Phillyist Framed Returns!
Playlist Rewind: AFI at the Factory
Whole Hog Is All Heart
Extra, Extra
Across the Ist-a-Verse
Dear William Penn:
I just wanted to take a moment to thank you, from the bottom of my heart, for creating Philadelphia's grid system all those years ago. You see, I've had occasion, lately, to do a lot of walking around. A lot of walking around. That's what unemployment, and the subsequent job hunt, does to a person. (Mercifully, I haven't needed to get any shoes repaired as a result. Yet.)
I've always loved walking around Philadelphia. Maybe that's because I didn't grow up in a very pedestrian-friendly place: El Paso, Texas is built on and around the Franklin Mountains, and very few people do much walking there unless they want a serious cardiovascular workout or really love hiking. Walking was a novelty for me, when I moved to Philadelphia, so even as a Penn freshman new to the "scary" city, I tried to walk around the city whenever I got the chance. (I got over the scary thing within a week of my matriculation.) I just loved that I could get to just about anywhere I needed to go on foot, and all I needed was the ability to count and a good enough memory to recall the approximate street order from Spring Garden to Bainbridge. Nearly five years later, the novelty hasn't worn off. I still love walking around Philadelphia, and I still love your grid system.
This week, I had an interview at 32 North Some-Numbered-Street. Okay, no problem! Half a block above Market. Going to meet someone at 1600 Street-Named-for-Tree? Go to where 16th Street intersects with the flora's namesake. It's brilliant.
I will say, though, that you've pretty much ruined me for other cities. Or even for the outer areas of this city. (I do have to wonder why after you get far enough, the grid in Philly just stops, but I know that you have nothing to do with that.) But you've made my time in Philly so much pleasanter, and this city that I've grown to love so much more navigable, and for that, I will be eternally grateful. Tomorrow, if, from your perch atop City Hall, you notice someone tipping her hat at you? That's me, buddy. Thanks.
Old photo of William Penn via author's old camera phone, from her first trip to the top of City Hall.
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pleasanter? where's proofread philly when you need them?
i have recently been reading about edmund bacon, a gentleman who is not only the father of kevin bacon (yes, that kevin bacon) but who was also the legendary city planner for philadelphia in the post WWII era. he too was a fan of the grid system in center city, as was in billy penn's plans. he was, however, the architect of the far northeast, which deviates from the grid system. his reasoning was this: in penn's early writings, he mentioned that he chose where to put philadelphia based upon its geography and topography, between two rivers with flat land, an area which a grid would work perfectly. and it does. the northeast, however, as a different topography. creeks run through that area, and there are slightly more hills, therefore winding streets were called for. the same for west philly. interestingly enough, the original street plan for west philly had it looking much more like washington, dc than the grid of philadelphia.
everyone would be wise to read up on ed bacon, a true philadelphian with great love for his city.
According to spellcheck, and to a quick Google search, pleasanter is in fact a word. Here's the entry on Dictionary.com:
dictionary.reference.com/browse/pleasanter
m-w.com had failed me then. thats what i get for trying to be witty
nice to hear someone else express love for the grid. part of my disdain for the suburbs is the lack of a grid. access road get congested whereas on a grid, traffic can disperse.