IF TWO ARE DEAD Locations Today
Locales
of Philadelphia
Click on thumbnails for full-size
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The Delaware River
waterfront at Penn’s Landing, looking south. To the right of the highway is
Front Street, the 18th Century waterfront—where the head office of Castell, Leavering & Sproul would have
been located. |
Philadelphia is
blessed with an impressive amount of superb surviving 18th Century
architecture. This is a handsome residential block—Delancey Street. That
family got around! |
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A stock photo of
charming Elfreth’s Alley in the oldest section of the city. The homes of Mr. Prentice and Samuel Low Aldridge would have been
located in the vicinity. |
The Todd house
(1775) on the corner of Fourth and Walnut Streets. Dorothy and Reuben Castell would have lived in a similar abode. |
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Kitchen of the Todd
House. Note the sugar nips (for breaking off chunks of sugarloaf) on the
table. |
The Todd House is noteworthy
as a reconstructed middle-class Quaker
abode. Although all items in it are of strong quality, they lack all
decoration and ostentation. |
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The author in front
of a landmarked Philadelphia tavern (not currently open to the public). |
Fortunately, the
reconstructed City Tavern (originally built in 1773), to which many of the
Founders repaired after a hard day at nearby Independence Hall, was open. Thomas Dordrecht probably couldn’t have afforded the like on his first
visit in 1761—and his second trip (as described in If Two Are Dead) was cut short. |
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The author enjoyed a
meal at the City Tavern with his friend Phil Bowers. Of the reconstituted
beer recipes, your author tried the one attributed to Jefferson … and liked
it very much! Had a second glass! |
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Links to contemporary photographs of local scenes:
Notices – Ordering – Author – Contact
