Philadelphia Public Art @philart.net

Content: Turtles and Tortoises

Cresheim Valley Pergola
1909 (restored 2005)
* small turtle, fish, two coats of arms, mill with waterwheel, water, trees
* The reliefs pictured here can be seen on the floor of the pergola in the first picture in front of the benches
* inscription:
marble plaque (badly faded):
This valley was named Krisheim by the Germans of the Rhine who bought the land from William Penn in 1687 and called it after their native village
Germantown Road follows the old Indian trail
The battle of Germantown began a little South of this green October 4, 1777
metal plaque:
February 23, 2005
This pergola and water trough have been refurbished by
The Chestnut Hill Rotary Club to honor 100 years of service by Rotary Clubs
in this country and in the world.
This renewed monument marks an entrance to Fairmount Park as it did when it was originally dedicated in 1909.
This pergola, the bridge and the Cresheim Trail serve as a symbol of the partnership between the communites of Chestnut Hill and Mount Airy
* Pergola. Southwest corner Germantown and Cresheim Valley.
* 40.066450,-75.196500 [map] [nearby]
* On the Germantown Avenue tour

Galapagos Tortoise
Eric Berg, 1979
* tortoise
* visible through the fence
* Palumbo Recreation Center. North side of Fitzwater, East of 10th.
* 39.941060,-75.158475 [map] [nearby]
* On the South Philly tour
* See also:
+bergbronze.com's page for this piece
+bergbronze.com
+facebook.com/palumboreccenter

Family of Turtles
Eric Berg, 1989
* small tortoises
* Per bergbronze.com these are tortoises, not turtles, despite the title.
* West end of Fitler Square. 23rd and Pine.
* 39.947550,-75.180050 [map] [nearby]
* On the Fitler Square tour
* See also:
+bergbronze.com's page for this piece
+bergbronze.com
+fitlersquare.org
+tclf.org's Fitler Square page

Tulpehanink nta
Paul Santoleri, 2020
* big turtle, flowers, water, fish
* Bridge. Cotton Street South of Main.
* 40.024650,-75.223065 [map] [nearby]
* On the Manayunk tour
* Exhibits: New, Mosaic
* See also:
+paulsantoleri.com

Rittenhouse Square Fountain
Paul Philippe Cret (Architect), 1913
* small head, turtles, insects, snail, otter?, fountain
* Center of Rittenhouse Square. Southwest from 18th and Walnut.
* 39.949290,-75.171740 [map] [nearby]
* On the Rittenhouse Square tour
* Exhibits: Favorites, Mosaic
* See also:
+wikipedia.org's Paul Philippe Cret page
+wikipedia.org's Rittenhouse Square page
+friendsofrittenhouse.org

Estuary Gate
Christopher T. Ray, 1979
* plants, turtle, birds, lizard
* Gate. North end of John F. Collins Park. South side of Ranstead, West of 17th.
* 39.951900,-75.169000 [map] [nearby]
* On the Rittenhouse Square tour
* See also:
+chrisray.com
+centercityphila.org's John F. Collins Park page

Community Garden Gate
Greg Leavitt, 1988
* plants, birds, turtle, rocks, frog face
* Gate. Schuylkill River Park. West side of 25th at Spruce.
* 39.949450,-75.181300 [map] [nearby]
* On the Fitler Square tour
* See also:
+gregleavitt.com
+wikipedia.org's Schuylkill River Park page

Manayunk Stoops: Heart and Home
Diane Pieri, 2006
* stoops, fish, turtles, water, plants, abstract textile patterns, mill wheels
* Five locations along the Schuylkill River Trail between Cotton and Lock.
* 40.023820,-75.221710 [map] [nearby]
* On the Manayunk tour
* Exhibits: Mosaic
* See also:
+dianepieri.com

Schuylkill Banks Boardwalk Signs
2014
* small bird, plants, turtle, rocks, signs
* Both ends of the Schuylkill Banks Boardwalk. East side of the Schuylkill River between South and Locust.
* 39.948100,-75.184675 [map] [nearby]
* On the Fitler Square tour
* See also:
+schuylkillbanks.org's Boardwalk page

Swann Memorial Fountain
Alexander Stirling Calder, Wilson Eyre (Architect), 1924
* Memorial to Dr. Wilson Cary Swann
* big reclining people, swans, frogs, turtles, fountain
* Consists of three large pieces representing the Delaware, the Schuylkill and the Wissahickon, plus frogs and turtles. The fountain is on during the summer and is visible from both ends of the Parkway.
* Center of the circle. Logan Square. 19th and the Parkway.
* 39.957900,-75.170600 [map] [nearby]
* On the Parkway and Pennsylvania tour
* Exhibits: Favorites
* See also:
+Max Buten's picture of one of the turtles
+wikipedia.org's page for this piece
+phillyhistory.org 1931 picture of this piece
+wikipedia.org's Alexander Stirling Calder page
+wikipedia.org's Wilson Eyre page
+wikipedia.org's Wilson Cary Swann page
+wikipedia.org's Logan Circle page

Chestnut Park Fountain
Christopher Collins, John F. Collins, John R. Collins, Ted Knighton, 1979
* fountain, abstract buildings, turtle, wolf head, bird
* Inside John F. Collins Park. Between Chestnut and Ranstead, West of 17th.
* 39.951900,-75.169050 [map] [nearby]
* On the Rittenhouse Square tour
* See also:
+picture of the fountain on flickr.com
+collinsstudio.com (Christopher and John R. Collins)
+tclf.org's John Francis Collins page
+tedknighton.com
+centercityphila.org's John F. Collins Park page

