Parking

Sometimes, I forget that there are certain parks in Philadelphia that I absolutely love. Take Logan Square (or Logan Circle, depending on your grasp of geometry). I hadn't been there for a long while, until this past weekend when I spent a few hours reading on the grass there. At the center of Logan Circle is the Swann Fountain, which was designed and created by Wilson Eyre, Jr. and Alexander Stirling Calder in honor of the founder of the Philadelphia Fountain Society, Dr. Wilson Cary Swann. The fountain is (in my mind) the most magnificent fountain in the city, and I think the vast number of people who visit Logan Circle just to jump in the fountain during the summer agree with me. (Side note: you're not actually allowed to swim in the fountain. "No Swimming" is pretty clearly painted around the fountain. But people do it anyway. And the faint smell of chlorine in the air when I was there last suggests to me that the city is going to look the other way on this issue.) It is also known as the Fountain of the Three Rivers as the three Native American figures in the center of the fountain were meant to represent Philly's three main waterways: the Wissahickon, the Schuylkill, and the Delaware. The fountain's design is a bit fun: there are turtles and frogs scattered around its perimeter, and the three figures in the center are each holding swans (haha, get it?). The geyser in the center of the fountain can shoot water up to fifty feet in the air.

Logan Square was originally known as Northwest Square and was one of William Penn's original five squares. It used to be the place where executions were held and was also a burial ground. Northwest Square was renamed Logan Square in 1825 after James Logan, a statesman who was the secretary to William Penn. Things really got going for Logan Square in 1919, when Jacques Greber's plan for the parkway was adopted. Greber based his design on Place de la Concorde, in Paris, and had originally wanted a monument in the center of the circle, instead of the fountain. The circle was opened in 1920 and the fountain followed in 1924. In 2005, the park underwent some renovations, and the large paulownia trees that encircled the fountain were deemed to have reached the ends of their lives and removed. Younger, much smaller paulownia trees are now planted in the Square.

Logan Square isn't just the circle with the fountain in it. The area across the street, in front of the library, with Shakespeare's statue in it, is part of the Square as well. The square actually goes from 18th street to 20th street and from Vine Street to Race Street, which is a bit strange to think about, since I usually only ever think of Logan Square in terms of the fountain. I haven't really explored and examined those parts of the square as much as the fountain. Everyone in Philly has probably been to the fountain at Logan Square. Maybe we should branch out and look around its outer edges too.

Upcoming Events in Parks:

Concerts:

• West Philadelphia Orchestra at Gold Star Park (Previous Parking). Thursday, 8/13, 7:00-8:30PM.
• Gospel Fest at Malcolm X Park (previous Parking). Saturday, 8/15, 12-4PM.

Movies:

• Marley and Me at Gorgas Park, Ridge Avenue and Hermitage Street. Tuesday, 8/18, dusk.
• The Wizard of Oz Double Take, (first plain and then accompanied by Dark Side of the Moon) at Liberty Lands Park. Tuesday, 8/18, 8:30PM

Get Involved:

• Dickinson Square Park Clean Up Saturday, 9AM, Tasker and 4th Streets (previous Parking).

Dance:

• Line Dancing at Malcolm X Park. Wednesday, 8/12, 7-9PM
• Teen Dance Night, hosted by DJ Patty Pat at Campbell Square, Belgrade Street and Allegheny Avenue. Wednesday, 8/12, 7PM.

Farmer's Markets:

• Cliveden Park, Wednesdays, 2-6PM, Chew Avenue and Johnson Street
• Schuylkill River Park, Wednesdays, 3-7PM
• Fitler Square (Previous Parking), Saturdays, 9AM-1PM
• Clark Park (Previous Parking), Thursdays, 3-7PM, Saturdays, 10AM-1PM
• Rittenhouse Square (Tuesdays, 10AM-1PM and Saturdays 9:30AM-3PM
• Palmer Park Frankford Avenue and East Palmer Street, Thursdays, 2-6PM

Photo credit: Flickr user rowens27