Philadelphia Reflections

2006-05-01T22:31:54-04:00

William Penn's Quaker Colonies plus medicine, economics and politics

Sporting Philadelphia

2006-06-15T22:31:54-04:00

A few reflections about sports in and around Philadelphia.

Historical Motor Excursion North of Philadelphia

2007-04-03T17:17:48-04:00

The narrow waist of New Jersey was the upper border of William Penn's vast land holdings, and the outer edge of Quaker influence. In 1776-77, Lord Howe made this strip the main highway of his attempt to subjugate the Colonies.

Food and Drink in Philadelphia

2006-08-02T15:25:33-04:00

A flowing abundance of food sources made Philadelphia the capital of food and drink, right from earliest times.

Chester, Delaware, Montgomery and Bucks Counties

2007-09-19T11:44:49-04:00

The Philadelphia metropolitan region has five Pennsylvania counties, four New Jersey counties, one northern county in the state of Delaware. Here are the four Pennsylvania suburban ones.

Arch Street: from Sixth to Second

2007-05-04T22:02:59-04:00

When the large meeting house at Fourth and Arch was built, many Quakers moved their houses to the area. At that time, "North of Market" implied the Quaker region of town.

Whither, Federal Reserve?

2006-07-07T11:51:04-04:00

The Federal Reserve seems to be a big black box, containing magic. In fact, it's high-wire acrobatics that must not be allowed to fail.

Personal Finance

2006-12-26T21:37:50-05:00

The rules of financial health are simple, but remarkably hard to follow. Be frugal in order to save, use your savings to buy the whole market not parts of it, if this system ain't broke, don't fix it. And don't underestimate your longevity.

Government Organization

2007-12-23T00:37:11-05:00

Government Organization

Dislocations: Financial and Fundamental

2007-12-22T17:29:12-05:00

The crash of 2007 was more than a bank panic. It was a collision of several revolutions which were all ripples from the same splash.

China Bubble

2008-02-10T00:44:35-05:00

Whether it's for a Wall Street tycoon or a Chinese coolie, wages go up when workers chase after money they vaguely know how to spend. Inflation appears when they decide there's no longer anything worth buying. Unfortunately, when these confused squirrels stop running on their treadmills, the world gets a crash.

Nature Preservation

2006-08-02T18:37:29-04:00

Nature preservation and nature destruction are different parts of an eternal process.

Legal Philadelphia

2006-06-15T22:31:54-04:00

The American legal profession grew up in this town, creating institutions and traditions that set the style for everyone else. Boston, New York and Washington have lots of influential lawyers, but Philadelphia shapes the legal profession.

Land Tour Around Delaware Bay

2007-04-04T19:43:36-04:00

Starting in Philadelphia, it takes two days to tour around Delaware Bay. Down the New Jersey side to Cape May, ferry over to Lewes, tour up to Dover and New Castle, visit Winterthur, Longwood Gardens, Brandywine Battlefield and art museum, then back to Philadelphia.

Religious Philadelphia

2006-06-15T22:31:54-04:00

William Penn wanted a colony with religious freedom. A considerable number, if not the majority, of American religious denominations were founded in this city.

Volunteerism

2007-03-05T17:08:08-05:00

The characteristic American behavior called volunteerism got its start with Benjamin Franklin's Junto, and has been a source of comment by foreign visitors ever since. It's still a very active force.

Indigents

2007-03-08T17:04:30-05:00

With a long history of welcoming and assisting the poor, Philadelphia has always risked swamping the lifeboat by attracting more of them than it can handle.

Evolving Philadelphia

2006-08-02T15:20:07-04:00

The city changes.

Black Philadelphia

2006-08-08T11:39:05-04:00

The City of Philadelphia is only a part of the region, but within that part, the black population holds political power. That's definitely not true in the rest of the region. Discordances like this create problems until political evolution smooths them out.

Philadelphia Economics

2006-08-02T17:22:21-04:00

economics

Philadelphia's West Country

2007-04-10T15:43:18-04:00

Like all cities, Philadelphia is filling in and choking up with subdivisions and development, in all directions from the center. The last place to fill up is the Welsh Barony, a tip of which can be said to extend all the way in town to the Art Museum.

Customs, Culture and Traditions

2006-08-01T19:13:20-04:00

Abundant seafood made it easy to settle here. Agriculture takes longer.

Causes of the American Revolution

2006-11-03T18:02:42-05:00

Britain and its colonies had outgrown Eighteenth Century techniques of governance. Unfortunately, both England and America also lacked the sophistication to make drastic changes smoothly.

