Powel House facts for kids
(2013)
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| Location | 244 S. Third St. Philadelphia, Pennsylvania |
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| Type | house museum |
| Public transit access |   SEPTA bus: 12, 21, 42, 57 |
The Powel House is a really old and beautiful house in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. It's like a museum now, showing what life was like long ago. This amazing house was built in 1765. It was designed in the Georgian style, which was popular back then.
The house became even more special when Samuel Powel bought it in 1769. He lived there with his wife, Elizabeth. Many people say it was "the finest Georgian row house in the city." From the outside, it looks simple, but inside, it was decorated with amazing details!
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The Powel House Story
This fancy brick house was first built for Charles Stedman, who was a merchant. But before he could move in, he ran into money problems. He even ended up in a debtors' prison, which was a place for people who couldn't pay their debts.
Who Lived Here?
Samuel Powel bought the house in 1769. He was a very important person in Philadelphia. He was the last mayor of the city when it was still under British rule. After America became independent, he became Philadelphia's first mayor! People called him the "Patriot Mayor" because he supported the American Revolution.
Samuel and his wife, Elizabeth, loved to decorate their new home. They made the inside of the house incredibly fancy. The beautiful plastered ceilings were made by James Clow. The amazing wooden decorations were carved by Hercules Courtnay and Martin Jugiez.
Famous Visitors
The Powel House was right next to the house of Governor John Penn. During the Revolutionary War, George Washington and his wife, Martha Washington, lived next door for a few months. The Powels often invited the Washingtons and other famous people to their home. Imagine having guests like Benjamin Franklin, John Adams, Benjamin Rush, and the Marquis de Lafayette over for dinner!
Philadelphia was the temporary capital of the United States from 1790 to 1800. President Washington lived in a different house during this time. He added a special curved "Bow Window" to his house. This might have inspired the Powels to add a similar three-story curved section to their own house. This addition made their back rooms bigger and added more windows. You can even see this special part of the house in old pictures from 1799 and 1817. Later, this curved section was taken down.
A Sad Time and New Owners
In 1793, a terrible yellow fever epidemic hit Philadelphia. Many people, including Samuel Powel, sadly died. After Samuel passed away, Elizabeth Powel bought some items from President Washington when he was leaving office. These included his presidential coach and horses, his desk, and some fancy mirrors.
In 1798, Elizabeth Powel sold the house to William Bingham. He was married to her niece, Ann Willing Bingham. The Marquis de Lafayette, one of the famous guests, even gave the Powels a set of china, which you can still see at the house today!
Saving a Piece of History
In the early 1900s, the Powel House was used as a warehouse. Sadly, parts of the house's beautiful interior were sold off. For example, the fancy woodwork from the second-floor parlor was sold to the Metropolitan Museum of Art in 1918. The amazing plaster ceiling and woodwork from the ballroom were sold to the Philadelphia Museum of Art in 1925. By 1930, the house was almost going to be torn down to make a parking lot!
Luckily, a woman named Frances Wister stepped in to save it. She started a group called the Philadelphia Society for the Preservation of Landmarks. They raised money and bought the house in 1931. Over the next ten years, Frances and her group worked hard to bring the house back to its original look. They even hired an architect, H. Louis Duhring Jr., to help restore the lost parts of the interior.
Today, the Powel House is a museum. It helps us understand what life was like for wealthy families during the American Revolution. You can see its beautiful entrance, the ballroom with its detailed plasterwork, and the fancy wooden walls. These features make it one of America's most amazing Georgian Colonial townhouses.
Some people even say that the house is haunted by the ghost of Peggy Shippen. She was Elizabeth Powel's cousin and the wife of Benedict Arnold.
Gallery
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Front door.
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Entrance hall.
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Mahogany staircase.
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First floor front parlor.
See also
