| Philadelphia City Hall | |
|---|---|
 Northeast corner of Philadelphia City Hall | |
 | |
| General information | |
| Status | Completed |
| Type | Government |
| Architectural style | Second Empire |
| Location | Philadelphia, Pennsylvania |
| Coordinates | 39°57′8.09″N 75°9′50.02″W / 39.9522472°N 75.1638944°W |
| Groundbreaking | 1872 |
| Completed | 1901 |
| Owner | City of Philadelphia |
| Height | 548 feet (167 m) |
| Design and construction | |
| Architect(s) | John McArthur, Jr. |
Philadelphia City Hall | |
| NRHP reference No. | 76001667[1] |
| Added to NRHP | December 8, 1976 |
History edit
Planning edit
By the middle of the 19th century, the city of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania had outgrown its Old City Hall. In 1854 Philadelphia had consolidated with all of Philadelphia County giving the city a population of over 500,000. The municipal government could no longer fit in the nearly 70 year old, two story building.[2] Old City Hall contained the main offices for the police and fire departments, and other municipal offices. Other office and court space was located across the street in Congress Hall.[3]
A architectural competition was held in 1860 for municipal building designs that would be built on Penn Square. The square, located in the center of Center City, was intended for this purpose by the city's founder William Penn. Only three Philadelphia architects submitted designs, John McArthur Jr., Samuel Sloan and George Bethell. A debate by city councilors over choosing between Sloan's design and McArthur's lasted several months. In the end McArthur's design of two Classical dome structures, one housing city hall and the other housing a courthouse. When the American Civil War began the project was canceled.[2]
A commission was formed on January 31, 1868 to provide Philadelphia with a new city hall or other public buildings on Independence Square. A new architectural competition was announced in April of 1869 and was advertised in several cities. To judge the competition a subcommittee of the commission was created. The subcommittee was made of businessmen, two civil engineers, Strickland Kneass and Frederick Graff and was chaired by architect Thomas U. Walter. The results of the competition were announced on September 28, 1869. Of the seventeen submissions John McArthur Jr. again won the contest. Samuel Sloan's more expensive design was selected as second place. The plan was scrapped soon after when the choice of building the city hall on Independence Square became controversial.[2] The plan proposed a U-shaped building that would surround Independence Hall. The other building's on the square would be demolished. Philadelphians were opposed to destroying the historic buildings and supported the idea of moving city offices westward to match Philadelphia's growth to the west. On March 30, 1870 a special election was ordered by the Pennsylvania legislature. The election occurred in October of that year and voters had a choice between Penn Square and Washington Square. Penn Square won with 51,623 votes.[3][4]
In September of that year the commission voted to choose John McArthur Jr. as the architect for the project. The commission was deadlocked for two years as they wavered between choosing one large structure for city hall or four smaller structures. The deadlock ended in April 1872 when contractor John Rice resigned from the commission and was replaced by corporation lawyer Samuel C. Perkins. Perkins support of McArthur's plan of a single city hall building allowed the commission to move forward and construction began later that year.[2]
Construction edit
By the time of the cornerstone laying ceremony on July 4, 1874 construction of the building had reached the second floor. US President Ulysses Grant was originally going to address the ceremony but a death in the family prevented him from attending. Lawyer and orator Benjamin Brewster gave the main address instead. Also to commemorate the event a book was published about the project and the new city hall was publicized around the world.[2] Head of the building committee, Samuel C. Perkins, wanted the building to be the envy of the country and McArthur continued to revise the design as the building was being constructed. McArthur adding more ornament and sculpture on the building's facade and roof.[5] The building was intended to be the tallest in the world but before the structure was completed both the Washington Monument and the Eiffel Tower were finished. The building did hold the status of the tallest habitable building in the world for several years.[6]
Hundreds of workers, including carpenters, masons, carvers, stone cutters, and artists worked on city hall.[7]
To construct city hall, marble was shipped from Lee, Massachusetts. The marble was transported to the Long Island Sound where it was sent by barge through the Delaware and Raritan Canals to a stone cutters on the Schuylkill River side of Philadelphia.[5]
Nineteen people died during the construction of city hall. Some were crushed by falling stone and others fell to their death.[8]
Construction proceeded slowly over the next three decades. When construction was finally completed the project cost a total of $24,344,355.48.[2]
The clock was completed in 1898.[9]
Parts of City Hall were occupied and functioning while still under construction.[10]
Calder was one of the first to occupy space in City Hall on a first floor studio.[11] Calder would create clay models and assistants would help transfer the clay into plaster, which then became stone and bronze figures.[12]
McArthur died in 1890 and William Bleddyn Powell became supervising architect. Alexander Milne Calder was selected to create the sculptures that would adorn City Hall. Through the 1870s and early 1880s Calder worked on more than two hundreds sculptures for city hall. In 1886 Calder began work on statue of William Penn that would top the city hall's clock tower. A full size plaster cast was made in 1888, but there was no foundry in the United States that could cast a statue of that size until 1889 when the Tacony Iron and Metal Works in Philadelphia opened. In 1892 the statue of Penn stood in the courtyard where it stood for a year before being raised in 14 separate pieces on November 28, 1894.[13]
COntruction required 4,000 pieces of iron, bronze and copper.[14]
1901 - present edit
Drivers quickly became frustrated by the change in traffic flow between Market and Broad Streets. Some drivers even attempted to drive through the predestrian walkways.[15]
For decades the north plaza was a location that people such as religious speakers, politicians, and other orators would speak to crowds.[16]
City Hall became a common spot along parade routes.[17]
Outdoor sculptural museum, political rallies and theatrical performances.[17]
The building originally dwarfed the buildings around it.[18] City Hall unwritten rule.