PROLOGUE: Persia, The Nineteen - Thirties

2008-07-14T19:43:07-04:00

USA: THE NINETEEN NINETIES

2008-07-14T19:48:57-04:00

FRONT MATERIAL: Deaths of the Shah

2008-07-14T19:40:03-04:00

Deaths of the Shah, by Donald Hough

2007-03-20T14:31:09-04:00

testing a topic with no blogs

2008-07-12T22:14:38-04:00

testing a topic with no blogs for inclusion in Volumes

Philadelphia Fish and Fishing

2006-06-26T16:29:36-04:00

Less than a century ago, Delaware Bay, Delaware River, Schuylkill River, Pennypack Creek, Wissahickon Creek, and dozens of other creeks in this swampy region were teeming with edible fish, oysters and crabs. They may be coming back, cautiously.

Revisionist Themes

2008-07-10T11:09:21-04:00

A set of working papers, still under construction.

Curtis

2006-07-22T17:46:40-04:00

To Cy Curtis, magazines were just vehicles for advertisers. In fact, his mags taught former farmers how to manage urban life, more or less accidentally creating a focus for American books, authors, politics and literature. The fall of his empire teaches the lesson that antitrust laws against vertical integration are probably unnecessary.

Right Angle Club 2007

2007-03-01T14:34:01-05:00

A report, to the year 2007 shareholders of the Right Angle Club of Philadelphia, by their outgoing president.

Academia in the Philadelphia Region

2006-08-02T17:00:49-04:00

Higher education is a source of pride, progress, and aggravation.

Railroad Town

2008-06-15T22:40:20-04:00

New Jersey (State of)

2007-09-19T11:41:04-04:00

The Garden State really has two different states of mind. The state motto is Liberty and Prosperity.

Insurance in Philadelphia

2006-08-02T15:11:18-04:00

Early Philadelphia took a lead in insurance innovation. Some ideas, like life insurance, flourished. Others have faded.

Outlaws

2006-06-15T22:31:54-04:00

Even the criminals, the courts and the prisons of this town have a Philadelphia distinctiveness. The underworld has its own version of history.

America's Historic Square Mile (pre-1800)

2006-06-15T22:31:54-04:00

Society Hill: Philadelphia's authentic colonial area, from the Delaware River west to 8th Street the limit of settlement in 1776, but for a while the center of America. The richest, most famous men in America lived within a few blocks of each other. Things happened here.

The Constitution

2006-08-02T15:52:33-04:00

The Constitution is not a paper signed at any old convention. It was forged from the difficulties which forced its creation, and new difficulties soon revealed by implementing it. Its essence, the penetrating spirit of urgent compromise, flows from the Quaker environment of Philadelphia. A Republic, if you can keep it.

Health Insurance

2007-12-22T23:41:45-05:00

Clinton Health Plan and its replacements.

Academia, Medical Version

2008-06-25T20:01:04-04:00

The first hospital in America generated the first medical school, the first medical society, and many of the unique features of American medicine. In modern times, the gusher of federal research funds not only distorted academic medicine, but academia as a whole.

Theatre in Philadelphia

2006-06-15T22:31:54-04:00

Theater has declined, everywhere in the western world. But in Philadelphia, even today if you attended every new play you would keep pretty busy.

The Park and Beyond

2006-06-15T22:31:54-04:00

Fairmount Park is large enough to split the City from its suburbs, and is partly a playground, partly a museum. East Falls, Germantown and Chestnut Hill are almost a separate world on the far side of the park.

Musical Philadelphia

2006-06-15T22:31:54-04:00

Quakers never cared much for music, but the city has nonetheless musically flourished into international fame. At the same time, quarrels and internal battles have also been world class.

Reminiscences

2007-06-18T15:49:02-04:00

Watching the constantly passing scene, occasionally opportunities arise to change its flow.

Philadelphia Medicine

2006-06-15T22:31:54-04:00

The first hospital, the first medical school, the first medical society, and abundant Civil War casualties, all combined to establish the most important medical center in the country. It's still the second largest industry in the city.

Investing, Philadelphia Style

2006-07-06T15:51:16-04:00

Land ownership once was the only practical form of savings, until banking matured in the mid-19th century. Philadelphia took an early lead in what is now called investment and still defines a certain style of it.

