhood, just knock on her door and tell ‘er Tony said you’re alright.”

“For over twenty years Skunky’s been slingin’ steaks under the I-95 overpass. It’s no frills, down and dirty, anything goes here – with fine aged beef and Skunky’s special sauce. That’s what gives it that serious Skunky’s tang.”

the secret steak

le lourde

“This is the Holy Grail, the stuff of legends. What you do is go to the north east corner of 9th and Washington, head north, make five rights, then a left, and a door will appear. Go in. A man in robes will present you with a steak, you say nothing, leave a feral cat. You’ll thank me later.”

“I didn’t forget about all you damn foodies out there driving up our taxes. So let’s talk high-end, the type of place suitable for the old lady when she wants to feel special or somethin’.

Basically we have a world renown chef who cooks up his filet, and then makes it into a serious sandwich. Best of all, it’s served with frites, not fries - who knew?”

Hubert S. - The Secret Steak “By nature I’m an adventurous guy, so when I heard about this, I just had to try it. Boy am I glad I did.”

Shelly C. - Le Lourde “O-M-G!!! You will abs. love this place for it’s wine selection alone. Add in good food for the WIN”

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Joey M. - Joey’s Mother’s House “Hands down, the best.

The staff can get out of line sometimes, but you know Ma, she means well.”

the philadelphia evening post

little italy all over philly s more people from across the country move to Philadelphia, the need to keep local history alive becomes critical. History happened all over this great city in every era and there is a need for examination of it by historians, professional and amateur alike.

Philadelphia’s history stretches beyond the formal Declaration of Independence from England. Colonial history is the cornerstone of the city’s tourism, but one can dig much deeper into the Colonial-era history that is taught to schoolchildren nationwide.

That statement applies to all eras of history. It also applies to the experiences of the immigrants who left countries where their ancestors had lived for hundreds of years, to call Philadelphia home.

Take the case of Italians.

A cursory glance of the subject will yield knowledge of only one area of South Philadelphia, the so-called Italian Market – its real name is The 9th Street Curb Market – but other Little Italy’s dotted South Philadelphia and were spread throughout the city.

When writing about Italians of

Philadelphia there are many angles that one can pursue. There’s the Catholic Church – which was the centerpiece of immigrants’ lives at the turn of the last century, the list of writers, actors/ actresses, athletes, scientists, judges and lawyers who held important positions in all levels of the bench, and one could write a doctoral dissertation regarding the regional differences that live on today through dialects, food, and even what patron saint one venerated.

Italy, as we know and call it today, was a collection of city-states and various kingdoms from the fall of Rome until unification in 1861. As a result, Italians felt loyalty to their commune – or town – not to their province nor to their region and even less to the country as a whole. When Italians immigrated to Philadelphia, people from certain regions settled in certain neighborhoods. Even certain blocks were populated by people from certain towns and villages.

In the early-to-mid 20th century, Philadelphia neighborhoods were the equivalent of mini-cities: Store owners lived atop their stores, people worked, shopped, and did just about everything within a four-to-five block radius of thirty

their house. People walked everywhere and public transportation made travel to “far” places such as Center City (downtown) convenient and accessible. Owning a car was out of the question for most people financially and there wasn’t a need for it anyway due to public transit.

Keeping that in mind, there should be no mystery as to why the city was home to national parishes serving more than a few immigrant groups. There were two national parishes for Slovaks, one for Ukrainians, at least seven Polish churches (this does not include St. Valentine’s Polish National Catholic Church, PNCC, which is Protestant), and at least fifteen Italian national parishes.

A national parish, in Catholic speak, caters to the unique spiritual needs of a particular ethnic group. In this case, Italians felt the need to create their own parishes due to the fact they were unwelcome in “American” (Irish) Catholic churches. They were discouraged from worshiping in their style, which was primarily through feasts – where statues of saints would be paraded throughout the neighborhood and people would attach money to

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constraints, presented is a bullet list of major contributions of Italians to Philadelphia.

