Philadelphia Public Art @philart.net

Tour: Penn's Landing

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This tour starts on Front, South of Calowhill. From there we go

Unidentifed
* small abstract form
* North end of Rivers Edge Park. West side of Front, South of Callowhill.
* 39.956200,-75.140350 [map] [nearby]
* Exhibits: Unidentified



The Wall As a Window
Richard Camitta, Ken Clark, Woody Stange, 1979
* big sun
* Wall. Rivers Edge Park. Front and Vine.
* 39.955550,-75.140425 [map] [nearby]



Great Seals of Cities and States
Paul Philippe Cret, Leon Hermant, 1926
* big Seals of Philadelphia and Pennsylvania, standing people, arm, scales and plow, ship, basket, fruit, scroll, horses, eagle
* The Philadelphia and Pennsylvania seals are in Philadelphia. The Camden and New Jersey seals (not pictured) are in Camden.
* Bridge anchorages. Ben Franklin Bridge. West of Columbus on Race and South of Vine on Water.
* 39.954225,-75.140300 [map] [nearby]
* See also:
+wikipedia.org's Paul Philippe Cret page
+wikipedia.org's Leon Hermant page



Haas Biergarten Rabbits
Groundswell Design Group, 2013 (probable)
* small rabbits
* Groundswell Design is listed as the designer of the restaurant and presumably the beer garden, so they are credited here with the rabbits.
* Shack roof. North side of Fringe Arts. South side of Race, West of Columbus Blvd..
* 39.953510,-75.140400 [map] [nearby]
* See also:
+groundswelldesigngroup.com



Race Street Connector
Field Operations, 2011
* big idea sign, measurements of water
* "CITY" is on the East side, pointing West and "RIVER" is on the West side, pointing East.
* inscription:
This dramatic light screen, made of expanded metal with bold signage and color-shifting night lighting, unifies the corridor underneath the expressways and draws people to the waterfront. The smaller characters graphically register the historic flooding events of the Delaware River by month, year and peak height as recorded by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration at the Race Street Pier (Pier 11). The resulting timeline visually reinforces the dynamic conntection between the city and the river.
 * Under the 1-95 overpass. South side of Race, East of 2nd.
* 39.953670,-75.140950 [map] [nearby]
* See also:
+fieldoperations.net



Marquee
Aaron Igler, Matthew Suib, Richard Torchia, 2011
* LED representation of water
* inscription: Light Emitting diodes (LEDs) displaying live-feed video of the surface of the Delaware River sourced from a camera pointed east. Never the same twice, the real-time images of the Delaware River streaming overhead shift constantly according to weather and lighting conditions, as well as boating patterns and river wildlife. Drawing attention toward the waterfront these images also encourage viewers to reimagine the cascading noise of overpass traffic as the sound of waves. By reciprocating the gesture made by the Race Street Pier, an urban park that brings the city to the river, Marquee brings the river to the city.
 * West side of the I-95 overpass. Race, East of 2nd.
* 39.953750,-75.141600 [map] [nearby]
* See also:
+greenhousemedia.com (Aaron Igler and Matthew Suib)



Weaver's Knot: Sheet Bend
Ball-Nogues Studio, 2022
* big abstract knot
* East side of Columbus, South of Race.
* 39.953050,-75.139750 [map] [nearby]
* See also:
+streetsdept.com article about this piece
+ball-nogues.com



Birds in Flight
Joseph J. Greenberg, Jr., 1985
* abstract birds
* Parking lot, North side of Market between Front and 2nd, North of the ramp.
* 39.950175,-75.142850 [map] [nearby]
* See also:
+nytimes.com Joseph J. Greenberg obituary



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]
* Exhibits: Favorites, Religious
* See also:
+wikipedia.org's Tamanend page



United States Custom House
Ritter and Shay (Architect), 1932
* people sitting and kneeling, face, farming, navigation, and artist tools, ship, buildings, rope, ox and bison, staff, food, birds, globe, plants, dolphin border
* Whole building. South side of Chestnut, West of 2nd.
* 39.948300,-75.144185 [map] [nearby]
* See also:
+philadelphiabuildings.org's page for the building
+philadelphiabuildings.org's Ritter and Shay page



