Beschreibung:

[Philadelphia & Pennsylvania] Large Philadelphia Land Deed Archive A large archive of land deeds and other documents detailing the transformations of one historic block in Center City Philadelphia, now site of The Curtis Center Philadelphia, ca. 1794-1908. Archive of 125 documents, including 107 land deeds, two briefs of title, two plat maps, and other documents recording over a century of real estate transactions, and other business, for parcels of land that comprise one whole city block in Center City Philadelphia, located between 6th and 7th Streets from Walnut Street to Sansom Street, and now the site of the massive Curtis Center. Most documents in MS. and on vellum, some printed; each document with numerous signatures from attesting parties involved, including recorders, witnesses, justices of the peace, etc. All with contemporary folds; many with original wax and paper seals, ties, etc. Overall in near-fine condition. Full list of documents available upon request. Adjacent to both historic Independence Hall and Washington Square Park, the Beaux-Arts-style Curtis Publishing Company building (now called the Curtis Center) was constructed on 885,786 square feet in William Penn's original grid plan of the city. This archive spans over 100 years, from the close of the 18th-century (eight documents), when Philadelphia was the capital of the young nation, through the entirety of the 19th-century (115 documents), when it became an industrial powerhouse, and into the 20th-century (two documents), and it documents the numerous residences, businesses, and institutions that formerly occupied this single piece of land. Over 350 people, many of whom were prominent and successful in the history of Philadelphia and the early United States (including dozens of Revolutionary War soldiers), and many that are now long forgotten, are documented in these items, with over 500 signatures recorded. The archive begins with a December 31, 1794 land deed from James Logan, Jr. (1728-1803)--son of James Logan (1674-1751), colonial secretary to William Penn--to merchant John Swanwick (1759-1798), for the entire parcel of land. Largely open field and meadow at this time, the land was bequeathed to Logan, Jr. in his father's will, and was the site of Logan, Sr.'s library, the Longanian Library, whose contents were transferred to the Library Company of Philadelphia in 1793. From here Swanwick begins breaking up the land into smaller parcels for sale, and three years later, in 1797, some of these are then sold by him to various individuals and families. Three deeds included here register the transfer from Swanwick to merchant and Quaker Mordecai Lewis (1749-1799), as well as merchants Hannah Holland and John Fries (1744-1824). Only four months after Swanwick sold Lewis his tract of land, a deed dated July 26, 1797 documents its transfer from Lewis to prominent merchant and land developer William Sansom (1763-1840; Sansom introduced the famous rowhouse-style residence to Philadelphia in 1799 at Carstairs Row, near to this lot)--from where Sansom Street takes its name--and Godfrey Haga (1745-1825). A December 4, 1797 deed then shows the transfer of Haga and his wife's share of land on the east side of 7th street entirely to Sansom (seven other deeds from Sansom to various individuals are included). As the archive progresses into the 19th century, dozens of deeds record the further breakup of this large block of land into lots of various configurations and size, and their transfer to individuals, families, and businesses. Notable ownership of lots includes American artist Rembrandt Peale (1778-1860); prominent Philadelphia publisher Matthew Carey (1760-1839); publisher and bookseller Samuel Bradford (1776-1837); Congressman Benjamin Say (1755-1813); William Short (1759-1849), Thomas Jefferson's private secretary and friend; John Stevens (1749-1838), prominent inventor, engineer and lawyer; Joseph Dulles, of the prominent Dulles family line; a variety of pro