The House at Bartram’s Garden, West Philadelphia
In midst of 46 acres of the oldest surviving botanical garden in America, John Bartram’s house remains almost completely in tact from the eighteenth century. Adapted between 1728-1731 from an originally vernacular Swedish and English combination (see rear elevation below), the house was “palladimized” by Bartram between 1758 and 1770 (see above image). Bartram designed and handcrafted the house himself, which was amazing considering he started out essentially as a gardener. The style of his stone facade is essentially within the Georgian context as seen through the eyes of a very particular individual. The wood infill, midst the porch interior, was put in after he designed the building and was long dead. This is not at all his installation. While the ”addition” is eighteenth century, we understand that Bartram’s son was apparently rather tacky!!! We encounter these problems today!
Located at 54th St. and Lindbergh Blvd., Bartram’s Garden is bliss among the urban blight and decay of the formerly flaming West Philadelphia… There is much more to learn on the grounds…