Welcome Park
Venturi, Scott Brown (and Rauch), 1982
* Tribute to William Penn
* big map, standing person wearing a hat, house
* Welcome Park is laid out on a giant map of the original street plan, with miniature representations of two objects related to William Penn - the City Hall statue and his original slate-roof house. The Park itself sits on the site of the house. Two walls around the park contain a biography of Penn, and his farewell address to the city is on the back of the base of the model of the statue. At the time Welcome Park was built, the firm was named Venturi, Rauch and Scott Brown.
* The original City Hall statue: William Penn
* inscription:
house:
This model design was created from available knowledge of the
SLATE ROOF HOUSE
ground:
Of all the many places I have seen in the world, I remember not one better seated: so that it seems to me to have been appointed for a town.
The names of the streets are mostly from the things that grow in the country, as Vine Street, Mulberry Street, Chestnut Street, and the like.
 * Plaza. East side of Second Street between Chestnut and Walnut.
* 39.947300,-75.143975 [map] [nearby]
* Exhibits: Religious
* See also:
+ushistory.org page for this piece
+wikipedia.org's William Penn page



Phoenix Rising
Emlen Etting, 1982
* Memorial to Richardson Dilworth
* abstract phoenix
* Was Southeast of the Southeast corner of 15th and JFK in the sunken portion of the North end of Dilworth Plaza (now Dilworth Park) on the West side of City Hall. Moved to the current location June, 2013. The last picture is from the original location.
* 38th Parallel Place (near Front, Dock, and Spruce).
* 39.945325,-75.144000 [map] [nearby]
* Exhibits: Moved
* See also:
+wikipedia.org's Emlen Etting page
+wikipedia.org's Richardson Dilworth page



The Final Farewell
Lorann Jacobs, 2007
* small person kneeling, weapons, helmet
* West end of Foglietta Plaza. East side of 38th Parallel Place between Dock and Spruce.
* 39.945040,-75.143575 [map] [nearby]
* Exhibits: War
* See also:
+lorannjacobs.com



Philadelphia Korean War Memorial
2002
* Letter from Kim Dae-jung
* emblems and historical text, map, pictures of people, free-standing walls, relief busts, headgear
* a row of ground-mounted plaques (in the last four pictures) has been added on the North side of the piece since the original installation
* West end of Foglietta Plaza. East side of 38th Parallel Place between Dock and Spruce.
* 39.944910,-75.143450 [map] [nearby]
* Exhibits: War
* See also:
+wikipedia.org's Kim Dae-jung page



Irish Memorial
Glenna Goodacre, 2002 (opened late 2003)
* small group of people standing, lying and sitting, grave stones, crosses, shovel, part of a ship, luggage, cane, hats
* Was on the Southeast corner, Front and Chestnut. Moved late 2023 through early 2024. Pictures are from the original location.
* inscription: (excerpt)
Remembrance
The hunger ended
but it never went away
It was there in silent memories,
from one generation
to the next,
The time to take away
the silence has come,
to commemorate,
to mourn what was lost
to celebrate what survives -
without apology or fear.
We have it in our power
not only to remember
what took place but to relive it...
To find in the hungry and lost,
not a different race...
but the faces of our ancestors...
An image of ourselves.
-Peter Quinn
 * Southwest corner of Foglietta Plaza. Northeast corner of Spruce and 38th Parallel Place.
* 39.944500,-75.143825 [map] [nearby]
* Exhibits: Favorites, Moved
* See also:
+wikipedia.org's Glenna Goodacre page



National Monument to Scottish Immigration
Terry Jones, 2011
* standing people, dog, hats, weapons, staff, sitting people, furniture, books, scrolls and quills, buildings, horses, carts, trunks, clouds, ships, symbols, logos, and insignia, parts of people, lion, birds
* This piece is listed under many different names. The name shown here is from the standrewsociety.org. Was on the East side of Front, South of Chestnut. Moved late 2023 through early 2024. Pictures are from the original location.
* inscription: (excerpt)
This monument to Scottish Immigrants seeks to provide a broad perspective on the rise and movement of the Scots over many continents and centuries. On either side of this Monument you will find Standing Stones which will assist you in understanding this ancient and ongoing process. The Standing Stones are part of the landscape and history of all the Celtic lands. Many remain in Scotland today. While the original purpose of these stones is not known, it is believed they served a spiritual purpose, and may have had scientific astronomic significance as well. We have adopted them in the monument as symbolic of Scotland's ancient past.
 * Southwest corner of Foglietta Plaza. North side of Spruce at Front.
* 39.944475,-75.143550 [map] [nearby]
* Exhibits: Moved
* See also:
+standrewsociety.org
+terryjonessculpture.com



