D R A F T THE 111th STATED MEETING OF THE PHILADELPHIA HISTORICAL COMMISSION 31 January, 1967 Present: Mr. Grant M. Simon, Chairman Mr. Richmond P. Miller Dr. Roy Franklin Nichols Mr. George K. Trautwein Mr. Charles R. Tyson Councilman Mary A. Varallo Mr. James L. Ferguson, Deputy Director of Finance Mr. Oscar Goodstein, Administrative Assistant, Department of Public Property Isador Kranzel, Esq., City Solicitor's Office Dr. Margaret B. Tinkcom, Historian Mrs. Charles J. Maurer, Secretary Unless otherwise noted, all actions taken herein are the result of resolutions properly presented, seconded and carried. THE MINUTES for the Stated Meeting held on 29 November 1966, were approved as circulated The Stated Meeting, scheduled for 27 December and postponed to 3 January 1967, was cancelled. REPORTS Historic Values Committee, Dr. Roy Franklin Nichols, Chairman Dr. Nichols stated that he had no report to make to the Commission The Chairman explained to Mr. Tyson, meeting with the Commission for the first time, that most of the work of the Commission is done by the two committees and he explained their functions. The Chairman further said that the day by day activities of the Commission are in the hands of Dr. Tinkcom and Mrs. Maurer with the assistance of Mrs. Shannon. The Architectural Committee, Mr. George K. Trautwein, Chairman. A synopsis of the two meetings held since the last Stated Meeting were read. The full reports for 20 December 1966 and 26 January 1967 were directed to be filed with the official copies of these minutes. Mr. Trautwein's reports were approved. The Commission's Activities, Dr. Margaret B. Tinkcom, Historian. This report was approved and ordered to be filed. The Chairman added that Pennsylvania Hospital received a plaque on 23 January, officially designating it as Registered National Landmark No. 784. He reported having attended the ceremonial presentation made by A. Clark Stratton, Deputy Director of the National Park Service. The plaque was accepted by T. Trueman Hare, Jr., President of the Hospital and by George H. Brown, Jr., Chairman of the Preston Campaign. January 23 was chosen because this was the date in 1751 that Benjamin Franklin petitioned the Assembly for the founding of a hospital and Pennsylvania Hospital is the result of his endeavor. more [HANDWRITTEN NOTES: Top right corner: handwritten notation reading "GAL 4401 W 1/31/67" (appears to be an archive or filing reference)] The Minutes 1.31.67 Page 2. REPORTS CONTINUED The Chairman,
Benjamin Franklin petitioned the Assembly for the founding of a hospital and Pennsylvania Hospital is the result of his endeavor. more [HANDWRITTEN NOTES: Top right corner: handwritten notation reading "GAL 4401 W 1/31/67" (appears to be an archive or filing reference)] The Minutes 1.31.67 Page 2. REPORTS CONTINUED The Chairman, &c.... It is one of the first one hundred historically significant buildings on the Commission's official list of buildings worthy of preservation. The national recognition of the Hospital's importance as a landmark as well as its stature as a community service gives further weight to the Commission's approval for the demolition of the houses on S. 8th Street for the expansion of these services. Abe Rosen, in his official capacity, represented the City for the Mayor. The Eleventh Annual Report of the Philadelphia Historical Commission. This was approved and it was directed that it be circulated, first to the Mayor and other City officials, then to the mailing list at large. OLD BUSINESS Extension of the Six Month Period for Withholding Demolition of Certified Buildings. Mr. Kranzel reported that the Law Department, as he has said before, has reservations about this proposal, but that if Council extended the mission ordinance, his opinion is that the Law Department would approve the change. Mrs. Varallo repeated her willingness to sponsor a bill to that effect and asked that all pertinent material be sent to her as soon as possible. NEW BUSINESS The Chairman referred to his letter to Mrs. Bullock of the National Trust for His- toric Preservation and to her reply in which the question is asked: what can be done to erase the confusion in the public's mind as to whether it is the Redevelopment Authority or the Historical Commission that is chiefly responsible for the preservation of historic buildings, particu- larly in Society Hill? Mr. Rafsky's speech before the National Trust at its 20th Annual Meeting, held in Philadelphia, was cited. The Chairman asked Dr. Tinkcom to explain her suggestion to the Commission Dr. Tinkcom remarked that at the recent Annual Meeting of the Society for Architectural Historians, held in Cleveland, a paper on "The Power of the Survey," relating to Charleston's program of historical preservation, clearly indicated the desirability of having a published survey clearly setting forth the aims and accomplishments of any group interested in historic preservation. It was Dr. Tinkcom's opinion that something pub- lished by
in Cleveland, a paper on "The Power of the Survey," relating to Charleston's program of historical preservation, clearly indicated the desirability of having a published survey clearly setting forth the aims and accomplishments of any group interested in historic preservation. It was Dr. Tinkcom's opinion that something pub- lished by the Historical Commission for wide circulation would be a good method of offsetting the above mentioned confusion. The publication could have small photographs, short text and area maps for each section of the City of Philadelphia studied by the Historical Commission. The Chairman emphasized that the Commission is responsible for the whole city; that it has a file on every one of the three thousand or more buildings listed as certified and worthy of preservation and that this is the only iconography on buildings in Philadelphia or in the United States. He commended the suggestion of such a publication. more THE MINUTES 1.31.62 Page 3 NEW BUSINESS continued Dr. Nichols asked if the City Representative's Office would publish such a work. Mr. Goodstein agreed that this is worth a discussion with Mr. Chase of the City Representative's Office, since such a publication would result in more people coming to the City and it would be a tie-in with the Visitors' Bureau. It was agreed that Dr. Tinkcom and Mr. Goodstein discuss the proposal with Mr. Chase and report to the Commission SOUTHWARK The Chairman asked Dr. Tinkcom to report on recent developments. Dr. Tinkcom spoke of the grant from the American Philosophical Society for architectural study and on the Historical Commission's part in this. She stated that the folio of photographs, taken to the meeting of the Society for Architectural Historians, was a pilot project pointing out the possibility of fruitful cooperation between public and private organizations. The Commission recommended that the Chairman write to Senator Hugh Scott, asking him to support the proposal to restudy the Expressway route through Southwark. The resolution was moved, seconded and carried. There being no further business, the meeting was adjourned at 4:30 P.M. Respectfully submitted, Grant M. Simon, F.A.I.A. Chairman for the Commission GMS:mrm