© Copyright 2020 - The Library Company of Philadelphia, 1314 Locust Street, Philadelphia, PA 19107. TEL (215) 546-3181 FAX (215) 546-5167
For inquiries, please contact our IT Department
- Title
- Mt. Pleasant
- Description
- Exterior view of the front of the Middle-Georgian country house built 1761-1765 for Captain John Macpherson after the designs of Thomas Nevil on Mount Pleasant Drive in Fairmount Park, Philadelphia, Pa. View includes two wood frames leaning against the house. Macpherson, a privateer during the Seven Years’ War, purchased the estate with profits from these operations. Free white and Black laborers, indentured servants, and at least four enslaved people of African descent, whose names are unknown, worked on the plantation. In 1779, General Benedict Arnold purchased Mount Pleasant for his wife Peggy Shippen, but they never occupied the house. In 1792, General Jonathan Williams purchased the mansion. The City of Philadelphia purchased the property from the Williams family in 1869. On behalf of the city, the Philadelphia Museum of Art restored the house in 1926., Yellow paper mount with rounded corners., Title printed on mount., Date inferred from photographic medium and content., Originally part of a McAllister scrapbook of views of Philadelphia. McAllister Collection, gift, 1886., Description revised 2021., Access points revised 2021., Digitization funded by a grant from the National Endowment for the Humanities (PW-506-19-10), 2010-2012.
- Date
- [ca. 1870]
- Location
- Library Company of Philadelphia | Print Department stereo - unidentified - Residences [(3)1322.F.57c]
- Title
- Arnold mansion postcards
- Description
- Exterior views of front facade of Mount Pleasant Mansion (i.e. Arnold Mansion) built 1761-1765 for Captain John Macpherson after the designs of Thomas Nevil in Fairmount Park, Philadelphia, Pa. Macpherson, a privateer during the Seven Years’ War, purchased the estate with profits from these operations. Free white and Black laborers, indentured servants, and at least four enslaved people of African descent, whose names are unknown, worked on the plantation. In 1779, General Benedict Arnold purchased Mount Pleasant for his wife Peggy Shippen, but they never occupied the house. In 1792, General Jonathan Williams purchased the mansion. The City of Philadelphia purchased the property from the Williams family in 1869. On behalf of the city, the Philadelphia Museum of Art restored the house in 1926., Contains 6 postcards printed in color and 3 printed in black and white., Gift of George M. Brightbill, 1999., Description revised 2022., Access points revised 2022., Digitized with funding from a grant from the National Endowment for the Humanities (PW-506-19-10), 2010-2012.
- Creator
- Brightbill, George M., collector
- Date
- [ca. 1905]
- Location
- Library Company of Philadelphia | Print Department Brightbill postcards [Fairmount Park - Mansions and Houses - Arnold - 77]
- Title
- Mt. Pleasant, river front
- Description
- View of front facade of the mansion built 1761-1765 for Captain John Macpherson after the designs of Thomas Nevil in Fairmount Park, Philadelphia, Pa. A person, attired in a hat, a long coat, and shoes, sits on a wooden chair at the top of the steps on the right side of the house. Macpherson, a privateer during the Seven Years’ War, purchased the estate with profits from these operations. Free white and Black laborers, indentured servants, and at least four enslaved people of African descent, whose names are unknown, worked on the plantation. In 1779, General Benedict Arnold purchased Mount Pleasant for his wife Peggy Shippen, but they never occupied the house. In 1792, General Jonathan Williams purchased the mansion. The City of Philadelphia purchased the property from the Williams family in 1869. On behalf of the city, the Philadelphia Museum of Art restored the house in 1926., Inscribed in negative: 2494., Title from negative sleeve., Also identified as the Arnold Mansion., Purchase 1988., Description revised 2022., Access points revised 2022.