• The first national parish of any ethnicity was St. Mary Magdalen de Pazzi, declared such by St. John Neumann, then a bishop and himself an immigrant, in 1852 - nine years before Italy’s unification.

• Pat Olivieri had a hot dog stand in South Philadelphia. In 1930, during the Depression, he decided to make something different for lunch, so he put some chopped meat and sliced onions on an Italian roll. Just as he went to eat it, someone came up to him asking what he was having. He made another sandwich for them.

Word spread like proverbial wildfire and the steak sandwich was born. Later on cheese was added to make the cheesesteak – the iconic sandwich for which Philadelphia is world-renowned. Pat’s King of Steaks

“

around to serve this refreshing summer treat such as John’s Water Ice in South

When Italians immigrated to Philadelphia, people

from certain regions settled in certain neighborhoods.

Even certain blocks were populated by people from certain towns and villages. In the early-to-mid 20th

“

ribbons hung on either side of the statue. And their way of celebrating Mass was much more involved than the restrained liturgical practices of the Irish.

So Italians weren’t welcomed at “American” churches – many times they were made to worship in the basements of grand, Gothic-style churches, and, to add to this cocktail, there was little unity among Italians. Churches were opened to cater to people from northern Italy (St. Mary Magdalen de Pazzi) and southern Italy (Our Lady of Good Counsel, which was closed in 1933). The opening of the latter church was in large part due to prejudices and stereotypes against southern Italians. Italians from other parts of the country did not want to worship alongside people they looked down upon.

Of the fifteen, possibly more, Italian parishes that dotted Philadelphia’s landscape only three remain today: St. Donato’s in West Philadelphia, Our Lady of Consolation in Tacony in the northeast (not to be confused with Our Mother of Consolation in Chestnut Hill), and Mother of Divine Grace in Port Richmond, which was recently targeted for closure by the Archdiocese of Philadelphia.

Time brings change, and Italians were subjected to change like anyone else. The children and grandchildren of the immigrants assimilated into American society, but, in so doing, they lost many ancient customs and, most of all, the language. The immigrants’ great-grandchildren, and beyond, are just now starting to learn the Italian language and are reviving family customs and traditions no matter how bastardized they became.

To make a blanket statement such as, “Italians did so much since they came to the United States,” would be doing quite a disservice to them in particular and to history in general. Due to space

century, Philadelphia neighborhoods were the equivalent of mini-cities: Store owners lived atop their stores, people worked, shopped, and did just about everything within a four-to-five block radius of their house.

is cater-corner at 9th and Wharton Streets in South Philly and is a tourist destination.

• Isgro’s and Termini’s are two family run bakeries that have been around for a while (Isgro’s since 1904, Termini’s since 1921). They helped popularize the numerous pastries from the island of Sicily and the Naples area.

Isgro’s sole location is at 1009 Christian Street. Termini’s has expanded beyond their 8th Street flagship store to include stores in Reading Terminal, the Comcast Center, and the Packer Park Shopping Center.

• Salvatore and Chiarina Marra were Neapolitan immigrants who established a restaurant at 1734 East Passyunk Avenue, named Marra’s. Over eighty years later, their family still runs the restaurant, which features pizza still made in the authentic Neapolitan way.

• Water ice is an Italian invention and there are family-owned stands still thirty-one

Philly, Tranzilli’s in Germantown, and Morrone Water Ice in West Philly.

No one singular work can even begin to scratch the surface on this subject. Perhaps writing about the Italians of Brazil and Argentina would be easier?

+ Donna J. Di Giacomo Donna J. Di Giacomo, a third-generation Philadelphian, is the author of Italians of Philadelphia, published by Arcadia Publishing (2007). Her main interest is in Germantown history.

She can be found at, among other places, www.pinterest.com/of-philly.