Architecture edit
At 548 feet (167 m) Philadelphia City Hall is the tallest load-bearing wall structure without a steel frame in the world. City Hall is the second tallest masonry building in the world. The building is slightly shorter than the Mole Antonelliana in Turin, Italy.[2][19][20]
McArthur was inspired by the popular French style architecture. Construction of the Louvre had made the style popular. McArthur used French style mansard roofs, pavilions, domers, and pediments.[21]
Influenced by the Louvre and the Palais des Tuileries, Second Empire is evidenced by a central portal, turreted corners, slate mansard roofs, dormer windows and paired columns. that and large windows help give the impression the six-story building has three levels.[22]
The walls of city hall were extremely thick to support the building. The walls were especially thick under the clock tower. The largest single block is said to weigh 36 tons.[23]
Building was decorated lavishly though some of it has disappeared over the years. Multicolored mosaic floors covered in Oriental rugs, ornamental ceilings tinged with aluminum leaf, various colored granite walls accented with relief sculpted heads, chandeliers, large fireplaces with mahogany mantels, hand carved wood furniture. Flying staircases spiral upward from the ground to the sixth floor in each of the pavilions. Cantilevered staircases conceived by Thomas U.Walter. First mayor to move in was Charles Warwick in 1897?[24]
Spiral staircases carved from Cape Ann granite.steps extend from the wall and climb upward five stories with out any visible support. Anchored into the wall.[25]
Mayor's reception room. Described by a newspaper "elegant apartment fit to receive any foreign potentate." Has two Ionic columns, grand green marble fireplace, mahogany. Features portraits of past mayors and William Penn.[26]
Ornate iron gate at entrance of Philadelphia City Council. Council takes up much of fourth and fifth floors, and include offices, a large caucus room, committee rooms, and council chamber.[27]
When Philadelphia had two houses, there was a select council chambers and common council chambers. When they were merged in 1919 the common council chamber was used for city council. Select council chmaber was turned into clerk of courts office. Both chambers have elaborate columns, pilasters, cornices, wainscoting and gallery railing covered with white Alabama marble.[28]
Conversation Hall, five story. city council caucus chamber., large chandelier, large circular table, domed ceiling and marble columns.[29]
The Philadelphia Police Department was housed in city hall until the construction of the Roundhouse on Vine Street.[30]
City Hall also used to be location of the District Attorney's office. Nearly 700 rooms in City Hall.[31]
Seventh floor cell room. glass and steel cells were crowded and hot and very uncomfortable.[32]
Courtrooms of numerous sizes are located in the building.[33]
Archives used to be located in building's basement.[34]
Clock tower edit
The clock in the tower is 26 feet in diameter. The minute hand weighs 225 pounds. The clock was originally lit by candles before switching to electricity. The statues above the clock represent Swedish settlers. The statues are 24 feet tall and the eagle next to them has a 12foot wingspan.[35]
Some walls are 22 feet thick in the basement and subbasement under the clock tower.[36]
Some rooms under the tower were removed to make room for blocks of granite to better support the tower.[37]
The 50-ton timepiece is 360 feet above the ground and was originally operated by compressed air. The minute hands are 16feet and 8 inches in length and weighs 225 pounds. The hour hands are 11 feet 10 inches in length and weigh 185 pounds.[9]
Clock began ticking on December 31, 1898.[38]
Art edit
There are over 250 relief and freestanding sculptures designed by Calder and his assistants. The sculptural program was designed by McArthur, Perkins and Calder. DDepicted are history, allegory, mythology, animals and plant life. Figures represent liberty, scientific achievement, virtue and vices. The placement was based on what the portion of the building was used for. South side contained judiciary and courts so the south facade displays Moses and statues of Law and Justice. On west side where prisoners would enter courtyard was a statue of Sympathy and figures of Prayer and Meditation. One portal contains depictions of cats, including some eating mice. In crypt under clock tower, four marble columns crowned by capitals portraying half-figures of four different races of man holding up the building representing the continents of Europe, Asia, Africa and North America.Large male and female caryatids support the dormers of the central pavilion of each face. 24ft Swedish and Native American figures.[39]
