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Title: Destruction by fire of Pennsylvania Hall. On the night of the 17th May, 1838
Description: Exterior view of Pennsylvania Hall engulfed in flames. A large crowd looks on. Fire fighters spray water on an adjoining building. Pennsylvania Hall was constructed 1837-1838 at Sixth and Haines Streets in Philadelphia as a meeting place for local abolitionist groups. Dedication ceremonies began on May 14, 1838 and continued over several days in a climate of growing hostility. On the night of May 17, 1838, a mob stormed the Hall and set it on fire. Fire companies refused to fight the blaze, and the building was completely destroyed. Bowen issued this print commemorating the event within a few days of the fire., Title from item., Artist and publication information supplied by Wainwright., Philadelphia on Stone, POS 179, Gift of Mrs. S. Marguerite Brenner, 1984., Description revised 2021., Access points revised 2021.
Creator: Wild, J. C. (John Caspar), approximately 1804-1846, artist
Date: [1838]
Location: Library Company of Philadelphia | Print Department *W94 [P.9057.27]

Title: [Destruction of the hall]
Description: Depicts a street scene with the abolitionist meeting place, Pennsylvania Hall, engulfed in flames at Sixth and Haines Streets in Philadelphia. Crowds, including a group of drunken men and other revelers, look on as several fire companies using handpumps hose the adjoining spared building. The hall, erected in 1838 as an arena for "free discussion," was set on fire by a mob of hostile citizens who had witnessed 3 days of interracial dedication ceremonies and services. For disputed reasons, the fire companies did not attempt to extinguish the burning hall. The building was razed and never rebuilt., Title from: [Samuel Webb's], "History of Pennsylvania Hall," p. 136., Manuscript note on verso: Destroyed by a mob by fire on the night of 17th May 1838., Originally published in: Samuel Webb's History of Pennsylvania Hall. (Philadelphia: Printed by Merrihew and Gun, 1838). (Am 1838 Hist Pa Hall). Last page contains advertisement for a limited supply of larger frameable versions of the print to be sold at the Anti-Slavery Office, No. 29 N. 9th Street, in Philadelphia., LCP exhibition catalogue: Negro History #101., Accessioned 1979., Description revised 2021., Access points revised 2021., Part of digital collections catalog through a grant from the Institute of Museum and Library Services as administered by the Pennsylvania Department of Education through the Office of the Commonwealth Libraries, and the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, Tom Corbett, Governor, 2013-2014.LCP exhibit catalogue: Negro History #101., Sartain, a member of the Pennsylvania Anti-Slavery Society and a premier 19th century Philadelphia engraver, often instilled his work with his reformist beliefs.
Creator: Sartain, John, 1808-1897, engraver
Date: [1838]
Location: Library Company of Philadelphia | Print Department PhPr - 8x10 - Events - Fires [P.2283.2]

Title: The conflagration of the Masonic Hall Chesnut Street Philadelphia. Which occured on the night of the 9th of March 1819 This plate is respectfully dedicated to the active and much esteemed fire engine & hose companies, by their obed't serv'ts S. Kennedy and S.S. West
Description: Reissue of the print after a commemorative painting of the hall on fire by Samuel Jones at the request of the publishers with added figures by the prominent Philadelphia genre painter, John Lewis Krimmel. View depicts several volunteer firefighters hosing the flame-engulfed tower of the majestic hall, erected in 1811, purportedly after the design of William Strickland. A large frenzied crowd, including African Americans and well-dressed men and women couples, gather on the street. Spectators push, shove, are knocked down, and watch the fire in horror. Residents flee with their belongings as firefighters blow horns and transport a handpump. The fire started by a faulty flue destroyed the building, which after several successful masonic charity events was rebuilt, without a tower, in 1820 under the direction of Strickland., Title from item., Third state., Inscribed below image: Copy right secured., Samuel Kennedy and Samuel West were members and official print publishers for the Association of American Artists, later headed by Krimmel., Barber, a Philadelphia printer, artist, and engraver, was in business from 1867 until 1885., See Anneliese Harding's John Lewis Krimmel. Genre artist of the early Republic. (Winterthur, Delaware: The Henry Francis Dupont Winterthur Museum, 1997), p. 206-208., See Milo Naeve's John Lewis Krimmel: An artist in Federal America. (Newark: University of Delaware Press, 1987), p. 109., LCP exhibition catalogue: Made in America #30., Description revised 2021., Access points revised 2021., Part of digital collections catalog through a grant from the Institute of Museum and Library Services as administered by the Pennsylvania Department of Education through the Office of Commonwealth Libraries, and the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, Tom Corbett, Governor, 2013-2014.
Creator: Hill, John, 1770-1850, engraver
Date: [ca. 1876]
Location: Library Company of Philadelphia | Print Department **PhPr - Associations - Masonic Hall [P.9210.5]

Title: The election day in Philadelphia
Description: Print from an unfinished plate by Philadelphia engraver Alexander Lawson, after the 1815 painting (owned by the engraver) titled "Election Scene. State House in Philadelphia" by his friend and genre painter, John Lewis Krimmel that was exhibited at the Pennsylvania Academy of the Fine Arts Exhibition of 1816. Depicts the rowdy immoral atmosphere during the afternoon of a Philadelphia election at the State House on Chestnut Street between Fifth and Sixth Streets. Voters arrive, complete and switch votes, and block the polls as politicians and campaigners, including former mayor John Barker, lobby for votes and engage in debate. A band and patriotic float parade down the street; a tavern quarrel occurs; two young African Americans attempt to rob a distracted woman peddler; an oyster vendor does a brisk business; and mothers and couples stroll and children play. Flags are displayed on the buildings, including Peale's Museum., Title from duplicate print at Henry Francis Dupont Winterthur Museum., Plate deposited by artist's daughter at the Pennsylvania Academy of the Fine Arts in 1887 from which 42 prints were produced between 1888 and 1904., Anneliese Harding's John Lewis Krimmel. Genre artist of the early republic (Winterthur, Delaware: The Henry Francis Dupont Winterthur Museum, 1997), p. 83-90., Milo Naeve's John Lewis Krimmel: An artist in federal America (Newark: University of Delaware Press, 1987), p. 118-119., LCP exhibition catalogue: Made in America,, Accessioned 1992., Description revised 2021., Access points revised 2021., Part of digital collections catalog through a grant from the Institute of Museum and Library Services as administered by the Pennsylvania Department of Education through the Office of Commonwealth Libraries, and the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, Tom Corbett, Governor, 2013-2014.
Creator: Lawson, Alexander, 1773-1846, engraver
Date: [ca. 1894]
Location: Library Company of Philadelphia | Print Department ***PhPr-Gov't Buildings-Independence Hall [P.9380]

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