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queen village “The city of Philadelphia is perhaps one of the wonders of the world” – Lord Adam Gordon, 1765

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poetry review: valu-plus by ryan eckes, furniture press books, 2014 FICTION + POETRY

ecause Philadelphia’s brick and mortar has been all but demolished, its neighbors edged out of sight, with play, surprise, and pleasure compromised, Ryan Eckes rebuilds with language. Unlike industrial mediums, language comes at little cost to the speaker, it would seem, and it is through this medium that the speakers in Eckes’s latest collection of poems, Valu-Plus, form avenues between the real and the uncanny. “A sense of possibility / in language then / got me in this situation,” the speaker says of becoming a poet in “joe paterno is our football coach,” one of the longer set pieces of the collection’s third and final section. Because little in the realm of Eckes’s Philadelphia is possible without fighting for one’s soul, the speaker resorts to language as a form of escape, though he most often fails, dragging the wreckage of this perilous city with him into the poems.

Even as storeowners lock up their storefront shutters for good, possibilities seem available. Eckes fills his lines to the margins, allowing carefully measured sentences to billow, fill with breath, oftentimes bursting into prose. In “the bhagavad-cvs,” the poem’s speaker, the manager of a convenience store, advises his employee: chris, to protect men of virtue and destroy men who do evil, to set the standard of sacred duty, crush boxes in the back room. this is the ancient discipline i have taught you today.

The speaker bestows upon his employee spiritual guidance with the

calm of a guru, this, undercut by the ridiculous suggestion that crushing boxes could lead to enlightenment. We sense a mind in perfect balance, yin and yang, as the line presents whole phrases uninterrupted, reinforcing their sequential logic. Without violent enjambments to interfere with or further ironize the advice, we receive this doctrine, unencumbered: serve and thus obtain serenity.

As the book progresses, the lines get shorter, knuckles whiten, and the tone clenches. Lines more frequently contain two or three beats and more abrasively divide phrases at unexpected moments; the city’s brokenness and, despite his imaginative lyricism, his inability to mend it through verse give rise to tension. Within this state of disrepair, the speakers stare blindly at their surroundings, mistaking longing for aspiration; objects of their desire, such as education, intimacy, father figures, sports heroes, law, the architecture of Frank Furness, and a beloved discount store have disappeared without their knowing.

This collection is, by and large, an insider’s guide to Philadelphia, presenting Philly-natives with countless opportunities to see wholly unrepresented parts of their city finally spoken for. At times, though, the longspun vernacular overstays its welcome.

Longer poems like “momentum,” a seemingly autobiographical monologue, varies too little in their diction and line length to sustain our interest for its entirety, making us feel trapped, though maybe that’s the point. The violently enjambed line-endings become too numerous to illuminate much of what the speaker is saying. Which is perhaps why we might more gleefully welcome thirty-three

a poem like “Red Sky,” beautiful and brutal in its metaphor-making as the speaker reflects on his concerns for his son. my body was a lake o i watched from a tree dozed as leaves hard to believe that’s my hand trembling when my son goes to shake it goodbye This moment not only stands as one of the collection’s most tender, but also as its most concise, making it one of its most precious. We have left a realm of criminality in which a public worships a morally compromised football coach to one of authentic paternal love and concern perpetually on the cusp of destruction.

To communicate chaos, one must write with concision and a sense of place, and so too goes the same in moments of apathy and frustration.

One must enliven the language. It is, after all, the poet’s medium of choice and possibility. + Noah Friedman Noah is a poet, critic, and artist currently living in Philadelphia. He recently graduated from the MFA Program for Writers at Warren Wilson College.

hanging in homey horn hardart’s

s you walk toward City Hall from Walnut to Chestnut Street there is no sign to tell you that you are passing the site of one of the last automats in the United States.

The automat was an invention created in Switzerland and built in Germany. It was an automatic restaurant – popular in Europe and Scandinavia, but totally unknown in this country in 1901. Frank Hardart did not hesitate to commission one for the restaurants he ran with Joe Horn in Philadelphia, making him an enterprising innovator.

