Cobblestone Street and Brick Sidewalks - Independence National Historical Park - Philadelphia, PA - NRHP Historic Districts - Contributing Buildings on Waymarking.com

Taken from the nomination form, "Independence Park restored the brick sidewalks, six streets, and alleys to the decade Philadelphia served as the national capital in the 1790s: Dock, Harmony, Orianna, Moravian, and Library Streets, and Carpenters' Court reflect the new style of paving described in a Pennsylvania Gazette in 1795. This description, along with other written and pictorial sources, enabled the restoration process:
In the improved part of the city they are paved with pebble stones in the middle, which generally comprehends three-fifths of the whole breadth; and on each side with brick for the foot-ways. Between the streets and foot-ways are gutters, paved with brick, for carrying off the water, and filth of the city; to the river and common sewers. The foot-ways are defended from the approach of carriages, by rows of posts placed on the outside of the gutters, at the distance of 10 or 12 feet from each other. But in those streets which have been lately new paved, the posts have been removed, the side ways raised, and in front, towards the street, is a range of hewn stone, on a common level with the foot-ways. The streets, though raised in the middle, lie much lower than formerly. From the top of the street to each side, is a gradual descent, so that the foot-ways are 8 or 10 inches elevated above the adjoining part of the street; which renders gutters no longer necessary.

Name of Historic District (as listed on the NRHP): Independence National Historical Park Link to nationalregisterofhistoricplaces.com page with the Historic District: [Web Link] NRHP Historic District Waymark (Optional): [Web Link] Address: Philadelphia, PA How did you determine the building to be a contributing structure?: Narrative found on the internet (Link provided below) Optional link to narrative or database: [Web Link]

Recent Visits/Logs:

Date Logged Log User Rating   07/27/2017 stevepre2 visited it 01/15/2017 bluesnote visited it

View all visits/logs