Medical Malpractice

2006-06-15T22:31:54-04:00

The medical system is on the point of abandoning the city to escape abusive lawsuits. A series of observations about shared blame, ultimately assigns responsibility to the mistake of allowing this matter to be covered by insurance, thus creating a financial target.

Website Development

2006-08-05T15:04:19-04:00

The website technology supporting Philadelphia Reflections is PHP, MySQL and DHTML. The web hosting service is Internet Planners.

The Franklin Inn

2006-06-15T22:31:54-04:00

Hidden in a back alley near the theaters, this little club is the center of the City's literary circle. It enjoys outstanding food in surroundings which suggest Samuel Johnson's club in London.

Foreign Affairs

2007-12-23T00:28:34-05:00

This topic is under construction. Feel free to watch it evolve.

Benjamin Franklin

2006-06-15T22:31:54-04:00

A collection of Benjamin Franklin tidbits that relate Philadelphia's revolutionary prelate to his moving around the city, the colonies, and the world.

Literary Philadelphia

2006-08-02T18:10:47-04:00

Literary

Historical Preservation

2006-07-14T17:04:05-04:00

The 20% federal tax credit for historic preservation is said to have been the special pet of Senator Lugar of Indiana. Much of the recent transformation of Philadelphia's downtown is attributed to this incentive.

Computers and Websites

2006-08-02T15:01:53-04:00

Much of the early development of the electronic computer took place in Philadelphia. We lost the lead, but it might return.

Quakers: All Alike, All Different

2006-07-25T14:56:38-04:00

Quaker doctrines emerge from the stories they tell about each other.

Financial Planning for a Long Retirement

2008-01-28T12:40:07-05:00

How should an individual investor ensure they have enough money for retirement?

Such a person is often a professional or entrepreneur who has worked to accumulate wealth. Legions of "advisors" are lined up to take this money and manage it or else to sell "products" that promise to solve some problem or other.

A person who has created their career and their wealth from scratch by intelligence and hard work can also manage their investments themselves, or at least supervise the process from a position of strength created by knowing what needs to be done.

This collection of articles explains to the individual investor how to take control of their wealth. They may eventually decide to look for help from an advisor but they will retain control of their assets and they will know what to do.

Financial Planning videos on YouTube

Pacifist Pennsylvania, Invaded Many Times

2008-04-29T16:54:27-04:00

Pennsylvania was founded as a pacifist utopia, and currently regards itself as protected by vast oceans. But Pennsylvania has been seriously invaded at least six times.

Haddonfield

2006-07-06T11:49:53-04:00

Haddonfield is a bit of a secret. It's Philadelphia's "Main Line, East".

Revolutionary Philadelphia's Patriots

2006-10-31T15:27:14-05:00

Hotheads in the London Coffee House got stirred up about an inoffensive Tea Act, Scotch-Irish had come here to escape the British Crown, both the local artisan class and the local smuggler class had unexpectedly prospered under non-importation, and the local gentry were offended to be denied seats in Parliament like other Englishmen. But Pennsylvania wavered until the day Ben Franklin stepped off the boat from London with a grievance.

Philadelphia Politics

2006-06-15T22:31:54-04:00

Originally, politics had to do with the Proprietors, then the immigrants, then the King of England, then the establishment of the nation. Philadelphia first perfected the big-city political machine, which centers on bulk payments from utilities to the boss politician rather than small graft payments to individual office holders. More efficient that way.

Delaware (State of)

2006-06-15T22:31:54-04:00

Originally the "lower counties" of Pennsylvania, and thus one of three Quaker colonies founded by William Penn, Delaware has developed its own set of traditions and history.

Articles of Confederation

2006-06-15T22:31:54-04:00

For thirteen years the country was ruled by the Articles of Confederation, and by Philadelphia. We learned many lessons during that episode, and we are beginning to forget we learned them.

Albert Gallatin

2007-12-23T00:14:07-05:00

A magnificent but largely forgotten man.

Architecture in Philadelphia

2007-02-20T16:07:41-05:00

Originating in a limitless forest, wooden structures became a "Red City" of brick after a few fires. Then a succession of gifted architects shaped the city as Greek Revival, then French. Modern architecture now responds as much to population sociology as artistic genius. Take a look at the current "green building" movement.

Up the King's High Way

2007-05-02T21:22:07-04:00

New Jersey has a narrow waistline, with New York harbor at one end, and Delaware Bay on the other. Traffic and history travelled the Kings Highway along this path between New York and Philadelphia.

Subcultures

2006-06-15T22:31:54-04:00

A few reflections about the subcultures in and around Philadelphia.