The automat machine he bought was placed in the restaurant at 818 Chestnut Street – the first Horn & Hardart Automat, which opened in June 1902. Over the years, the two restaurant owners developed improved automats thanks to the efforts of their chief engineer, John Fritsche, who developed the unit I remember from the Broad Street Horn & Hardart’s. It had rectangular glass doors that would open when you inserted your coins and let you take out the sandwich or piece of pie you wanted. And I remember the lovely dolphin head coffee urn spouts, chosen by Joe Horn after he saw similar ones in Italy.

Like Frank Hardart, I too, had a dream. I wanted to be a piano teacher.

In 1979, I had just earned a degree in piano performance from a small private college in North Carolina, which, when combined with a few coins, entitled me to food and coffee at Horn & Hardart’s.

I was staying at a rooming house on Pine Street (as was Frank Hardart when

he answered Joe Horn’s ad seeking a partner in his restaurant business) and was going to take lessons in New York City from a fairly well known teacher.

The teacher wanted me to move to New York so I could take lessons more often, but after looking for a place to live in the Big Apple, I had become discouraged.

How could I afford to live there?

To cogitate on these issues, I enjoyed escaping the tremendous heat of my tiny room on Pine Street and musing on my future at Horn & Hardart’s.

Frequently people would end up sitting at my table and the conversation was a balm to this confused 24-year-old. I was able to air my doubts to disinterested listeners who spoke with that delicious Philadelphia accent you rarely hear these days. They called me ‘sweetheart’ which they pronounced with that Philly spin.

I heard about a job as a bilingual secretary at a French-owned cement plant office in Birmingham, Alabama and had a number I could call. For the benefit of younger readers, we used phones into which we inserted quarters.

The Bell Telephone Company ran all of the phones in the U.S. under the benevolent watch of their management, referred to as Ma Bell.

There was no phone you could use to call out at my rooming house, but there was a private phone in the basement of Horn & Hardart’s on Broad St. I bought a roll of quarters and called the number of the French executive in Birmingham. We spoke for longer than I had anticipated (and my French conversation held up longer than I had

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expected); so Ma Bell interrupted to say, “Deposit another fifty cents, please.”

Her nasal voice let my interlocutor know that I was on a pay phone - not in some luxury home like the other candidates for the job who had been polishing their French on the Riviera compliments of Mom and Daddy Megabucks.

Embarrassed, I apologized, deposited the money and agreed to an interview that meant a two-day drive from Philadelphia to Birmingham. As I trudged back to the rooming house from Horn & Hardart’s, I realized that if I could obtain gainful employment at the cement company, it would be better than chasing my dream of becoming a piano teacher.

I found out later that I got the job mainly because the Frenchman who interviewed me assumed that if I did not have a phone at home I would be a hard worker. I tried to earn his faith in me by learning about cement and polishing my French.

Although my dream of teaching piano evaporated, the job in Birmingham eventually led me to a degree in interpreting and a fulfilling decade working in Europe. And I am still warmed by the memories of the sustenance and comfort of Horn & Hardart’s and the friendly Philadelphians I met there in the summer of 1979. + Margaret Darby

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“When I was their age my parents would bring me here. I like the idea of coming to Queen Village as a family tradition.”

Shot Tower, located on the 100 block of Carpenter Street, was built in 1808 and produced ammunition for soldiers in the war of 1812. The grounds are now used as a park & playground for the community.

“When you get the new and the veteran gardeners together and to see where that leads - it’s incredible.

It’s great to see how we’re helping people form relationships in the community that might otherwise not cross paths.”

Mariposa Co-op is a 1,500 member-owned and operated store in Cedar Park. It stocks local product and products in addition to hosting workshops on nutrition and wellness.

Located at 532 N 7th Street in Callowhill, this National Historic Site was once the home of Edgar Allen Poe. During his time in Philadelphia he published a number of works, including The Black Cat and The Gold-Bug.

“I can walk to any neighborhood from Callowhill, which I love. I came 7 years ago to do an AmeriCorps program here. I’m originally from California and I just got sucked in.”

Rising up, over, and through Callowhill is the elevated portion of The Reading Viaduct. Currently a non-profit, Friends of the Rail Park, is preparing for Phase 1 of the conversion from an abandoned track into a continuous public space.