Architectural scholars believe the cats are a tribute to cat fan Samuel Perkins.[40]
Animals depcited include elephant, lion, horse, owl, beavers, mice, frogs, tigers, camels, sheep, buffalo, bears, goats, seals, bulls, eagles, and moose.[41]
south portal contains Justice in the keystone portion of the arch.[42]
The orignal plan called for sparse sculptural adornment, but that changed as the building was built. building commissioner Samuel Perkins was heavily involved.[43]
Plaque honoring Smedley Butler adorns city hall.[44] On the ground floor are 14 plaques which include plaques that honor Dutch and Swedish contributions to Philadelphia.[45]
Attic pediments of the four pavilions represent four continents. Western pavilion represents North American and has Native American caryatids and a bison's head in a tympanum.[46]
North portal has a portrait of Penn flanked by spandrels of figures depicting a Native American and a European settler.[47]
West portal where prison vans entered the courtyard, sculptures of Sympathy and Repentance.
Only three Philadelphians were depicted on the building, Benjamin Franklin over the east portal of the building. The other two are Penn and Horace Binney.[48]
East portal has Franklin, seated figures of Industry and peace. Spandrel reliefs depict figures of Art and Science.[49]
North portal was main ceremonial entrance to city hall. The elegant entryway once led to chambers of the select and common councils and Conservation Hall, the meeting room for both houses.[50]
East portal features reclining woman with sketchpad in front of a finished city hall to represent architecture.[51]
North portal was main entryway so McArthur and Calder only used the finest marble, granite and bronze figures.[52]
Heads of mythological figures were often used for fixtures.[53]
The city's first equestrian statue and first public monument to a Civil War spldier. Gen John F. Reynolds statue was erected on Grand Army Day in 1884. Bronze by John Rdogers.[54]
Henry Jackson Ellicott's bronze George B. McClellan erected in 1894.[55]
The Pilgrim by Augustus Saint-Gaudens was placed in 1905 and moved to Boat House Row in 1920 SOuth plaza. John Christian Bullitt sculpted by John J. Boyle. Placed in 1907. North Plaza.[56]
John Wanamaker statue.[57]
William McKinley on south plaza. Charles Albert Lopez started sculpture but Isidore Konti took over after Lopez's 1906 death. Below statue is symbolic figure of Wisddom instructing Youth.[58]
Joseph Leidy statue was at City Hall between 1907 and 1929. Sculpted by Samuel Murray. Moved to Academy of Natural Sciences.[59]
Statue of William Penn edit
Originally a statue of Justice was planed for the top of City Hall. At some point it was changed to William Penn for unknown reasons. Out of the sculptors who applied to do the 250 pieces of sculpture, Alexander Milne Calder was selected. Calder was upset with the direction the statue was placed. Penn faced northeast, which left the face in shadows. Calder blamed the positioning on Powell. The project was intended to have the statue face Penn Treaty Park.[13]
Documents from the 1870s show the statue facing northeast. Native American and Swedish statue are pointed in the direction of their respective settlements. Calder was disapointed in the statue for the rest of his life due to its direction.[60]
The arm is12.5 feet long.[61] The statue is37 feet tall, and more than 27 tons. Made of bronze.[62]
The circumference of the hat is 23 feet, nose 18 inches long and eyes each 12 inches long. A strand of hair is 4 feet long.[63]
The statue is the most visited location at City Hall. Nearly 30,000 tourists take the elevator to the observation deck below the statue each year.[64]
A historian criticized the statue for being historically inaccurate. The historian indicated the hat was incorrect, and that the coat would be much plainer and should reach down to the ankles as would be Quaker tradition.[65]
548 feet was the highest point in the city. A trap door in the top of the hat allowed for maintenance of the statue.[66]
The statue has been draped in Flyers, Philies and Eagles sports clothes among other themes.[67]
Reception and legacy edit
Alice Reppelier described city hall as a "writhing, struggling, decaying" mass of stone.[68]
One criticism is that the size and height of the building the sculptures at the upper portion of the building was hard to see from the street.[37]
By the time city hal lwas finished French architecture was passe and the building was viewed negatively.[22]
References edit
- ^ a b "National Register Information System". National Register of Historic Places. National Park Service. March 13, 2009. Cite error: The named reference "nris" was defined multiple times with different content (see the help page).