Tourist Walk in Olde Philadelphia

2007-03-29T22:09:07-04:00

Colonial Philadelphia can be seen in a hard day's walk, if you stick to the center of town.

Working Topic

2006-07-05T10:44:25-04:00

Preliminary space for author use.

Revolutionary Philadelphia's Loyalists

2006-10-31T13:33:24-05:00

History is written by the victors, so the Tory Loyalists of Revolutionary Philadelphia have mostly fallen from view.

Conventions and Convention Centers

2006-08-02T17:58:44-04:00

When you have a big convention center, some circus is always coming to town. Philadelphia has always been a convention town, has had and still has lots of convention sites, and hopes to have more of the kind of famous convention we have had in the past.

Nobel Prizes

2007-05-11T22:05:06-04:00

Some Philadelphians won Nobel Prizes for work done here, or elsewhere. Some prize winners would deny they are Philadelphians, but their work was nevertheless done here.

Shakspere Society of Philadelphia

2008-01-31T12:15:06-05:00

Maybe not the first, but the oldest Shakespeare club in America or possibly even the world, has kept minutes for over a hundred fifty years.

Art in Philadelphia

2006-06-15T22:31:54-04:00

The history of art, particularly painting and sculpture, has been a long and distinguished one. If you add in the art schools, the Philadelphia national influence on artists has been a dominant one.

Quakers: The Society of Friends

2006-07-03T16:10:52-04:00

According to an old Quaker joke, the Holy Trinity consists of the fatherhood of God, the brotherhood of man, and the neighborhood of Philadelphia.

Medical Economics

2006-07-14T19:41:55-04:00

Some Philadelphia physicians are contributors to current national debates on the financing of medical care.

The Clinton Health Plan of 1993 - Part Two

2007-08-10T16:15:35-04:00

After the Clinton Plan was dropped, and then after fifteen years of aftermath, public dissatisfaction with the health financing system is no better, probably worse. Here are some fresh ideas.

The Clinton Health Plan of 1993 - Part One

2007-07-08T18:43:13-04:00

Mistaking Senate re-election of Harris Wofford to mean the country demanded reform of the medical system, newly-elected President Clinton announced he would create one. When stakeholders surmised he was making it up as he went along, they deserted him.

Sights to See: The Outer Ring

2006-08-01T17:05:19-04:00

There are many interesting places to visit in the exurban ring beyond Philadelphia, linked to the city by history rather than commerce.

Sixth and Walnut
over to Broad and Sansom

2007-05-04T22:22:50-04:00

In 1751, the Pennsylvania Hospital at 8th and Spruce was 'way out in the country. Now it is in the center of a city, but the area still remains dominated by medical institutions.

To Germantown, a Short Appreciation

2006-06-15T22:31:54-04:00

Seven miles from the heart of Philadelphia, Germantown was once a separate town, the cultural center of Germans in America. Revolutionary battles were fought here, it was briefly the capital of the United States, and it still has an outstanding collection of schools and colleges.

Up Market Street
to Sixth and Walnut

2007-05-04T22:12:48-04:00

Millions of eye patients have been asked to read the passage from Franklin's autobiography, "I walked up Market Street, etc." which is universally printed on eye-test cards. Here's your chance to do it.

West of Broad

2006-06-15T22:31:54-04:00

A collection of articles about the area west of Broad Street, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.

Philadelphia's Middle Urban Ring

2006-08-01T11:39:27-04:00

Philadelphia grew rapidly for seventy years after the Civil War, then gradually lost population. Skyscrapers drain population upwards, suburbs beckon outwards. The result: a ring around center city, mixed prosperous and dilapidated. Future in doubt.

North of Market

2006-06-15T22:31:54-04:00

The term once referred to the Quaker district along Arch Street, and then to a larger district that had its heyday after the Civil War, industrialized, declined, and is now our worst urban problem area.

Downtown

2006-06-15T22:31:54-04:00

A discussion about downtown area in Philadelphia and connections from today with its historical past.

Custom Tour of Private Philadelphia

2006-06-22T17:43:15-04:00

Philadelphia Hospitality, a non-profit group, puts together the following tour for visiting bigwigs. A good guide to what's best around here.

City of Rivers and Rivulets

2006-07-17T16:45:05-04:00

Philadelphia has always been defined by the waters that surround it.

Connecticut Invades Pennsylvania!

2006-07-15T16:30:28-04:00

The rest of the world fights wars about national grievances, both recent and long past. Meanwhile, Connecticut once waged a serious war with Pennsylvania, and we don't even remember it.