The Schuylkill River Park sits between Lombard & Manning along the Eastern riverfront. It boasts a dog run, open lawns, a community garden, basketball & tennis courts, a playground, and both riverfront and skyline views.

“I’m an international student from China. Tomorrow is my birthday - it will be the first time I spent my birthday away from home. I’m a little bit lonely so I wanted to go outside to gain some peace, in my heart”

featured instagrammer:

@Philly_Unphiltered Patrick McGettigan’s passion project comes from his interest in the many neighborhoods that make up our city and his curiosity about the people who help to define Philadelphia’s sub-communities. His account documents his explorations of our many neighborhoods, reflecting on the historical aspects of each as well as the modern changes taking place within them. It features candid interviews with people who live, work, or spend time in these neighborhoods so that the voice of each space is brought into the storytelling. He does not filter or edit the photos, he simply wants to share what makes Philadelphia wonderful: it’s past, it’s future, and it’s people.

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the philadelphia evening post

south st. district “I’ll tell you one thing. I love Philadelphia. One of the first things did outside of ew or was at the Theater of the i ing rts on outh treet Danny DeVito

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thirty-six

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washington loses philadelphia

The March to Valley Forge - William Trego

ollowing his surprising victories at the battles of Trenton and Princeton, General Washington’s stock with the Continental Congress and the people who supported the revolution had grown considerably. He dared not try to pit his ill-trained and ill-equipped forces against the British regulars again as he’d done on Long Island. After that fiasco, British General Howe has occupied New York City and also captured Forts Washington and Lee on either side of the Lower Hudson. Not knowing where he would strike next, Washington was forced to divide his small force, placing part of it at Middlebrook, New Jersey, so as to be positioned to move in several possible directions depending on where the enemy went.

On July 23, 1777, Washington’s spies in the city informed him that Howe had loaded his army onto the fleet based in Sandy Hook, NJ and was believed to be heading out into the ocean, bound to mount a flank attack on Philadelphia via the Delaware Bay and river. Soon thereafter, Howe began landing his troops at what was then known as the “Head of the Elk” in Maryland, from which he could march by land to Philadelphia.

Not realizing as Howe did, that he was being lured into a trap, Washington took the bait and began a forced march into Pennsylvania. But Howe wasn’t all that interested in capturing even such an important city as that of Brotherly Love.

He was far more focused on getting the Continentals to come out, fight, and be destroyed – which would, of course, end the rebellion.

Studying his maps and consulting with Pennsylvanians, Washington decided his best defensive tactics would be to dig in along the north bank of the Brandywine Creek. To get there, he would march through Philadelphia, making a grand show of confidence for the benefit of the politicians and the people. Ordering each man to place a large green spring in his cap, he led them proudly through the downtown he knew so well. Congress wasn’t there to review them, having fled to York, their customary hideout whenever threatened. Washington led this poorly clad and poorly shod band of about 12,000 troops, including militiamen, through town on his white horse on the 24th of August, 1777. Anyone who has suffered through the hazy, hot and humid dog days of summer in Philadelphia (as we just did) knows how much effort it takes just to move thirty-seven

around outdoors. Many of those poor fellows must’ve been sorely tempted to fall out and seek some water and shade were it not for the order which stated that if they did so, they’d be treated as deserters.

When they reached Brandywine Creek they entrenched in the blistering heat. Although the scouts had supposedly designated all the fordable locations, when the battle commenced, the Brits outflanked them to the right and routed them once again. (In the battle for Long Island, the outflanking had been to the left.) The Continentals retreat was far less orderly than their advance. This time they didn’t dare return to the city, for fear of causing panic. Instead they encamped near the Schuylkill River, west of what was then the suburb of Germantown, and probably in the vicinity of present day Conshohocken and or Norristown.

