Philadelphia Public Art @philart.net

Tour: Franklin Town

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The Franklin Town tour runs roughly Northwest from 15th and Arch to Spring Garden, along Franklin Town Boulevard, including Franklin Town Park Connections and Big Ben at Franklin Town. From 15th and Arch we go

North on 15th to Vine
West on Vine to 17th
South on 17th to Race
across 17th
North on the West side of 17th across Vine
across 17th again
North on 17th to Wood
West on Wood to Franklin Town Boulevard
North a half block on the East side of Franklin Town Boulevard
back to and across Wood
West on Wood to 19th
North on 19th across Callowhill to Matthias Baldwin Park
East through the Park and across 18th
North on 18th to Spring Garden
West on Spring Garden to 20th
South on 20th to Hamilton

Navy Ships
Louis Eugene Jallade (Architect), O.W. Ketcham Terra Cotta Works, 1928
* small ships, anchor, eagle
* The building was originally the Navy Central YMCA Annex. Around the entrance are subtle reliefs of Navy ships including the Hornet, the Constitution, the Enterprise, the Bon Homme Richard, the Kearsarge, and the Olympia.
* Entrance. East side of 15th, North of Arch.
* 39.955150,-75.164675 [map] [nearby]
* See also:
+philadelphiabuildings.org's entry for the building
+philadelphiabuildings.org's Louis Eugene Jallade page
+philadelphiabuildings.org's O.W. Ketcham Terra Cotta Works page

Mary Dyer
Sylvia Shaw Judson, 1960
* Statue of Mary Dyer
* seated person wearing a bonnet, bench
* inscription: Quaker witness for religious freedom. Hanged on Boston Common 1660.
* Just inside the gate of the Friends Center. Northwest corner, 15th and Cherry.
* 39.955650,-75.164900 [map] [nearby]
* Exhibits: Religious
* See also:
+wikipedia.org's Sylvia Shaw Judson page
+wikipedia.org's Mary Dyer page

Freedom
Zenos Frudakis, 2000
* small people standing, parts of people, tools, cat
* Wall. South side of Vine, West of 16th.
* 39.957975,-75.166000 [map] [nearby]
* See also:
+zenosfrudakis.com

Epiphany Chapel
Isaac Pursell (Architect), 1898
* standing angel, heads
* As of 11/25/2024 there are several very different histories of this building on the web. I am choosing to believe the Epiphany Chapel section of the wikipedia page for St. Luke and the Epiphany, though I have not yet found any corroborating evidence that Pursell was the architect.
* inscription: Gloria In Excelcis Deo
* Whole building. Saint John Chrysostom. East side of 17th, South of Vine.
* 39.957850,-75.167300 [map] [nearby]
* Exhibits: Religious, Gargoyles
* See also:
+wikipedia.org's St. Luke and the Epiphany page
+Gargoyle Hunter page for the building
+wikipedia.org's Isaac Pursell page
+philadelphiabuildings.org's Isaac Pursell page

Big Ben at Franklin Town
Alexander L. Generalis, Tom Miles, 1992
* Bust of Benjamin Franklin
* big head, eyeglasses, lightning bolts, arch, kite, implied keys
* The eight seat-sized posts each have a letter inscribed on top, spelling out FRANKLIN.
* Bridge over I-676. 17th and Vine.
* 39.958450,-75.167100 [map] [nearby]
* See also:
+milesstudios.info
+ushistory.org's The Electric Ben Franklin

Angel Moroni
Karl Quilter, 1998 (original, copy installed 2016)
* Statue of Angel Moroni
* striding person, trumpet
* This piece can be seen for blocks, especially on bright days. The last picture was taken from taken from Logan Square during construction of the Temple.
* Top of the East tower. Mormon Temple. North side of Vine, West of 17th.
* 39.959040,-75.167960 [map] [nearby]
* Exhibits: Religious
* See also:
+legacy.com's Karl Quilter obituary
+wikipedia.org's Angel Moroni page

