Street scene showing Second Street north from Market Street in Philadelphia including Christ Church and the Old Courthouse and market. Depicts the busy street corner with people riding horses, driving and loading carts, conducting business, and walking and performing errands. In front of the Courthouse, vendors sit and sell their goods while nearby a constable on horseback is flanked by citizens. An African American boy carrying a basket strolls across Second Street. He walks toward two men and a child convened together and a man on horseback traveling toward the church (his back to the viewer). A dog runs in front of the horse. Christ Church, a Protestant Episcopal Church, was built between 1727 and 1744 and was founded as part of a provision of the original charter given to Pennsylvania founder William Penn. The Old Courthouse, completed in 1710 was the town hall, seat of the Legislature, market house, and the Pennsylvania statehouse until Independence Hall was opened in 1748. The Courthouse was demolished in 1837., Manuscript note on recto: John A McAllister with compl[imen]ts of Jacob Broome., Illustrated in S. Robert Teitelman's Birch's views of Philadelphia (Philadelphia: The Free Library of Philadelphia, 1982), pl. 15., Broome was a Philadelphia lawyer and Pennsylvania legislator., Accessioned 1979., Description revised 2021., Access points revised 2021.
Creator
W. Birch & Son
Date
[ca. 1860]
Location
Library Company of Philadelphia | Print Department Birch's views [Sn 15a facs./P.2276.34]