Philadelphia's River Region

2006-06-15T22:31:54-04:00

A concentration of articles around the rivers and wetland in and around Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.

Philadelphia Physicians

2006-06-15T22:31:54-04:00

Philadelphia dominated the medical profession so long that it's hard to distinguish between local traditions and national ones. The distinctive feature is that in Philadelphia you must be a real doctor before you become a mere specialist.

The British Attack Philadelphia

2006-07-03T17:32:35-04:00

Fighting in the Revolutionary War lasted eight years; for two full years (June 1776 to June 1778) Philadelphia was the objective of military attack. Only the Civil War killed a larger proportion of the population.

Science

2006-08-02T18:17:09-04:00

Science

The Proprietorship of West Jersey

2006-07-28T16:40:25-04:00

The southern half of New Jersey was William Penn's first venture in real estate. It undoubtedly gave him bigger ideas.

Tourist Trips Around Philadelphia and the Quaker Colonies

2007-04-06T17:40:19-04:00

The states of Pennsylvania, Delaware, and southern New Jersey all belonged to William Penn the Quaker. He was the largest private landholder in American history. Using explicit directions, comprehensive touring of the Quaker Colonies takes seven full days. Local residents would need a couple dozen one-day trips to get up to speed.

Philadelphia, A Running Commentary

2006-06-15T22:31:54-04:00

A series of observations in and around Philadelphia by notables over the last three and one-half centuries.

Favorite Reflections

2007-05-07T18:51:22-04:00

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Particular Sights to See:Center City

2006-07-17T15:09:24-04:00

Taxi drivers tell tourists that Center City is a "shining city on a hill". During the Industrial Era, the city almost urbanized out to the county line, and then retreated. Right now, the urban center is surrounded by a semi-deserted ring of former factories.

Japan and Philadelphia

2006-06-26T15:58:44-04:00

Philadelphia and Japan have had a special friendship for 150 years.

Touring Philadelphia's Western Regions

2007-04-09T18:24:08-04:00

Philadelpia County had two hundred farms in 1950, but is now thickly settled in all directions. Western regions along the Schuylkill are still spread out somewhat; with many historic estates.

Quakers: William Penn

2006-07-05T14:38:09-04:00

Although Ben Franklin lately gets more ink, William Penn deserves at least equal rank among the most remarkable men who ever lived.

Fanny Kemble

2006-07-21T18:33:55-04:00

Fanny Kemble was more than the toast of the town, she was the most glamorous woman in the English speaking world. But far beyond that, she was a famous author, Shakespearean scholar, and had a major influence on the Civil War.

1793: Germantown Nurses the Yellow Fever

1997-06-12T16:58:17-04:00

Refugees from Haiti slave revolts brought Yellow Fever to south Philadelphia.

2006-06-23T11:29:08-04:00

Philadelphia's acropolis is Faire Mount, where the Art Museum marks the entrance to Fairmount Park. Stretching beyond is Boathouse Row and its rowing races. When the azaleas are in bloom, it's the match of any place in the world.

Blackball

2006-06-20T11:51:05-04:00

To blackball someone has nothing to do with billiards. At one time, most Philadelphia social clubs required unanimous agreement for the admission of a new member. There actually was a wooden box into which voting members dropped either a white ball or a black one.

Easy Ride: Perth Amboy to Trenton

1992-07-23T16:58:17-04:00

The British Army romped down the narrow waist of New Jersey, from New Brunswick to Trenton. But it's not safe to go too fast too far into enemy territory.

The Schools of School House Lane

2006-06-26T14:31:06-04:00

Exclusive privates schools and colleges are usually to be found in isolated rural settings. But our oldest, best, and most famous schools are clustered together in a neighborhood that is far from exclusive.

The Revolutionary Origins of The Methodist Church

1994-08-11T16:58:17-04:00

The Wesley brothers converted so many Americans to the Anglican church, they couldn't ordain enough ministers. Reluctantly, Americans were allowed to ordain their own ministers. When the Revolution was over, they had drifted into a new Protestant denomination.

Betsy Ross on Hard Times

2006-06-26T14:16:15-04:00

The famous Revolutionary seamstress lived long into the 19th Century, apparently outliving her savings. A useful tale, perhaps, for Social Security reform.

North of Market

2006-06-26T14:39:16-04:00

This old local expression originally pointed to where the Quakers live on Arch Street, but over the centuries has taken on a lot of less flattering associations.