Medallions
Victoria Davila, 1986
* abstract plant forms
* Wall. North side of Wood, East of 17th (just North of Vine).
* 39.959450,-75.166750 [map] [nearby]
* See also:
+victoriadavila.com

Video Arbor
Nam June Paik, 1990
* real plants, abstract video and images
* Entrance. East side of Franklin Town Blvd. between Wood and Callowhill (one block North of 17th and Vine).
* 39.959925,-75.167640 [map] [nearby]
* See also:
+paikstudios.com
+wikipedia.org's Nam June Paik page

Hallahan Logo
1911
* cross, logo, flowers, lamp, book
* The school is now closed.
* inscription:
Aptate Lampades Vestras [trim your lamps]
Fidos Scientia Modestia Industria [loyalty, knowledge, modesty, industry]
Philadelphia
Catholic Girls High School
* East side of 19th, North of Wood.
* 39.959975,-75.170075 [map] [nearby]
* Exhibits: Religious
* See also:
+wikipedia.org's Hallahan page

Franklin Town Park Connections
Athena Tacha, 1992
* big abstract rocks
* Matthias Baldwin Park. Between 18th and 19th, South of Spring Garden.
* 39.961600,-75.168900 [map] [nearby]
* See also:
+wikipedia.org's Athena Tacha page

The Freedom Ring
Houston Conwill, Joseph De Pace (Architect), Estella Conwill Majozo, 1994
* map, quotes about freedom
* Features a map which shows some of Philadelphia's historic houses of worship, hospitals, and government sites, plus expressions of freedom in 36 languages, and a spiral of phrases including "We shall overcome", and "Go down Moses"
* Plaza. Community College. Between 17th and 18th, South of Spring Garden. Can be reached from the walkway on the West side of 18th.
* 39.961850,-75.167375 [map] [nearby]
* Exhibits: Religious, Black Lives
* See also:
+wikipedia.org's Houston Conwill page
+louisville.edu's Estella Conwill Majozo women's book festival presenter page

Synergy
Albert Paley, 1987
* big abstract implied arch
* Was an arch across the entrance to a parking lot, which was replaced with a new building in 2016. The piece was temporarily removed and then put back in its original location but a completely different context. The last two pictures are from 2017.
* Entrance (after the fact). West side of 18th, South of Spring Garden.
* 39.962500,-75.168100 [map] [nearby]
* Exhibits: Moved
* See also:
+albertpaley.com

Demeter and Poseidon
* bas reliefs of Demeter and Poseidon
* big standing people, horses, baskets, fish, food, plants, weapon (trident), crown
* Wall. North side of Spring Garden, West of 18th.
* 39.963540,-75.168850 [map] [nearby]
* Exhibits: Religious
* See also:
+wikipedia.org's Demeter page
+wikipedia.org's Poseidon page

Eagles
* eagles, spheres with stars
* Roof. Southeast corner, 19th and Spring Garden.
* 39.963260,-75.169330 [map] [nearby]
* Exhibits: Unidentified

How to Retain Site Memory While Developing the Landscape
Winifred Lutz, 1990
* big abstract idea, column from the Preston Retreat
* inscription: The Preston Retreat was here once but now it is a circle for arrivals and departures.
* Courtyard Traffic Circle. CityView Condominiums. West side of 20th between Hamilton and Spring Garden.
* 39.962800,-75.171900 [map] [nearby]
* See also:
+freelibrary.org's Preston Retreat page
+winifredlutz.com

Neons for Buttonwood
Stephen Anotonakos, 1990
* big abstract lines
* Roof. South side of CityView Condominiums. North side of Hamilton between 20th and 21st. Visible from the Parkway from 18th to 22nd..
* 39.962550,-75.171750 [map] [nearby]
* See also:
+stephenantonakos.com

Possible trip extension:Kelly Drive (6 blocks West on Hamilton and Pennsylvania)

Tour: Franklin Town

See Also