Another losing battle would be fought in Germantown in early October. In midDecember, orders were issued stating that the army would take up winter quarters at a place called Valley Forge, further upstream on the Schuylkill, some twenty miles from Philadelphia… + Ed Murch

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past post 2

+ Kristen Humbert

An old boss of mine used to workout regularly at the Sporting Club at the Bellevue. Occasionally he’d see Ed Rendell a few treadmills over. I, myself, have stopped in there a few times to hit up their basement food court. But there was a time before Bain’s Deli and racquetball, a time when the Bellevue was the premier hotel in the country, known around the world.

In the postcard you can see the Bellevue tower over other buildings on Broad, giving you a sense of what a goliath it once was. A home-awayfrom-home for royalty, presidents, and celebrities, it was the place to see and hopefully be seen. And its earliest inception (a smaller building) predates New York’s own beacon of class, the Waldorf Astoria, by about a decade.

The Bellevue’s wellbeing has ebbed with the times. The Depression took a toll, as did changing fashion in the ‘40s,

but the most infamous incident, one that forever marks the hotel in medical texts, has ties to this summer’s outbreak in the Bronx.

In July of 1976, while the Bellevue hosted a convention for the American Legion, a curious disease killed close to 30 guests and left more than a hundred ill. The shadow of what came to be known as “Legionnaires’ Disease” lay long over the hotel, causing it to shutter the following November.

After a few more fumbles, the Bellevue regained its footing in 1989, eventually becoming the Hyatt at the Bellevue in 2010, as its still known today. And while it may not hold the same level of prestige it carried over a century ago, within its walls you’ll still find celebrities, politicians, and maybe even some royalty— along with the gluttonous Breakfast Bomber from Bain’s.

We are having a dandy time. I gained 3 lbs. since I’ve been away. I was all over phila. + over to Camden, N.J. yesterday + went to a circus also.

Dear Mother, We arrived here 6.11. was a wonderful ride.

This is the hotel we are stopping at some class to us. It is the same as the Waldorf Astoria in New York.

With Love, […]

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roots + restaurants FOOD

n the food world, this city’s well on its way to eternal stardom, and oh, how far it’s come. To outsiders, we were a onetrick pony: a greasy grump flipping off two cheesesteak-sized middle fingers, one in the mirror, and the other to the rest of the world. It was a toxic mass-projection of insecurity, hindering all likelihood of culinary maturation.

People didn’t travel here to eat, and if they did, they stuck with what they knew.

Now it’s different. We’ve blown up into a nationally recognized food city, with some of the best chefs in the country leading some of the best restaurants in the world. But without our culinary past, we wouldn’t be where we are today, and it’s crucial that we remember our roots, i.e. the Philadelphia Pepper Pot Soup.

The origin of the Philadelphia Pepper Pot is lost in historical ambiguity, but has weaved its way through our city’s history since the 17th century. There’s the George Washington story: Washington and his troops were facing a brutal winter at Valley Forge, many of them starving to death. Washington called on his baker general to make something, anything, to survive the winter. And he

did, restoring morale with cheap cuts of beef, tripe and whatever spices he had.

Pepper Pot can also be easily traced back to the Caribbean, where many slaves came from — that’s the less-fun story, and can be solidified with this 19th-century painting by John Lewis Krimmel’s Pepper-Pot: A Scene in the Philadelphia.

Regardless of where and how it came to fruition, the stew became a Philadelphia-beloved. Though, look for it in the city these days, and it’ll be hard to come by. There was a time where you could order a seafood take on it at Bookbinder’s, and City Tavern still sells a “West Indies” version of it. But for a bowl of original Philadelphia Pepper Pot, the only place in the city you can find it is at Whetstone Tavern. Chef Jeremy Nolen, of Brauhaus Schmitz fame, just opened his American eatery in July, the same month the debut edition of the revived Philadelphia Evening Post hit the streets. On Nolen’s menu is the traditional Philadelphia Pepper Pot. Why a stew in July?

“Because I felt like it.”

“It’s just so classic,” says Nolen, “and it’s delicious. I grew up in Berks County, and you can find versions of it up there, but nobody’s really using tripe anymore.” The stew is hearty, yes, thirty-nine

and eating it in July definitely felt odd, but within your first spoonful, you’ll be yearning for a brutal winter. His has tripe, because that’s tradition, and brisket “braised for a long, long time.”

