Frankford Friends Meeting House facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Frankford Friends Meeting House |
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Frankford Friends Meeting House from the Historic American Buildings Survey
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| Location | Unity and Waln Sts. Philadelphia, Pennsylvania |
The Frankford Friends Meeting House is a very old and important building in the Frankford area of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. It's a special place where Quakers, who are a religious group, have met for many years.
The oldest parts of this building were built way back in 1775 and 1776. This makes it the oldest Quaker meeting house still standing in Philadelphia! Today, it's not just a place for Quakers to meet; it's also used as a helpful community center for everyone. You can find it at the corner of Unity and Waln Streets.
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What is a Quaker Meeting House?
Quakers are a group of people who follow a Christian faith. They believe in finding God's light within themselves and others. A "meeting house" is their special building where they gather for worship and to discuss important community matters.
The Frankford Quaker Community
The Quaker group that meets here has a long history, starting in 1683. Over the years, their meeting place was known by different names. First, it was called "Tacony" after a nearby creek. Then it was "Oxford," and later "Frankford." For a while, it was even called "Unity" to help tell it apart from another Quaker meeting in the area. Today, this group is part of the larger Philadelphia Yearly Meeting, which connects many Quaker communities.
The Historic Meeting House Building
The Frankford Friends Meeting House is truly special because of its age and how it was built. It's the oldest Quaker meeting house in Philadelphia. Even though other meeting houses were built in the 1680s when Philadelphia was founded, most of them were replaced over time. This one is a rare survivor!
How the Building Changed Over Time
The original part of the meeting house was built between 1775 and 1776. It started as one large room. But as the Quaker community grew, they needed more space. So, in 1811 and 1812, a smaller section was added.
This addition also helped the building adapt to new ways Quakers were meeting. At first, Quakers would worship together in one room. Then, for business meetings, they would use a partition (a movable wall) to create separate spaces for men and women. By the late 1700s, American Quakers started to worship and hold business meetings on separate sides of a partition. This meant they needed two rooms of similar size. The 1811-1812 addition made the Frankford Meeting House fit this new style, creating two equally sized rooms. It's one of the few old buildings that shows this important change in meeting house design.
Building Materials and Quaker Thrift
The Frankford Meeting House is also interesting because it uses a mix of building materials. The sides of the building that face the street are made of fancy brickwork. This brickwork uses a pattern called "Flemish-bond" with special glazed bricks. However, the other sides of the building, including the back, are made from rough stone found nearby.
Using both brick and stone probably helped save money. The Quakers were known for being thrifty. They likely reused materials from an older meeting house, which meant they didn't have to buy as much new, more expensive brick. This shows how practical and careful they were with their resources.
