The Slate Roof House was a mansion that stood on 2nd Street north of Walnut Street in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, from about 1687 until its demolition in 1867. Built for BarbadianQuaker merchant Samuel Carpenter, the house occupied a small hill overlooking the Delaware River. It was built of brick]in the Jacobean style with its façade featuring two projecting wings that flanked a recessed central entrance. The house was notable for its large size as well for its slate roof, which was a rarity in early Philadelphia.
William Penn's house, also known as the Slate Roof House, in a conjectural drawing from Appletons' Cyclopædia of American Biography in 1888An 1850 sketch showing an addition between the two wings being used as a storefront. The artist noted the building's dilapidated state and correctly guessed it would be razed.
For two years (1699-1701), during his second visit to America, William Penn rented the house for use as a city residence while maintaining his country house at Pennsbury Manor in Bucks County, Pennsylvania. It was at the Slate Roof House that he wrote and issued his "Charter of Privileges," a progressive framework for Pennsylvania’s government that became the model for the United States Constitution and is still the basis of free governments all over the world.
James Logan, the secretary of the Proprietary after Penn returned to England, later lived in the Slate Roof House. He administered the colony of Pennsylvania from there between 1701 and 1704.
The Slate Roof House was altered for commercial use in the 18th century and became dilapidated during the 1800s. Despite protests from historians, the house was razed in 1867. It was replaced by a large Victorian commercial structure that stood until 1976.
In 1982, an urban courtyard called "Welcome Park" was built on the site. The park features William Penn’s plan of the city of Philadelphia laid out in slate and marble, as well as a bronze model of the house. A miniature version of the statue of Penn that crowns Philadelphia City Hall stands on a pedestal in the center. The park also features a timeline of Penn’s life on the enclosing wall. Welcome Park was named after Penn's ship, Welcome, which brought Penn and over one hundred passengers, mostly Quakers, to America in 1682.
The site is a small park with pattern brick work, a few benches, some trees and a statue of Penn by Alexander Milne Calder.[1]
Wikimedia Commons has media related to Slate Roof House, Philadelphia.
Welcome Park
"The Slate Roof House" at the Historical Society of Pennsylvania
October 22, 2023
slate, roof, house, mansion, that, stood, street, north, walnut, street, philadelphia, pennsylvania, from, about, 1687, until, demolition, 1867, built, barbadian, quaker, merchant, samuel, carpenter, house, occupied, small, hill, overlooking, delaware, river, . The Slate Roof House was a mansion that stood on 2nd Street north of Walnut Street in Philadelphia Pennsylvania from about 1687 until its demolition in 1867 Built for Barbadian Quaker merchant Samuel Carpenter the house occupied a small hill overlooking the Delaware River It was built of brick in the Jacobean style with its facade featuring two projecting wings that flanked a recessed central entrance The house was notable for its large size as well for its slate roof which was a rarity in early Philadelphia William Penn s house also known as the Slate Roof House in a conjectural drawing from Appletons Cyclopaedia of American Biography in 1888An 1850 sketch showing an addition between the two wings being used as a storefront The artist noted the building s dilapidated state and correctly guessed it would be razed Contents 1 History 2 See also 3 Sources 4 References 5 External linksHistory EditFor two years 1699 1701 during his second visit to America William Penn rented the house for use as a city residence while maintaining his country house at Pennsbury Manor in Bucks County Pennsylvania It was at the Slate Roof House that he wrote and issued his Charter of Privileges a progressive framework for Pennsylvania s government that became the model for the United States Constitution and is still the basis of free governments all over the world James Logan the secretary of the Proprietary after Penn returned to England later lived in the Slate Roof House He administered the colony of Pennsylvania from there between 1701 and 1704 In later years the house was the temporary abode of John Adams John Hancock and many other distinguished members of the First Continental Congress and also of Baron Johann de Kalb who fell fighting for American independence at the Battle of Camden It was the death site for General Charles Lee and for General John Forbes second in command and afterwards successor to General Edward Braddock The Slate Roof House was altered for commercial use in the 18th century and became dilapidated during the 1800s Despite protests from historians the house was razed in 1867 It was replaced by a large Victorian commercial structure that stood until 1976 In 1982 an urban courtyard called Welcome Park was built on the site The park features William Penn s plan of the city of Philadelphia laid out in slate and marble as well as a bronze model of the house A miniature version of the statue of Penn that crowns Philadelphia City Hall stands on a pedestal in the center The park also features a timeline of Penn s life on the enclosing wall Welcome Park was named after Penn s ship Welcome which brought Penn and over one hundred passengers mostly Quakers to America in 1682 The site is a small park with pattern brick work a few benches some trees and a statue of Penn by Alexander Milne Calder 1 See also EditAthenaeum of Philadelphia Letitia Street House Pennsbury ManorSources Edit nbsp Philadelphia portalWatson s Annals of Philadelphia and Pennsylvania 1857 Harry Kyriakodis Philadelphia s Lost Waterfront The History Press 2011 at 91 99 Frommer s Philadelphia Walking TourReferences Edit Historic Philadelphia Tour Welcome Park www ushistory org Retrieved 13 February 2018 39 56 50 N 75 08 39 W 39 94727 N 75 14412 W 39 94727 75 14412External links Edit nbsp Wikimedia Commons has media related to Slate Roof House Philadelphia Welcome Park The Slate Roof House at the Historical Society of Pennsylvania Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Slate Roof House amp oldid 1147703006, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