Corporal Michael J. Crescenz MOH
Chad Fisher, 2016
* statue of Michael J. Crescenz
* standing person, automatic rifle, helmet, Medal of Honor on the base
* The title listed here as a combination of the title on the artist's site and the title on the base.
* Added to the Philadelphia Vietnam Veterans Memorial
* inscription:
United States Army
A Company 4th Battalion
31st Infantry Regiment
Light Infantry Brigade
One of the heroes honored at this memorial
Michael was posthumously awarded the Medal
of Honor for gallantry above and beyond
the call of duty on November 20 1968 at Hiep
Duc Valley Republic of Vietnam. The Medal
of Honor is our nation's higest award for valor.
 * Southeast of the Southeast corner, Front and Spruce.
* 39.943735,-75.143100 [map] [nearby]
* Exhibits: War
* See also:
+fishersculpture.com
+wikipedia.org's Michael Crescenz page



Philadelphia Vietnam Veterans Memorial
Perry M. Morgan, 1987
* ideas, ideals and logos, map, people standing, crouching, helmets, weapons, airplanes and helicopters, plants, buildings
* since 2016 includes Corporal Michael J. Crescenz MOH
* inscription:
The Philadelphia Vietnam Veterans Memorial is designed to honor those who served in all branches of the United States Armed Forces during the Vietnam War. The memorial pays tribute to the 80,000 Philadelphia Vietnam Era Veterans who served our country in our nation's longest war.
By honoring these veterans the Philadelphia Vietnam Veterans Memorial separates the warrior from the war, focuses on the valor and sacrifice of those patriots, and gives each of them a place in history.
It is our duty to remember the gallant Americans whose names grace this wall. They sacrificed their lives in the service of our country during the Vietnam War 1964-1975.
For those who fought for it, freedom has a flavor the protected will never know.
 * Plaza. Southeast Corner, Front and Spruce.
* 39.943910,-75.142825 [map] [nearby]
* Exhibits: War, Black Lives



Philadelphia Beirut Memorial
Doug Corsini, 1985
* Memorial to Cpl. Moses Arnold, Jr., Sgt. John J. Bonk, Jr., Cpl. Thomas A. Hairston, Sgt. Gilbert Hanton, Cpl. John F. Muffler, Sgt. Rafael Pomales-Torres, Pfc. Rui Manuel A. Relvas, Cpl. Louis J. Rotondo and Sgt. Allen D. Wesley
* 3D USMC logo, eagle, globe, anchor, rope
* Was at Penn's Landing on the North side of the Seaport Museum. Moved prior to 2010. The last picture is from the original location.
* inscription:
In Memoriam to the Philadelphia Marine Casualties of the Beirut Peace Keeping Mission.
If you forget my death then I died in vain.
October 23, 1983, 241 servicemen killed in the Beirut Terrorist Bombing.
Dedicated October 20, 1985
 * East end of Foglietta Plaza. South side of Dock, East of Front.
* 39.944885,-75.142660 [map] [nearby]
* Exhibits: Moved, War
* See also:
+findagrave.com's Moses Arnold, Jr. page
+bensalemowls.org John J. Bonk, Jr. memorial page
+Thomas A.Hairston obituary
+findagrave.com's Gilbert Hanton page
+buckscountycouriertimes.com memory of John Muffler from 2012
+uswarmemorials.org Rafael Pomales-Torres page
+cohenmilstein.com 2015 news release about Relvas et. al



Columbus Monument
Venturi, Scott Brown (and Rauch), 1992
* Monument to Christopher Columbus
* big abstract obelisk, pennant, biographical text
* At the time this piece was built the firm was named Venturi, Scott Brown
* inscription:
1492-1992
Charismatic Leader, Navigator, Mathematician, Cartographer
Cinquecento Anniversary
Columbus, intrepid navigator, with a sense of the sea unparalleled before or after him. A native son of Genoa, he became through his dedication to a dream, an honored hero of history.
His keen intellect, abiding faith, and undaunted persistence made him a giant among men of this millenium.
 * Columbus at Dock Street.
* 39.944650,-75.141500 [map] [nearby]
* See also:
+wikipedia.org's Christopher Columbus page