Tamanend
Raymond Sandoval, 1995
* Statue of Tamanend
* big standing person wearing a hat, eagle, turtle
* inscription:
In honor of the contributions of Native American Indians - the ancestors, the elders, this generation and the generations to come - this sculpture commemorates Tamanend, a Sakima, of the Lenni-Lenape Nation who resided in the Delaware Valley when Philadelphia or "Coaquannok" was established.
Tamanend stands on a turtle, which represents Mother Earth. The eagle, a reverend messenger of Great Spirit, has a wampum belt in its grasp. This belt recognizes the friendship treaty under the Sackomaxen elm between William Penn ("Mikwon"), Tamanend ("The Affable One") and other leaders of the Lenni-Lenape Nation. It reads "to live in peace as long as the waters are in the rivers and creeks and as long as the stars and moon endure."
Penn dealt with the Lenni-Lenape people when he came to the land given him by the King of England. He bought the land from the Lenni-Lenape through a number of treaties. Tamanend was one of the Sakimas who played a prominent role as a welcoming delegate on Penn's arrival in 1682 and in the early treaties of 1683 and 1692.
Tamanend was considered the patron saint of America by the colonists prior to American Independence. Tamanend day was celebrated annually on May 1st in Philadelphia and bells were rung in his honor.
* Front and Market.
* 39.949735,-75.142000 [map] [nearby]
* On the Penn's Landing tour
* Exhibits: Favorites, Religious
* See also:
+publicartarchive.org's page for this piece
+epgn.com 2021 interview with Raymond Sandoval
+Raymnod Sandoval's page on instagram.com
+wikipedia.org's Tamanend page

Water Under the Bridge
Beth Clevenstine, Paul Santoleri, 2015
* big water, fish, plants, turtles, butterfly
* The deer was just hanging out next to the walkway as I was taking pictures.
* Walkway stairs and walls. Fountain Street Steps. Between the South side of Umbria at Fountain Street and the Manayunk Canal.
* 40.032100,-75.233100 [map] [nearby]
* On the Manayunk tour
* Exhibits: New, Mosaic
* See also:
+muralarts.org page for this piece
+bethclevenstine.com
+paulsantoleri.com

Coinciding Currents
Beth Clevenstine, 2016
* water, fish, plants, turtles, earth
* Wall. Schuylkill River Trail, Southeast of Leverington. Due South of Main and Leverington.
* 40.028805,-75.230250 [map] [nearby]
* On the Manayunk tour
* Exhibits: Mosaic
* See also:
+bethclevenstine.com

River of Life
Masayuki Nagase, 2014
* big and small water, rocks, furniture, birds, fish, insects, plants, turtle
* inscription:
plaque: Hand carved granite benches, sculptural boulders, and engraved tile pavers and medallions depicting images of local flora, fauna, and water patterns. An original artwork commissioned by The City of Philadelphia Percent for Art Program and The Philadelphia Water Department
rock: Venice Island is the legacy of 19th century urbanization. In 1819 a three mile sliver of schist was sliced away from Manayunk by a narrow canal that supplied the textile mills on the Island. Today, this site location led the Philadelphia Water Department (PWD) to install a subsurface Combined Sewer Overflow Tank. This tank holds nearly 1 million gallons of a mixture of sewage and storm water during rain events, preventing untreated wastewater from flowing into the Schuylkill River.
To enable the use of the island for this essential river protection project, PWD committed to a full scale reconstruction of the Venice Island's recreation facilities. PWD worked with its sister city agencies and the neighborhood in the master planning process. This site uses the best in sustainable storm water management, ecological design and restoration to provide a much needed public place in the heart of Manayunk that addresses multiple needs - recreation, environmental protection, commerce and open space.
The revitalized space reflects the Island's industrial heritage, local building techniques and the vibrant natural history along the Schuylkill River, all the while meeting the rigorous challenges of creating a safe city park in the floodway. This park resides at the intersection of nature and city, striving to bring both closer.
* Multi-level plaza. Venice Island. Across the canal off Main and Cotton.
* 40.023810,-75.222675 [map] [nearby]
* On the Manayunk tour
* See also:
+mnagase.com
+veniceisland.org

Animals of Fairmount Park
Josey Stamm, 2001
* deer, fish, fox, frog, racoon, rat, vole, skunk, snake, squirrel, turtle, plants, sun, bird, water
* content list only includes animals pictured here
* inscription:
This mosaic contains 50 mammals, reptiles, amphibians, fish, and aquatic invertebrates found in Fairmount Park made by the 7th and 8th grade students. A second mosaic on the Birds of Fairmount Park is on the side facade of this building. Created by Network Arts Artist Josey Stamm and students from Gesu School who participated in NetworkArts Environmental Program 2001. Special thanks to Karl Stamm, Maggie Hobson.
* Wall. Schuylkill River Trail off Main and Conarroe.
* 40.026145,-75.225770 [map] [nearby]
* On the Manayunk tour
* Exhibits: Mosaic

History In Motion
Eric Okdeh, 2004
* big musical instruments, buildings, partial people, plants, groups of people, standing people, sitting people wearing hats, balloon, turtle, tiger, El cars and trolleys
* The extreme horizontal proportion and the level of detail on this piece combined with the slanted sidewalk and number of people hanging around outside make it difficult to capture accurately on camera. The pictures are in order left to right with some overlap on the wider panels. The last picture is a detail to show the level of pixelization provided by the tiles.
* Wall. District Health Center Six. North side of Girard between 3rd and 4th.
* 39.969975,-75.141900 [map] [nearby]
* On the Northern Liberties tour
* Exhibits: Mosaic, Mass Transit
* See also:
+ericokdeh.com