- Creator
- Hand, Alfred, photographer
- Date
- [ca. 1920]
- Location
- Library Company of Philadelphia | Print Department 4x5 Glass Negatives - Hand [P.9259.43]
- Title
- Mount Pleasant, home of Benedict Arnold in Fairmount Park
- Description
- View of front facade of the mansion built 1761-1765 for Captain John Macpherson after the designs of Thomas Nevil in Fairmount Park, Philadelphia, Pa. A person, attired in a hat, a scarf, a long coat, and shoes, sits on a wooden chair at the top of the steps on the left side of the house. Mount Pleasant was described by John Adams as "the most elegant seat in Pennsylvania," and is an excellent example of Philadelphia's Middle Georgian country houses of the 1760s. Macpherson, a privateer during the Seven Years’ War, purchased the estate with profits from these operations. Free white and Black laborers, indentured servants, and at least four enslaved people of African descent, whose names are unknown, worked on the plantation. In 1779, General Benedict Arnold purchased Mount Pleasant for his wife Peggy Shippen, but they never occupied the house. In 1792, General Jonathan Williams purchased the mansion. The City of Philadelphia purchased the property from the Williams family in 1869. On behalf of the city, the Philadelphia Museum of Art restored the house in 1926., Inscribed in negative: 2495., Title from negative sleeve., Also identified as the Arnold Mansion., Purchase 1988., Description revised 2022., Access points revised 2022.
- Creator
- Hand, Alfred, photographer
- Date
- [ca. 1920]
- Location
- Library Company of Philadelphia | Print Department 4x5 Glass Negatives - Hand [P.9259.44]
- Title
- Arnold mansion postcards
- Description
- Depicts the front facade from the garden and a detailed view of the pediment over the front doorway. Includes interior views of the right and left sides of the entrance hall, the great chamber, the parlor, and a bedroom., Contains 1 postcard printed in color and 9 printed in black and white., Mount Pleasant Mansion was built 1761-1765 for Captain John Macpherson after the designs of Thomas Nevil in Fairmount Park, Philadelphia, Pa. Macpherson, a privateer during the Seven Years’ War, purchased the estate with profits from these operations. Free white and Black laborers, indentured servants, and at least four enslaved people of African descent, whose names are unknown, worked on the plantation. In 1779, General Benedict Arnold purchased Mount Pleasant for his wife Peggy Shippen, but they never occupied the house. In 1792, General Jonathan Williams purchased the mansion. The City of Philadelphia purchased the property from the Williams family in 1869. On behalf of the city, the Philadelphia Museum of Art restored the house in 1926., Purchase 1984. Accessioned 2005., Accession numbers: P.2005.3.26 - 32, P.9048.5, P.9048.217 and P.9048.303., Description revised 2022., Access points revised 2022.
- Date
- 1905-1926
- Location
- Library Company of Philadelphia | Print Department LCP postcards - Residences A - M - [various]
- Title
- [Mount Pleasant, Mount Pleasant Drive, East Fairmount Park, Philadelphia]
- Description
- Exterior views of the mansion built 1761-1765 for Captain John Macpherson after the designs of Thomas Nevil in Fairmount Park, Philadelphia, Pa. Mount Pleasant was described by John Adams as "the most elegant seat in Pennsylvania," and is an excellent example of Philadelphia's Middle Georgian country houses of the 1760s. Macpherson, a privateer during the Seven Years’ War, purchased the estate with profits from these operations. Free white and Black laborers, indentured servants, and at least four enslaved people of African descent, whose names are unknown, worked on the plantation. In 1779, General Benedict Arnold purchased Mount Pleasant for his wife Peggy Shippen, but they never occupied the house. In 1792, General Jonathan Williams purchased the mansion. The City of Philadelphia purchased the property from the Williams family in 1869. On behalf of the city, the Philadelphia Museum of Art restored the house in 1926., Negative numbers: 54 & 54a-d, Negative numbers 54a-54d dated 1928 in manuscript note on negative sleeve., Purchase 1978., Description revised 2022., Access points revised 2022.
