Blogs

HSP's technical services archivist since 2007.

This Author's Posts

It ain't New Years without the Mummers Parade

Fondly, Pennsylvania
12/29/10
Mummers Parade, New Year's parades, parade photographs, Philadelphia Mummers
Comments: 2
Benjamin Franklin's "Bucket Brigade:" The Union Fire Company

Fondly, Pennsylvania
11/24/10
Benjamin Franklin, Franklin's Bucket Brigade, Philadelphia Contributionship, Union Fire Company, Volunteer fire companies
How to make life easier(?) for the Victorian tailor

While going through some pamphlets for an upcoming question of the week on the Philadelphia Bourse, I came across this one:

Fondly, Pennsylvania
11/19/10
historic garment construction, Philadelphia Bourse, Philadelphia buildings, Philadelphia businesses, Victorian inventions
October 25, 2010 -- An historic day at HSP

Yesterday, HSP received its historical marker!  This commemorative blue and gold sign sits just a few yards up from the southwest corner of 13th and Locust streets.  This year, HSP is celebrating our building's 100th anniversary.  You can learn more about the history of our building in our online exhibit and past blog post; and be sure to check out Fondly, Pennsylvania

10/26/10
100th anniversary of Historical Society of Pennsylvania, Historical Society of Pennsylvania, Pennsylvania historical markers, Philadelphia buildings
Highlights of Victorian design: HSP’s trade card collection

Fondly, Pennsylvania
10/21/10
advertising, ephemera, Philadelphia businesses, trade cards, Victorian advertisements
"Benjamin West, the subject of the following Memoirs,. . .

. . . was the youngest son of John West and Sarah Pearson and was born near Springfield, in Chester [now Delaware] County, in the State of Pennsylvania, on the 10th of October, 1738.”

Fondly, Pennsylvania
9/24/10
archival processing, Benjamin West 1738-1820, extra-illustrated books, John Galt 1779-1839, Philadelphia artists
The Shee-Parke-Washington-Custis Connection

Fondly, Pennsylvania
8/18/10
Bertles Shee, Cecelia Parke Shee, genealogy, George Washington, John Parke 1754-1789, John Parke Custis, Martha Custis Washington, Philadelphia families
Up for adoption – the records of the Women’s Pennsylvania Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals

Along with a few other collections, we recently listed our collection of records from the Women's Pennsylvania Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (WPSPCA) among our Adopt-A-Collections that you can check out in our new shop!  There you can find out more information or you can read one of our previous posts about this program.  In a nutshell, by ado

Fondly, Pennsylvania
7/16/10
Adopt a Collection, Caroline Earle White, Pennsylvania humane societies, Women, Women’s Pennsylvania Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals
When "small" means anything but

Fondly, Pennsylvania
6/28/10
Anne Hollingsworth Wharton, artificial collections, finding aids, Thomas Wharton, Wharton family, William White
Which flag maker helped to inspire Francis Scott Key’s, “The Star Spangled Banner?”

Mary Young Pickersgill

Most people are familiar with the story (be it true or false) of Betsy Ross and the American flag. But another woman with ties to Philadelphia, Mary Young Pickersgill, also played an important role in the history of the flag. She sewed the “Star Spangled Banner Flag” that was flown over Fort McHenry during the 1814 Battle of Baltimore.

Question of the Week
6/13/10
19th century, Mary Young Pickersgill, Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, Star Spangled Banner, Women