With them, some mustard greens, potatoes, red peppers, allspice, and a paprika broth so deep in flavor, you’ll forget all about summer. It’s a rural recipe with the right amount of nuance to make it appealing to Philadelphia’s new-wave sensibilities. Who knows, maybe one day we’ll sell it off the streets like they did way back when, shouting to the masses: All hot! All hot!

Pepper pot! Pepper pot!

Makes backs strong.

Makes lives long.

All hot! Pepper pot! + Alex Tewfik

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sizing up william penn

t’s quite a tall order if you are William Penn, standing atop City Hall.

Your gaze was once an uninterrupted view of the rolling Philadelphia countryside, and when the construction of Willard Rouse’s Liberty Place in 1987 liberated the city from the antiquated Gentleman’s Agreement that no building in the city could rise higher than the tip of Billy Penn’s Hat, we then believed it jinxed our sports teams to the effect that a miniature statue of William Penn sits atop the Comcast Center, which became the tallest building in the city in 2007.

The sun continues to rise on William Penn who still stands tall as he continues to look out over his Quaker city. The 60,000-pound hollow bronze statue of Penn was the crowing glory of City Hall, and is one of 250 individual statuary’s designed by Alexander Calder to grace the building, inside and out. Checking in at the height of 38 feet and 10 inches, Penn watches over the city under the 23-foot circumference of his wide brimmed hat. His eyes measure 12 inches long and if you had to measure Penn for a brand new suit, his arms measure in at 12 feet, 6 inches, just beyond the cuff! His 24-foot circumference at the

waist would keep any tailor working overtime! We are not sure of his shoe size, but his legs run to 18 feet, with an 8 foot, 8 inch circumference. He truly is the best-dressed Gentleman in the city and never needs an umbrella.

The statue faces northeast, toward Fishtown’s Penn Treaty Park, despite

Calder’s wish that the statue should face south so Penn’s face could be illuminated by the sun throughout most of the day. City Hall construction began in 1871, and took 30 years to complete. In 1894, the statue topped off the Building and Penn not only gazed over his city, he stood gracefully at the top of the world as Philadelphia’s City Hall was the tallest structure on the planet for the 14 years that would follow, ending in 1908.

City Hall shares its “Second Empire” architectural legacy with The Louvre in Paris. It was out of style by the time it was completed and its beauty and grandeur still stands today because its demolition would have bankrupted the city in 1957. It would be hard to imagine the city without City Hall and William Penn atop reminding us every day that our city’s history and architecture enlighten our way into the 21st century.

Hats off to Billy Penn!

+ Will Valentino

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phillyâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s king of polaroid ART

Brian Bruno is a new and upcoming freelance photographer originally from the Philadelphia Suburbs who started shooting Polaroidâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s ever since he received a camera as a gift in August 2013. His work is shared through the lens of modern photos made vintage. Heâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s also a filmmaker and has done work for horror films such as Camp Dread staring Eric Roberts, 6 Degrees of Hell, and ombie Killers: Elephants Graveyard.

However, he primarily shoots instant film photography of fine art, nature, concerts and nudes, among other things he wants to document within that given moment.

To him, film captures the human form and mind in an authentic nature, which tells a story that can be interpreted on many levels across the wide spectrum of mankind. From using a variety of expired films, his work takes you back to another time and at times to a world unknown.

The images are very dreamlike with well-executed concepts, bringing with them a sense of reminiscence. He captures the beauty of people in their external environments where the individual is simply being their true self. Keep a look out for his future individual work and collaborations with other artists. Brian is the perfect blend of both new and old, taking an outdated form of photography and turning into something new while still keeping its nostalgic touch.

Follow him on Instagram at @brunoroids and on Tumblr at http://brunoroids.tumblr.com forty-two

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Denny and Jackie met in college at the Corcoran College of Art in Washington, D.C. almost 8 years ago. They have chosen Philadelphia for their wedding because “It’s such a beautiful city; full of history, fantastic food, and great people.” They asked for copies of this Autumn edition of The Philadelphia Evening Post for their wedding welcome bags, so we decided to print a special congratulations for them.

