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Lost treasures of Philadelphia architecture come to life again
Forgotten Philadelphia
Lost Architecture of the Quaker City
Thomas H. Keels
"For the first time, Forgotten Philadelphia places the lost architecture of the City of Brotherly Love into the widest possible context. Keels draws on the rich political, social, cultural, and intellectual history of the city in ways that explain the forces that created the lost buildings and the forces that led to their demise. In the process, he illuminates the history of Philadelphia architecture at the same time that he uses its lost architecture as an important source for understanding the evolution of the city."
—David Contosta, Chestnut Hill College, author of Suburb in the City: Chestnut Hill, Philadelphia, 1850-1990
Forgotten Philadelphia provides a richly illustrated survey of landmark Philadelphia buildings that have succumbed to the ravages of time and changing tastes. More than three centuries of masterful architecture, from William Penn's Slate Roof House to Romaldo Giurgola's Liberty Bell Pavilion, demolished only last year, are brought back to life in this beautifully designed book. Writing with obvious affection as well as a deep knowledge of his subjects, Thomas Keels employs photographs, drawings, prints, maps, and architectural plans to revisit these vanished treasures.
Unlike other books on landmark buildings, Forgotten Philadelphia discusses works of architecture not only from a design standpoint but also in terms of their significance to the city's political, economic, and cultural life. Organized chronologically from 1682 to the present, this book provides a context that allows readers to understand how tastes change over time, rendering obsolete the very buildings that were once considered to be works of art and genius. The final chapter, "Projected Philadelphia," describes fifteen structures that might have changed the face of the city had they ever moved beyond the drafting table.
Reviews
"Generations of Philadelphians have imposed their tastes and their aspirations on the city's landscape. This intriguing look back at the city they built identifies and explores some of the more interesting homes, shops, factories, and public structures that no longer exist. A fascinating last chapter presents a succession of ambitious plans for unrealized projects.."
—Morris J. Vogel, Professor of History, Temple University
"Forgotten Philadelphia is a trip among old and not so old places now demolished, via illustrations, in the company of an amiable, well-informed guide. It's an enjoyable read, witty, well-researched, and engaging."
—Jeffrey Cohen, Bryn Mawr College, co-author of Drawing Toward Building: Philadelphia Architectural Graphics 1732-198
"Keels tells these stories in an informative and often
entertaining style and the book is an engaging read for both the studious and the merely curious"
— WRTI's Creatively Speaking with Jim Cotter
"[T]his book by the writer Tom Keels is valuable, fascinating, and prescient....Forgotten Philadelphia’s strength is its narrative awareness—this is a painstakingly-researched book to read through....Keels enjoys telling us about the rudimentary, curious, ornate, misunderstood, absurd."
—Philly Skyline.com
"A luscious collection of drawing and black-and-white photos of buildings that no longer exist with lively description of what they were like when they did…anyone with a stake in the city’s future should have a copy of this book by their bedside…it’s a must."
—Philadelphia Weekly
"For architecture, history and Philly buffs, it’s an indispensible volume...[T]he ‘Projected Philadelphia’ chapter [may be] the most compelling… Looking at these beautiful architectural drawings is like walking directly into the province of dreams, and their pure optimism – the sense of their rightness – provides this book with a melancholy-tinged but fitting finale.
—The Jewish Exponent
"[A] handsome volume…Not for nearly half a century…have we seen such a compilation of great departed buildings… [There] are good, important stories with good, familiar pictures."
—Nineteenth Century
"This book joins a small collection of architectural histories, useful for preservationists…which shift the focus from a building’s conception to an examination of the forces that led to its death. A cautionary reminder that a culture is remembered for both what it creates and what it destroys. Summing Up: Recommended."
—Choice
"This is a lavishly illustrated, tightly written coffee-table book, full of fascinating nuggets…Thanks to Keels’ efforts, those lost buildings won’t be forgotten."
—Pittsburgh Post-Gazette
Tom Keels was a guest on WRTI's Creatively Speaking with Jim Cotter on Saturday, September 1st. Click here to listen to the broadcast.
Contents
Acknowledgements
Introduction
1. Penn's Green Country Town (1682 to 1775)
2. Athens of America (1776 to 1820)
3. City in Transition (1821 to 1860)
4. Workshop of the World (1861 to 1900)
5. The Consumer City (1901 to 1940)
6. Renaissance and Retrenchment (1940 to present)
7. Projected Philadelphia
Notes
Selected Bibliography
Index
About the Author(s)
 | Thomas H. Keels is a local writer and historian. He is the author of Philadelphia Graveyards and Cemeteries and co-author of Chestnut Hill |