

The Account Books of Elizabeth Willing Powel: Part 3, The Organizations (and So What?)
Among the expense ledgers of Elizabeth Willing Powel are many entries that show her engagement with broader society. In addition to the...


The Account Books of Elizabeth Willing Powel: Part 2, The People
While David Maxey's A Portrait of Elizabeth Powel finds Elizabeth Powel to be largely an enigma, she was of a class where her life was...


The Account Books of Elizabeth Willing Powel: Part 1 Introduction and "the stuff"
Mickey Herr introduced the account books of Elizabeth Willing Powel and their remarkable provenance from a false bottom trunk, which you...


Philadelphia Family-Ties and the British Occupation: Part 2
We left off in Part 1 of this post learning about the British occupation of “…the little society of Third and Fourth Street[s]” as...


Philadelphia Family-Ties and the British Occupation: Part I
September 1777. Our Capitol, Philadelphia, has been captured and is now occupied by the British. Ordinary, peaceful people are faced...


A Woman Rediscovered: A false-bottomed trunk and a love of citron cake (and we are just getting star
New documents rediscovered shed new light on Elizabeth Willing Powel


Getting Back To Our Roots
When we think about herbs today we mostly think about seasoning our food. Or perhaps we imagine a nice cup of peppermint or chamomile...


Wisteria and the American Wüster Family
It's wisteria blooming time here in Philadelphia! Every spring, these beautiful fragrant flowers flow down the woody climbing vines...


The Revolution Continues
Before Americans were American, they were many things; Swedish, Dutch, British, Scotch, Irish, Welsh, German, French, free and enslaved...


Cutting Federal Funding for the Arts and Humanities will Hurt Everyone... aka What Stories Will Neve
What's at stake when the NEH and NEA are abolished?