Slate Roof House facts for kids
The Slate Roof House was a large, important building in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. It stood on 2nd Street near Walnut Street from around 1687 until it was taken down in 1867. A Quaker merchant named Samuel Carpenter from Barbados built the house. It was on a small hill and looked out over the Delaware River.
The house was made of brick and built in the Jacobean style. This means it had a special look with two parts sticking out from the front, and the main entrance was set back in the middle. What made the Slate Roof House special was its big size and its slate roof. Most houses in early Philadelphia did not have slate roofs, making this one quite unique!
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A Home for Important Leaders
The Slate Roof House was a temporary home for many important people throughout its history. It played a big part in the early days of Pennsylvania and the United States.
William Penn's City Home
From 1699 to 1701, William Penn himself lived in the Slate Roof House. Penn was the founder of Pennsylvania. He used this house as his city home, while his country house was at Pennsbury Manor in Bucks County, Pennsylvania.
While living here, Penn wrote and shared his "Charter of Privileges." This was a very modern plan for how Pennsylvania's government would work. It was so important that it later became a model for the United States Constitution. It even influenced how free governments work around the world today!
James Logan and Colony Leadership
After William Penn went back to England, James Logan lived in the Slate Roof House. Logan was Penn's secretary and a very important leader in the colony. He managed the colony of Pennsylvania from this house between 1701 and 1704.
Guests of the Continental Congress
Later on, the Slate Roof House welcomed many famous guests. These included members of the First Continental Congress, such as John Adams and John Hancock. These were key figures in America's fight for independence.
The house also hosted Baron Johann de Kalb, a brave soldier who fought for American freedom and sadly died in the Battle of Camden. It was also the place where two important generals passed away: General Charles Lee and General John Forbes.
The House's Final Years
Over time, the Slate Roof House changed. In the 1700s, parts of it were used for shops and businesses. By the 1800s, the house started to fall apart. Even though historians wanted to save it, the house was torn down in 1867. A large business building was built in its place, which stood until 1976.
Welcome Park Today
In 1982, a special urban park called "Welcome Park" was created on the site where the Slate Roof House once stood. This park celebrates William Penn and the history of Philadelphia.
The park has a cool design that shows William Penn's original plan for the city, laid out in slate and marble. There's also a small bronze model of the Slate Roof House itself. In the middle of the park, you can see a smaller version of the statue of Penn that sits on top of Philadelphia City Hall.
A timeline of William Penn's life is on a wall in the park. The park is named after Penn's ship, the Welcome. This ship brought Penn and over one hundred passengers, mostly Quakers, to America in 1682. Today, Welcome Park is a peaceful spot with brick paths, benches, trees, and a statue of Penn by Alexander Milne Calder.