Free Quaker Meetinghouse

2006-06-26T15:25:26-04:00

It's only open a few days each year, but the red brick building at 5th and Arch was the meeting house for those few Quakers, including Betsy Ross, who fought for the Revolution. The Park Service has made a beautiful restoration, which deserves to be seen by more people.

George Washington Defends Philadelphia (2)

2004-07-22T16:58:17-04:00

On a chessboard of geography, the generals must deploy their armies, and anticipate what the other army might do.

Helis the Whale

2006-06-20T12:21:22-04:00

In the spring of 2005, a solitary Male Beluga whale made his way up the Delaware River, causing great excitement. He hung around for a week or so, presumably searching for shad.

Lambertville and Lewis Island

2006-06-20T11:26:06-04:00

As Philadelphia and New York City gradually expand until they meet, they could meet at Lambertville.

Comic Interlude At Moland House

2006-06-23T15:52:34-04:00

Washington, LaFayette, and twenty-seven other famous heros of the Revolution spent a week in this Bucks County farmhouse, waiting for the British to make a move. Washington had a bottle of Madeira every day for lunch, but Mrs. Moland made him sleep on the floor, and pay for cleaning up when they left.

Where Do Shad Go, When They Aren't Around Here?

2006-06-23T17:14:10-04:00

The Bay of Fundy.

Shad

2006-06-26T13:54:57-04:00

The rivers once teemed with these big fish every springtime. They are making a hesitant comeback.

Securitization: Pass the Hot Potato

2008-07-22T20:54:16-04:00

Securitization of home mortgages is a generally good thing, but it has one major flaw. Unless we somehow fix it, it will fix us.

The Heirs of William Penn

2006-10-05T18:41:25-04:00

The death of William Penn left his heirs the largest land holdings in America. Although they managed it fairly well, it proved to be more than a single family could cope with.

Bristol, PA

2006-06-23T14:50:10-04:00

Bristol is at a narrow point of the river, long the main crossing point for New York-to-Philadelphia traffic. William Penn placed his mansion nearby and for decades Bristol was a flourishing social center. The Pennsylvania Railroad cut it off, just as it cut off New Castle, Delaware, and both towns are now essentially museums.

William Penn: Visionary with Persuasiveness

2000-02-17T16:58:17-05:00

Even when we know how it eventually turned out, it is hard to imagine how William Penn would dare to suppose the King might give him Pennsylvania, and even harder to understand how he managed to negotiate the agreement.

Pennsbury Manor

2007-05-03T15:01:41-04:00

The Delaware River takes an abrupt right turn at Trenton, creating extensive wetlands for miles around. Whatever its environmental drawbacks, the river delta is moving toward landfill and "development". Come back in fifteen years and be amazed.

Houses of the Penn Family

2006-10-17T17:08:14-04:00

Some idea of the social position of William Penn can be gathered from the houses of his family.

James A. Michener (1907-1997)

2006-06-23T12:14:24-04:00

< James A. Michener was a birthright Quaker from Doylestown, Pennsylvania, where he made his home when he wasn't traveling. He wrote 40 books, most notably "South Pacific", but lived a fairly simple smalltown life, meanwhile giving over $100 million to charity.

Doylestown

2006-06-23T12:17:16-04:00

Doylestown is trapped between the steadily advancing edges of New York and Philadelphia, and must soon submerge. For now, the town's a lovely little jewel.

The Walking Purchase

2006-06-21T14:05:28-04:00

Quaker treatment of the Indians had been exemplary before 1737, and has been highly sympathetic ever since then, too. However, James Logan totally destroyed the trust of the Delaware Indians by using hired runners to establish boundaries of the Walking Purchase, north of the Neshaminy Creek. General Braddock would eventually pay the price of this betrayal when it was later imitated by Benjamin Franklin at the Albany conference.

Look Out For That Ship!

2006-06-20T20:09:08-04:00

Tales of the Sea abound, even a hundred miles from the ocean.

Roebling

2008-06-01T15:42:55-04:00

Some millionaires of the 19th Century are called Robber Barons, but the Roeblings deserve to be called Titans of Industry.

A Keg Tapped at Both Ends (2)

2007-09-19T10:02:26-04:00

The New Jersey legislature began by ratifying the Declaration of Independence in Haddonfield, then moved to Trenton and concerned itself with debts, then with railroads, then corporations, and now -- with debts, again.