“Someday someone is going to look at you with a light in their eyes you’ve never seen, they’ll look at you like you’re everything they’ve been looking for their entire lives. Wait for it.”

Jackie & Denny 11.7.15

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the philadelphia evening post

northwest philly “Back in Philly, we be out in the park, a place called the plateau is where everybody go” – Will Smith “Summertime”

Juliann Gates @julianngates

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the monster FICTION + POETRY

I kind of remember the night before, but it’s hard to say.

That morning came like a tidal wave, sweeping away everything we once knew and thought as safe.

I remember being glued to the television for hours, watching everything on repeat, listening to my mother crying in the other room and holding a newspaper, her eyes red and tired.

We saved all of the newspapers.

From then on The Monster had entered our lives: my life.

He would be there for years to come, causing me to look over my shoulder, judge people I shouldn’t have judged, and imagine things I would’ve never before imagined.

Every time I heard that roaring sound of a low-flying aircraft or saw some kind of embellished or paranoid behavior on a subway train, The Monster reminded me of his nasty presence, his lingering effects.

The Monster was always there.

Every now and then we would hear of one of The Monster’s plans, barely thwarted, but somehow foiled.

New laws and paranoia as well as a new wave of political propaganda swept the land.

As I grew up from a boy to a man, I’d never forget The Monster.

I lived with him, we all did.

The Monster and what he did to us was ingrained in our psyches forever.

The Monster was often a topic of conversation, his lasting mark stretching into and out of our college years.

And then one night we were warned of a great announcement.

Our elected leader had awoken us from an early night and the Internet buzzed with activity.

Immediately we were reminded of The Monster, our stomachs choked in fear, but then – relief!

An ease I only remembered f rom childhood and had thought I’d forgotten.

Brave men had tracked down and slaughtered The Monster responsible for our fear.

Although The Monster’s minions still lurked about the globe, for the first time in the longest time, I slept with a peace I had only known as a boy.

+ Josh Kinney

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the philadelphia evening post

dear post:

@peddler offee

picked up a copy of the inaugural issue at Peddler Coffee.

Beautifully designed, lovingly produced; you’ve done a wonderful job. I just thought I’d offer you and, of course, your staff some words of praise.

Your reintroduction of The Post to Philadelphia coincidentally overlaps with my own introduction to the city; I’ll be moving to Philly by the end of the month. I’ve sniffed out some of the coffee shops already, but much of what the city has to offer has yet to reveal itself, though The Post will be a great

primer for me, and anyone looking to scratch deeper than downtown who hasn’t already.

I’m excited to see where the Post goes from here, the stories you come up with, how the writing evolves as time passes. It’s something I’d like to get involved with, actually. The Post is strikingly produced, and your love for your home comes through. It gives me something to look forward to.

All the best, + Noah Friedman

Teaching Philly kids to write since 2009.

15th & Christian, 39th & Lancaster, 18th & Diamond and El Futuro in the Italian Market

www.mightywriters.org forty-six

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now hiring!

Employment with The Philadelphia Evening Post Job Openings: Sales Managers â&#x20AC;&#x201C; The Philadelphia Evening Post is currently seeking connected neighborhood Sales Managers to sell advertising (print and online) in various Philadelphia neighborhoods. These territory protected 1099 positions can be full or part time, responsible for activating neighborhood advertising and in being the primary connection for our magazine to the neighborhood. This is especially great for people who have relationships with Philadelphia businesses.

Email: sales@phillyeveningpost.com

Neighborhood Writers â&#x20AC;&#x201C; The Philadelphia Evening Post is currently seeking connected neighborhood writers to assist in promoting the history and heritage of the Philadelphia neighborhoods and either submitting or uncovering personal local stories, histories and memories. Note that these are freelance opportunities.

Contact Josh at: editor@phillyeveningpost.com.

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