- Creator
- Jennings, William Nicholson, 1860-1946, photographer
- Date
- 1928
- Location
- Library Company of Philadelphia | Print Department Jennings [P.9480.54 ; P.9480.54a-54d]
- Title
- Mt. Pleasant E. Park, John Macpherson 1761
- Description
- Exterior view depicting the country house built 1761-1765 for Captain John Macpherson after the designs of Thomas Nevil in Fairmount Park, Philadelphia, Pa. Shows the front entrance to the mansion, covered in ivy, and flanked by outbuildings. Macpherson, a privateer during the Seven Years’ War, purchased the estate with profits from these operations. Free white and Black laborers, indentured servants, and at least four enslaved people of African descent, whose names are unknown, worked on the plantation. In 1779, General Benedict Arnold purchased Mount Pleasant for his wife Peggy Shippen, but they never occupied the house. In 1792, General Jonathan Williams purchased the mansion. The City of Philadelphia purchased the property from the Williams family in 1869. On behalf of the city, the Philadelphia Museum of Art restored the house in 1926., Title from inscription on mount., Date inferred from photographic medium., Purchase 1989., Description revised 2022., Access points revised 2022., Retrospective conversion record: original entry, edited.
- Date
- [ca. 1926]
- Location
- Library Company of Philadelphia | Print Department photo - Official Photographer [P.9260.329]
- Title
- [Mount Pleasant mansion, Fairmount Park, Philadelphia]
- Description
- View shows Mount Pleasant mansion in Fairmount Park, Philadelphia flanked by outbuildings. The view is somewhat obscured by trees. The Middle-Georgian country house was built 1761-1765 for Captain John Macpherson after the designs of Thomas Nevil on Mount Pleasant Drive in Fairmount Park, Philadelphia, Pa. Macpherson, a privateer during the Seven Years’ War, purchased the estate with profits from these operations. Free white and Black laborers, indentured servants, and at least four enslaved people of African descent, whose names are unknown, worked on the plantation. In 1779, General Benedict Arnold purchased Mount Pleasant for his wife Peggy Shippen, but they never occupied the house. In 1792, General Jonathan Williams purchased the mansion. The City of Philadelphia purchased the property from the Williams family in 1869. On behalf of the city, the Philadelphia Museum of Art restored the house in 1926., Title inferred from manuscript note on verso., Date inferred from type of mount., Yellow mount with rounded corners., Gift of Raymond Holstein, 2011., Description revised 2021., Access points revised 2021.
- Date
- [ca. 1870]
- Location
- Library Company of Philadelphia | Print Department Holstein stereo - Fairmount Park [P.2011.47.954]
- Title
- [Mount Pleasant mansion, Fairmount Park, Philadelphia.]
- Description
- Exterior view of the front of Mount Pleasant Mansion (i.e. Arnold Mansion) main house built 1761-1765 for Captain John Macpherson after the designs of Thomas Nevil in Fairmount Park, Philadelphia, Pa. View shows wildflowers in bloom on the front lawn and benches lining the front walk. Macpherson, a privateer during the Seven Years’ War, purchased the estate with profits from these operations. Free white and Black laborers, indentured servants, and at least four enslaved people of African descent, whose names are unknown, worked on the plantation. In 1779, General Benedict Arnold purchased Mount Pleasant for his wife Peggy Shippen, but they never occupied the house. In 1792, General Jonathan Williams purchased the mansion. The City of Philadelphia purchased the property from the Williams family in 1869. On behalf of the city, the Philadelphia Museum of Art restored the house in 1926., Date inferred from type of mount., Orange mount with rounded corners., Series title printed on mount., Title supplied by cataloger., Title printed on mount erroneously identifies site as Washington's Headquarters - Fairmount Park., Gift of Raymond Holstein, 2011., Description revised 2021., Access points revised 2021.
- Date
- [ca. 1880]
- Location
- Library Company of Philadelphia | Print Department Holstein stereo - Fairmount Park [P.2011.47.1013]