Five Spouts, Frog, and Lintel
1100 - 1300
* elephant, unidentified creatures
* This piece is all that's left of the International Sculpture Garden installed in 1976. The fountain no longer works.
* Columbus at Dock Street.
* 39.944250,-75.141550 [map] [nearby]



World War II Submariners Memorial
1996
* submarine and actual parts of submarines, actual anchor, actual torpedo
* inscription: (excerpts from three plaques)
Still on Patrol
U.S. Navy submarines paid heavily for their success in World War II.
A total of 374 officers and 3131 men are board these 52 U.S. submarines still on "patrol."
We shall never forget that it was our submarines that held the lines against the enemy, while our fleets replaced losses and repaired wounds.
-Fleet Admiral C.W. Nimitz, U.S.N.
I can assure you that they went down fighting and that their brothers who survived them took a grim toll of our savage enemy to avenge their deaths.
-Vice Admiral C.A. Lockwood, Jr., U.S.N.
Commander Submarine Force 1943-1946
U.S.S. Trigger - S.S. 237
Commissioned January 30, 1942
Lost on patrol March 28, 1945
Still On Patrol
In memory of the brave submariners who gave their lives in peace-time for their country
 * Penn's Landing between Dock and South.
* 39.943700,-75.141300 [map] [nearby]
* Exhibits: War



Pennsylvania National Guard Monument
1997
* Monument to a group organized by Benjamin Franklin
* small lion, sword and shield, keystone
* inscription:
The rampant lion. Crest of the PA National Guard.
1747 1997
Near this site the Associators, a group of citizen-soldiers organized by Benjamin Franklin and predecessor to the modern Pennsylvania National Guard, established the first Pennsylvania military installation to defend the colony and the port of Philadelphia.
The Pennsylvania National Guard dedicates this monument to those patriots on our two hundredth anniversary.
 * Penn's Landing between Dock and South.
* 39.941850,-75.141325 [map] [nearby]
* See also:
+The Electric Franklin



Open Air Aquarium
Magdalena Abakanowicz, 2003
* abstract fish
* East side of Columbus Boulevard just below South.
* 39.939200,-75.141975 [map] [nearby]
* See also:
+abakanowicz.art.pl



Stroll
William King, 1995
* big abstract people strolling
* South Street Footbridge. South between Front and Columbus.
* 39.940850,-75.143150 [map] [nearby]
* See also:
+wikipedia.org's William King page



Gargoyles
* small crouching person, bat-like creature
* Entrance. North side of South between Front and 2nd.
* 39.941075,-75.144475 [map] [nearby]
* Exhibits: Gargoyles, Unidentified



Gates and Grills
Albert Paley, 1978
* abstract forms
* The grill is clearly signed. The gate isn't, but the catalog says Gates and Grills, and they seem to go together. The grills appear to still be in place in StreetView as of March, 2023, but the gate is not and is presumed missing.
* Gates and grills. Lombard, just West of Front.
* 39.941950,-75.144000 [map] [nearby]
* Exhibits: Missing
* See also:
+albertpaley.com



Four Decorative Panels
Bernard Felch, 1978
* abstract brickwork
* Set in to the East walls of the entrances of the first three houses, and facing the sidewalk on Front. The pictures are ordered from West to East. The first is almost completely obscured by a gate, but the rest are visible.
* Walls. Northwest corner, Front and Pine.
* 39.942950,-75.143725 [map] [nearby]
* See also:
+legacy.com's Bernard Felch obituary



Earth, Air, Fire, Water
Christopher T. Ray, 1972 - 1990
* plants, bird, sun
* 5 metal sculptured gates. Along the Spruce and Delancey sides of Penn's Landing Square. Southeast corner, 2nd and Spruce.
* 39.944400,-75.144850 [map] [nearby]
* See also:
+chrisray.com


Possible trip extension:Lombard-South (Southwest a few blocks across Pine and 2nd to Stamper)
Possible trip extension:Society Hill (Southwest to 2nd and Pine)

See Also

+ushistory.org's Penn's Landing page
+wikipedia.org's Benjamin Franklin Bridge page
+fringearts.com
+waymarking.com's entry for Rivers Edge Park