Tuesday, March 22, 2016

Rittenhouse Stables, a Peek into Old Philadelphia in the 1800s.

Photo:  Phillymag.com

Rittenhouse Square is one of William Penn's original five open-spaced parks that he and his surveyor, Thomas Holme planned during the late 17th Century in central Philadelphia.  Originally known as the Southwest Square, this square became surrounded by brickyards as the area's clay terrain was better suited for kilns than crops in the 1700s.  In 1825, the square was renamed in honor of David Rittenhouse (1732-1796), a descendant of the first paper-maker in Philadelphia, who was a brilliant astronomer, clock-maker, and patriotic leader of the Revolutionary era.

Rittenhouse Square has always denoted quality.  The first house facing the square was built in 1840 at 1811 Walnut Street (click to see) by James Harper, a merchant and brick manufacturer who had recently retired from the U.S. Congress.  He bought up most of the north frontage and subdivided the property into generously proportioned building lots.  The 2000 block of Rittenhouse Square was the address for the neighborhood's equine transport.  The Harper House became the home of the exclusive Rittenhouse Club in 1901.  

There was a building boom in the 1850s.  In the second half of the 19th Century, the Rittenhouse Square neighborhood became the most fashionable residential section of the city, and home of Philadelphia's "Victorian aristocracy."  Some mansions still survive the streets facing the square, although most of the grand homes gave way to apartment building living after 1913.

Photo:  Plan Philly.com, WHYY & Newsworks.org

Rittenhouse Square Stables still stand at 2023-2025 Rittenhouse.  A beautiful terra cotta horse head pokes out from the arch above the second story loading doors.  The building was erected around 1881 as a three-story brick "messuage" according to the historical files and was developed into a stable and coach house in 1884.  There was also a stable at 2049 Rittenhouse that was built in 1870.  In the 2023-2025 stable, larger doors were put into place to enable vehicles to go in and out since the stable had become a garage for the more affluent residents.  This building does not have a history of being a firehouse. Citations had been issued due to the owner allowing the stable to deteriorate since the 2000 block is part of the Rittenhouse Fitler Residential Historical District, designated in 1995.  Loose walls, missing bricks labeled the building "unsafe" in 2010.  And later on complaints that significant and unique brick and brownstone cornice deterioration was taking place, an issuance of maintenance code violations and demolition by neglect was put into place.  

Façade Shoring in Preparation for Demolition
Photo:  James Jennings

In September, 2015, a flurry of construction activity as preservation / refurbishment of Rittenhouse Square Stables began to take place by contractor, Bottos Construction, out of Broomall, Pennsylvania.  The former stable, located at 2023-25 Rittenhouse Square near 20th Street, made of terra cotta and intricate brick work, is in the process of becoming six apartment units.  Other neighboring stable row buildings fared much better through time.  The former carriage houses at 2036 and 2040 were transformed into beautiful homes, with entrances and other features that retain the character of their original use.  In the 1920s, the stable at 2049 (click to see) Rittenhouse had a renovation, transforming the carriage entrance into a French-style storefront.  This was keeping with the times when the street became a more fashionable shopping corridor.  The second story loading door and pulley support remain, but needs a 21st century restoration.


We look forward to seeing the finished façade and maybe see an example of the dwellings from Bottos Construction, and will share.






Thursday, March 17, 2016

Happy St. Patrick's Day!

Curley
St. Louis, Missouri

It's Curley Ellis, One of the Most Celebrated
Irish Percherons We Know!

Happy St. Patrick's Day!
(If you are in St. Louis, let Curley be your designated driver!)




Thursday, March 10, 2016

Eaglesfield Eagle Eyeing 2016

It's that time of year again for eagle eyeing via webcam in the southeastern United States at Berry College. The nest is situated in eagle-eye view of Berry's main entrance and the parking lot of their athletic and recreation center. The eagles do not migrate due to plentiful food available from nearby lakes, and the Oostanaula River.  In 2013, the eagle couple successfully produced two eaglets; 2014, one eaglet; 2015, two eaglets.  In 2016 we welcomed the hatching of an eaglet on February 14th and another on February 15th.  Click on the photo below to access the live eagle webcam, day or night, to check on the progress of these beautiful babes.



The term for "Eagle" is derived from Latin: aquila by way of French: aigle . . . which, through other derivatives, means "dark-colored, swarthy, or blackish" as a reference to the bird's plumage  . . . or fromaquilo, meaning "north wind." Thus, our name "Eaglesfield" fits quite nicely given all the black horses and north winds we are fortunate enough to experience.  

.•°*”˜˜”*°•.˙·٠•● Ƹ̵̡Ӝ̵̨̄Ʒ ●•٠·˙.•°*”˜˜”*°•.


Tuesday, March 1, 2016

Haulin' Moose

W.R. Day Driving Pete and Nellie
at Edmonton Exhibition (1911)

W.R. (Billy aka Buffalo Bill) Day found these young moose near Baptiste Lake in 1910, and reared them by bottle.  He broke them to drive during the winter of 1910, and made deliveries of mail and supplies to Wabasca, Edmonton, Pelican Mountains, Calling Lake, Athabasca, Colinton, Rochester, Tawatinaw, Clyde, Legal, Carbondale and St. Albert.  Buffalo Bill and his wife also ran a store at Calling Lake.

Thank you Provincial Archives of Alberta for the photos and story.