National Historic Landmarks: Elevated Conversation

Recorded: April 18, 2022

In celebration of the International Day of Monuments and Sites, Kathy Haas, Director of Historical Resources at Girard College, Susan Glassman, Director of the Wagner Free Institute of Science, and Erica Harman, Archivist at Eastern State Penitentiary came together to discuss the historical links between these three Philadelphia landmark institutions, all located within a mile and a half of each other, and their long-time presence in the landscape of North Philadelphia.

When it opened in 1829, Eastern State Penitentiary was a pioneer in progressive prison reform, aiming to inspire prisoners to penitence and self-rehabilitation. It was also a pioneer in the neighborhood, situated amidst farms and cherry orchards. Two years later, a similar desire to ameliorate social problems led Stephen Girard to buy a nearby farm as the site for Girard College, a boarding school providing free education for disadvantaged students. The school inspired the creation of other free educational institutions across the country, the nearest of which was the Wagner Free Institute of Science, founded by William Wagner in 1855 to offer free science education to the public.

All three sites are now National Historic Landmarks, recognized for the architecture of their buildings and their educational missions.

Видео National Historic Landmarks: Elevated Conversation канала Wagner Free Institute of Science