I am a native Philadelphian who grew up in an Italian South Philadelphia neighborhood. Over the years I have lived in various parts of the city; Center City, West Philadelphia, Germantown and Powellton Village. I appreciate and enjoy Philadelphia’s cultural offerings, architecture, and its beauty. But as many of us do when we are too familiar with a place, we take much for granted.
Because of my friendship Alice (yes the same Alice from Philadelphia: Through an Artist’s Eyes), I realized something about Philadelphia that I hardly ever thought about; that early American history and the history of Philadelphia are one and the same. Alice’s love of early American and Philadelphia history rubbed off on me.