Lindbergh Baby Kidnapping Trial

2006-06-20T21:03:49-04:00

Bruno Richard Hauptmann was surely guilty of something, although it remains doubtful if he deserved to be electrocuted for the death of Charles Lindbergh's baby.

Cost of Medical Care

2004-06-08T16:58:17-04:00

Milton Hershey agreed to fund the Hershey Medical School out his own pocket, after a ten minute conversation.

Joysey

2006-06-26T15:38:58-04:00

Understanding New Jersey means understanding its unusual geography, and its Quaker origin as one of the three colonies owned by William Penn.

British Headquarters: Perth Amboy, New Jersey, in its 1776 Heyday

1994-01-13T16:58:17-05:00

Now dispirited and forgotten, Perth Amboy was once the glamorous capital of New Jersey. Its harbor and neighboring Staten Island were headquarters for the Admiral Howe's British fleet during most of the Revolution.

Advanced Placement Gains Attackers and Defenders

2006-10-16T16:09:30-04:00

College admission is so competitive it creates vested interests. Everything is questioned, even the value of college itself.

Unintended Consequences for Advanced Placement

1997-02-06T16:58:17-05:00

The story of how the author complained to his head master about preparation for college and how it led to the concept of Advanced Placement courses in high schools.

Disorderly Retreat: From Trenton Back to Perth Amboy

2006-06-23T11:59:14-04:00

At the Battle of Trenton, George Washington established his military reputation for all time.

The Naming of Pennsylvania

2006-06-26T13:58:10-04:00

King Charles gave Penn as much land as the whole of England, and named it after William Penn

River City

2006-06-23T17:29:43-04:00

When you get down to it, Philadelphia is located at the junction of two major rivers.

After a Year of Crisis, Fannie and Freddy Finally Get the Spotlight

2008-07-21T13:24:45-04:00

Fannie Mae and Wall Street's chancy new CDOs are much the same thing, only with different sponsors and a few modified features. Important issues are: which model is better, whether continued competition between the two is useful, or whether both should be abolished.

The Corinthos Disaster

2008-07-20T12:46:11-04:00

We hope the 1975 Corinthos disaster proves to be the worst fire in Philadelphia history; it's hard to imagine a bigger one.

Urban Bridges

2008-07-20T12:43:23-04:00

The Episcopal Church has found a practical way for its prosperous suburban branches to form partnerships with struggling urban parishes.

The First and Oldest Hospital in America

2006-06-23T17:25:07-04:00

The history of American medicine is the history of the Pennsylvania Hospital.

Lawn Tennis at the Cricket Club

2008-07-16T16:06:30-04:00

Lawn tennis is slightly older than tennis on clay courts, but it's harder to maintain grass than other surfaces, so it's less common.

Buying Corporate America with Cheap Money

2008-07-15T17:47:26-04:00

Threat of recession induced America to reduce interest rates, and thus to cheapen the dollar. The rest of the world seizes the opportunity to buy huge American corporations on the cheap.

Philadelphia in 1976: Legionaire's Disease

2000-05-25T16:58:17-04:00

Philadelphia's ambitious Bicentennial celebration of the Declaration of Independence was ruined by an epidemic of a new disease that seemed to focus on tourists.

CHAPTER ONE

2007-03-23T10:47:16-04:00

A murder mystery set in Persia a generation ago

Dedication: Deaths of the Shah

2007-03-22T17:26:39-04:00

....

The Origins of Haddonfield

2004-11-23T16:58:17-05:00

Haddonfield was founded by a 19 year-old Quaker girl in 1701, when it was still a fairly dangerous place to walk around. She has over 140 direct descendants, and forty of them still live in the town. Some famous scenes from the Revolutionary War took place here.

Philadelphia Food: Traditional

1997-07-03T16:58:17-04:00

The oysters, crabs and fish are having trouble with river pollution, New Jersey is filling up with split-levels, and fear of cholesterol is tough on Pennsylvania Dutch cooking. But on special occasions, it's nice to have the traditional goodies.

Community Volunteers in Medicine

2007-06-01T16:34:05-04:00

A little group of medical volunteers in Pennsylvania's Chester County may not understand the underlying issues very well, but they just pitch in and do what they can about the medically underserved.

The Victor Talking Machine Company

2006-06-23T15:42:50-04:00

Caruso sang for this record company over in Camden, and its other recordings made the fortunes of the Philadelphia Orchestra. The bitter survivors of RCA Victor believe the Sarnoff family wrecked the company .