- ^ a b c d e f g Pitts, Carolyn (August 11, 1976). "National Register of Historic Places Nomination Form: Philadelphia City Hall (Public Buildings)" (PDF). United States Department of the Interior. Retrieved 2011-10-11.
- ^ a b Weigley 1982, p. 425
- ^ Weigley 1982, p. 426
- ^ a b Hornblum 2003, p. 9
- ^ Hornblum 2003, p. 28
- ^ Hornblum 2003, p. 29
- ^ Hornblum 2003, p. 13
- ^ a b Hornblum 2003, p. 39
- ^ Hornblum 2003, p. 54
- ^ Hornblum 2003, p. 78
- ^ Hornblum 2003, p. 79
- ^ a b Hornblum 2003, p. 63
- ^ Hornblum 2003, p. 65
- ^ Hornblum 2003, p. 36
- ^ Hornblum 2003, p. 44
- ^ a b Hornblum 2003, p. 46-47
- ^ Hornblum 2003, p. 21
- ^ Murrie, Matthew (2010). The First Book of Seconds. Avon, MA: Adams Media. p. 77. ISBN 978-1-4405-0752-6.
{{cite book}}: Unknown parameter|coauthors=ignored (|author=suggested) (help) - ^ Marsh, Bill (July 25, 2006). "People Stop Fighting City Hall". The New York Times: E1, E8.
- ^ Hornblum 2003, p. 23
- ^ a b Hornblum 2003, p. 34-35
- ^ Hornblum 2003, p. 14
- ^ Hornblum 2003, p. 109
- ^ Hornblum 2003, p. 110
- ^ Hornblum 2003, p. 111
- ^ Hornblum 2003, p. 112
- ^ Hornblum 2003, p. 113
- ^ Hornblum 2003, p. 114
- ^ Hornblum 2003, p. 117
- ^ Hornblum 2003, p. 118
- ^ Hornblum 2003, p. 119
- ^ Hornblum 2003, p. 124
- ^ Hornblum 2003, p. 126
- ^ Hornblum 2003, p. 18
- ^ Hornblum 2003, p. 22
- ^ a b Hornblum 2003, p. 31
- ^ Hornblum 2003, p. 120
- ^ Hornblum 2003, p. 77
- ^ Hornblum 2003, p. 88
- ^ Hornblum 2003, p. 89
- ^ Hornblum 2003, p. 85
- ^ Hornblum 2003, p. 87
- ^ Hornblum 2003, p. 50
- ^ Hornblum 2003, p. 59
- ^ Hornblum 2003, p. 80
- ^ Hornblum 2003, p. 84
- ^ Hornblum 2003, p. 91
- ^ Hornblum 2003, p. 92
- ^ Hornblum 2003, p. 95
- ^ Hornblum 2003, p. 97
- ^ Hornblum 2003, p. 98
- ^ Hornblum 2003, p. 99
- ^ Hornblum 2003, p. 100
- ^ Hornblum 2003, p. 101
- ^ Hornblum 2003, p. 102
- ^ Hornblum 2003, p. 103
- ^ Hornblum 2003, p. 104
- ^ Hornblum 2003, p. 105
- ^ Hornblum 2003, p. 71
- ^ Hornblum 2003, p. 66
- ^ Hornblum 2003, p. 68
- ^ Hornblum 2003, p. 69
- ^ Hornblum 2003, p. 72
- ^ Hornblum 2003, p. 73
- ^ Hornblum 2003, p. 73
- ^ Hornblum 2003, p. 76
- ^ Hornblum 2003, p. 27
Bibliography edit
- Weigley, RF et al. (eds): (1982), Philadelphia: A 300-Year History, New York and London: W. W. Norton & Company, ISBN 0-393-01610-2
{{citation}}: CS1 maint: extra punctuation (link) - Hornblum, Allen M. (2003), Philadelphia's City Hall, Portsmouth, NH: Arcadia Publishing, ISBN 0-7385-1340-7
{{citation}}: Unknown parameter|coauthors=ignored (|author=suggested) (help)