Carpenters' Hall: The Acorn of Our Nation
Today we’re excited to welcome Alex Palma to the Historic America Journal. Alex is the Assistant Director at Philadelphia’s historic Carpenters’ Hall and his article is all about this important American building and it’s wonderful history…
Carpenters’ Hall is a small Georgian building nestled amongst a medley of historic sites in the Old City district of Philadelphia.
An artistic rendition of the First Continental Congress on display in the U.S. Capitol Building
In the year of its completion, 1774, Carpenters’ Hall bore witness to events that would lead famed Pulitzer Prize-winning historian, David McCullough, to call it the “acorn of our nation.”
In that year, Carpenters’ Hall hosted the First Continental Congress. That Congress called on 56 delegates from the American colonies. Participants from 12 of the 13 colonies came to Philadelphia to discuss the burgeoning crises of their day. The “Boston Tea Party” had just occurred the year before alongside other riotous activity in Massachusetts. This led to Britain enacting the “Intolerable Acts.” It was clear that the Crown was clamping down on New England as a site of insurrectionary activity.
The Congress, ahead of time, considered many sites for it’s meeting. We can look to John Adams’ diary, however, to see how the Congress decided on Carpenters’ Hall.
“The Delegates all met at the City Tavern and walked to the Carpenters Hall, where they took a View of the Room, and of the Chamber where is an excellent Library. There is also a long Entry, where Gentlemen may walk, and a convenient Chamber opposite to the Library. The General Cry was, that this was a good Room, and the Question was put, whether we were satisfyed [sic] with this Room, and it passed in the Affirmative.”
The First Continental Congress convened the next day and deliberated for roughly 6 weeks. This meeting of the Continental Congress drew up a petition against King George’s actions in New England. The Congress also built a “Colonial Association” a coalition in which the Colonies pledged armed support to one another. It was because of this Association that war with Britain broke out in 1775.
The “Excellent Library” that Adams mentions in his diary is actually The Library Company of Philadelphia, owned and operated by Benjamin Franklin. The Library Company is one of the oldest lending libraries in the United States. It still operates as a library today (Not in Carpenters’ Hall, it’s contemporary location is about 1 mile away). In 1774, Franklin’s Library proved indispensable to the proceedings of the Congress. In a way, this Library can be considered a precursor to the Library of Congress in Washington, DC.
Drawing of Carpenters’ Hall made during a 1932 survery
In fact, Carpenters’ Hall has been home to many such institutions throughout its history. Carpenters’ Hall hosted the First and Second National Bank as well as the Bank of Pennsylvania and the Bank of North America. Our building has also served as a temporary home to the American Philosophical Society and was the founding spot of The University of the Sciences in Philadelphia. The adjacent New Hall building was America’s First Architectural School and home to America’s War Department. Clearly, Carpenters’ Hall has served as an incubator for some of America’s great institutions!
Not only did Carpenters’ Hall house many of America’s original, essential, institutions. The Carpenters’ Company was, in many cases, responsible for literally building the structures that these institutions would come to inhabit.
The Carpenters’ Company was founded in 1724 and acted both as a mutual aid network and regulatory body for Philadelphia’s construction trade. During the 18th and early 19th century, The Carpenters’ Company determined building standards, labor standards, prices and wages for building work done in Philadelphia. The constructed Carpenters’ Hall as their headquarters 50 years after their founding.
Carpenters’ Hall as it appears today in Philadelphia’s Old City district
The Company provided support for the families and widows of deceased Carpenters’ Company members. The Carpenters’ Company continues today! However, it acts mostly as a fraternal organization now. Many of its original regulatory functions have been taken over by municipal and federal authorities. Being builders, an important function of The Carpenters’ Company was obviously also construction. The Carpenters’ Company was responsible for a huge share of the built landscape of Philadelphia. Many of the landmarks that tourists visit today were Carpenters’ Company projects! Not only that, much of the restoration and preservation work that’s done on these buildings in the modern age are done by Carpenters’ Company firms!
For example, not only did Carpenters’ Hall house the Second Bank of the United States- a Carpenters’ Company Architect, William Strickland designed and led the construction of the freestanding bank building at 4th and Market Streets in Philadelphia. Members of our Company also constructed Independence Hall, which served as the seat of the Federal Government here in Philadelphia during the 1790s and served as the statehouse.
The buildings that the Carpenters’ Company constructed during the first few decades helped to form the architectural landscape of the “First National Mall” (seeing that Philadelphia was the original capital of the United States) and formed something like an early analog to Wall Street in America. Learn more about some of the buildings The Company constructed on our digital archives page!
You’re welcome to visit Carpenters’ Hall — just make sure you wear your mask like good ole Ben Franklin here!
Combining the built legacy of The Carpenters’ Company with the list of institutions and organizations hosted at Carpenters’ Hall, we find that our organization has been at the crossroads of some of America’s earliest and essential moments. Because of the history our building and our organization has bourne witness to, Carpenters’ Hall has been open as a Museum since 1857 and is today considered a National Landmark. Carpenters’ Hall is open year-round, 6 days a week- Tuesday to Sunday (5 days a week in January and February- Wednesday to Sunday).
We have recently reopened to the public. We are taking the utmost care to keep our staff and visitors safe amidst COVID19. Keep an eye out on the “events” section of our website, however! As we’ll be offering virtual events throughout the pandemic to offer an interpretive and educational program to those who do not feel safe risking an in-person trip.
I hope that this short essay has helped convince you that David McCullough was right about the significance of our building to our nation’s history. Truly, it was at Carpenters’ Hall that the commitments that would lead to American Independence were made. Acorn indeed, Mr. McCullough.
About the Author
Alex Palma is the Assistant Director of The Carpenters’ Company of the City and County of Philadelphia. “The Carpenters’ Company” for short. The Company maintains a historic site- Carpenters' Hall and a small archives. Alex has held his post at Carpenters' Hall for two years. He is also the Archives Assistant at the Lasallian Baltimore District Archives (hosted at La Salle University). Prior, Alex cut his teeth in the Philly history scene by working various project and short-term contract archives jobs around the city. Alex has judged for National History Day since 2017 and is proud to have served as part of NHD’s logistics team. Alex also serves as an At-Large member of The Delaware Valley Archivists Group.
Alex has his MA in Public History from La Salle University. His BA was in History with a minor in Philosophy.
Alex enjoys avant-garde cinema, museums, dreary weather, photography and nerd culture.
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