Battleship New Jersey: Home is the Sailor

2006-06-23T15:28:41-04:00

The battleship New Jersey, the mightiest dreadnought in our history, now rests in Camden. At one time, it could have blown up Valley Forge from that position.

Riverline: Camden and Amboy Revival

2004-01-05T16:58:17-05:00

One of the oldest rail lines in America is coming back to life, and may be bringing the towns along it back to life, too.

The Proprietorships of William Penn

1993-11-25T16:58:17-05:00

William Penn owned Pennsylvania, New Jersey and Delaware; as the proprietor, he was the largest private American landowner, ever. Although the Revolutionary War mostly ended that, the proprietorship still owns all unclaimed land in New Jersey.

Static vs Dynamic URLs

2007-11-15T14:06:42-05:00

Implementing static URLs for a website driven by PHP and MySQL is as easy as a little regex and htaccess magic.

The Final Capture of Philadelphia (6)

1999-05-06T16:58:17-04:00

The British fleet dropped General Howe off at the head of the Chesapeake, planning to rejoin and resupply him by coming up the Delaware. But for six weeks the British couldn't subdue Forts Mifflin and Mercer, either by land or by sea, and had a close call before they finally did.

Greenwich, Where?

2006-06-23T15:56:59-04:00

A charming little colonial village in the Pine Woods of New Jersey has a long history, few visitors, and nothing reconstructed. It's the real thing.

Brandywine Museum

2006-06-23T12:43:01-04:00

The Wyeths, one of the great artistic families of America, display their work in the Brandywine Museum, which is itself a work of art.

Pennyslvania's Boundary: David Rittenhouse, Hero, Lord Baltimore, Villain

2006-06-26T14:52:42-04:00

Because a local genius invented and perfected surveying instruments, America is one of the few places in the world with straight-line boundaries.

Caesar Rodney Rides Through the Rain

2006-06-23T16:24:21-04:00

When it looked as though Delaware was wavering on the Declaration of Independence, Caesar Rodney was summoned to ride through the rain to cast a deciding vote, in spite of advanced cancer.

New Castle, Delaware

1993-06-03T16:58:17-04:00

A short history of a historically significant town, now off the beaten path.

Elizabethan Accents in Philadelphia

2006-06-19T20:07:30-04:00

In the birthplace of American independence, there's still a lot of Olde English buried in the speech patterns.

Pea Patch Island

2006-06-23T12:00:20-04:00

A string of three forts at the level of the Delaware-Chesapeake Canal once guarded the approaches to Philadelphia, but were never needed. After the Battle of Gettysburg, Fort Delaware on Pea Patch Island served as a deplorable prison camp for Confederate prisoners; it's now a tourist stop.

Founding Fish

2006-06-23T17:15:03-04:00

The story about shad rescuing the starving Continental Army at Valley Forge makes a wonderful story, but there's reason to think it may be fictional.

2008

2008-07-05T23:43:29-04:00

After Six months

2008-03-13T20:37:22-04:00

qweqwe

Germantown Before 1730

2006-06-23T11:43:06-04:00

The early German settlers of Germantown were religious intellectuals, and definitely not farmers.

Sanctuaria Mariposa

2006-06-23T17:13:22-04:00

All of the Monarch butterflies in Eastern North America travel down to a Mexican mountain and spend the winter together in about six hundred acres. It

Computerized Finance to the Guillotine

2007-12-27T22:34:13-05:00

Computers may well have helped create a world financial muddle, but that's no reason to go back to the abacus.

The Decision of Trenton (1782) Under the Articles of Confederation

2004-04-14T16:58:17-04:00

The 1782 Decision of Trenton simply awarded the Wyoming Valley to Pennsylvania. Strong suspicions exist that other secret decisions were never made public. Like awarding the Western Reserve of Ohio to Connecticut.

Day Two: Rehoboth to Kennett Square

2007-04-05T16:48:39-04:00

The southwestern shore of Delaware Bay was an isolated swampy world until a couple of decades ago. It now seems hurtling toward a resemblance to Luxembourg or Liechtenstein. Any way you look at it, the State of Delaware is very different.

Camden Riversharks

2008-03-07T16:14:29-05:00

Camden NJ has a minor league baseball team which in some ways is more fun than the Major leagues. Fans certainly sit closer to the players.

Odessa, Delaware

1993-11-04T16:58:17-05:00

Rodney Sharp fixed up his old home town, and it's an architectural jewel worth visiting. Christmas is the best time.

Pirate Lair

2006-06-23T15:55:50-04:00

Did Blackbeard use the Delaware marshes as a hideout?