Neighborhood Historic Talk and Walks

Farmers, Merchants, and Land Speculators- The Rise of the Suburb in Northwest Philadelphia

Presented by Warren Williams AIA

Explore how "the German Township" went from an agricultural and early industrial community to one of the first urban suburbs in America in the years leading up to the Civil War. With the introduction of the railroad early in the 19th Century as an agent of change, we'll look at the creation of large estates for the new industrial entrepreneurs and smaller "cottages" of the emerging managerial class. See how early Victorian tastemakers guided the emergence of new residential styles and defined new ideas about the changing meaning of one's home as an opportunity of self-expression. 

Following the talk, Warren Williams will lead a short walk in the neighborhood highlighting the early houses in the suburban development.