5/17

   Following up on a Feb. 24th notice on this bulletin board, and announcements I made at the last two monthly meetings, I wanted to encourage your interest in a recent and ongoing effort to preserve Philadelphia's "small streets", which has stemmed partly from the ongoing advocacy to ensure that a short section of Irving Street, near 12th and Locust, will be protected as part of the city plan, and not privatized by adjacent property owners. [See the center background of the photo at http://www.saveirvingstreet.org/summary.htm for a view of this "stub-end" of Irving Street and what may well be the most beautiful intersection in the city, at Irving & Jessup Streets.]

   One result of this effort, as I have mentioned, was the first annual meeting of the Philadelphia Society of Small Streets on April 26, and its outcomes include further efforts towards policies in the City Streets Department which recognize the uniquenesses of these streets. One example is to stop a long-time practice of repairs which results in asphalt and concrete patches on many of our historic streets. In addition, the practice of laying a cement foundation and mortaring between historic street pavers is also being challenged as damaging to the pavers themselves and increasing stormwater runoff. From my perspective, Lynn and Cliff Landes, spearheads of this general effort, have been energetic but also constructive advocates for these and other changes, emphasizing in part that "small streets" residents be responsible for a large part of maintenance in question but also clarifying appropriate roles for Philadelphia City government.

   To learn more, please see http://www.meetup.com/The-Philadelphia-Society-of-Small-Streets-PSSS/messages/boards/thread/22886672, within the "Discussions" section of the organization's Meet-Up site at http://www.meetup.com/The-Philadelphia-Society-of-Small-Streets-PSSS/.

- Josh Silver

5/17

Congratulations to all those who passed the May 15th Certification exam. As of today, we have 73 APT Certified Guides here in Philadelphia. Of those, 50 are qualified to apply for the APT Master Guide Program. Huzzah!

- Bob Skiba

5/10

Church of St. Martin-in-the-Fields

8000 St. Martin’s Lane Philadelphia, PA  19118

The John Coltrane House National Historic Landmark is pleased to announce that the Church of St.-Martin-in-the-Fields is donating the collection proceeds from its Jazz Vesper’s Ascension Eve Service to our fundraising drive.

The Feast of the Ascension is one of the most important observances of the church calendar. It is nondenominational. All are welcome.

Special Guest Saxophonist Bobby Zankel playing John Coltrane’s Ascension

Original jazz composition by Stephen Tippett

The Coltrane House website is here: http://www.johncoltranehouse.org/

- Lenora Early

4/28

Howdy, I've made it through the auditions and am officially a contestant in the Philadelphia Recovery Idol Competition, YAY!! I'm hoping for the support of my friends and fellow APT members, who may be willing to show up & help me through Level 1. Please, please, PLEASE show up one and all who can attend, it's FREE to do so. Date & Time: Thursday, May 17th, between 9 am & 2 pm at The Community College of Philadelphia,  17th & Spring Garden Sts., Bonnell Bldg., Main Auditorium. TAKE NOTE: My time slot will be chosen at random. Over that aspect I have no control. I do assure you all that I WILL DO ALL THAT I CAN TO MAKE SURE THAT I WIN!! Thank you, I hope to see you there. Please feel free to call me at either: 215-917-1685 or 215-558-0138 - both numbers are my cell phone. 

- Brian Kane

4/26

After grading yesterday's exam, I'm pleased to announce that we now have 62 APT Certified Tour Guides in Philadelphia! Woo Hoo!

- Bob Skiba

4/22

Did you all see the NBC Today "Philly Quiz" on Hulu?

http://www.hulu.com/watch/352950/nbc-today-show-jenna-takes-the-philly-challenge

- Bob Skiba

4/22

The Cultural Alliance jobs page lists two city institutions are looking for guides.

Eastern State Penitentiary here:

http://www.philaculture.org/jobbank/15102/tour-guide-eastern-state-penitentiary-historic-site

and the Independence Seaport Museum here:

http://www.philaculture.org/jobbank/15103/independence-seaport-museum-docent

- Anita McKelvey

4/17

I wanted to share this kind note I got from Tim McGrath, who spoke for us this month:

"Many thanks for the opportunity to speak with APT -what a great audience- and a very nice setting. Listening to the interaction of the members gave me a chance to see the enthusiasm and commitment the guides bring to their work. Philadelphia's residents and visitors are in very good hands. Please thank everyone for their hospitality and interest - All the best, Tim McGrath"

- Bob Skiba

4/17

Some of you might know this web site..this is a fun page of Phila trivia...

http://www.phillywired.com/pages/funfacts

- Nonnie Wiernik

4/11

This is from an email I received from Andrea Reidell, from the National Archives:

4/9

The National Park Service is hosting a new Civil War website here:

http://www.nps.gov/civilwar/index.htm

- Charmaine Michaels

4/5

I saw the Fever:1793 episode on ABC last night. It's decently written, but I thought the production values are pretty low for a professional production. Costumes and hairstyles are mostly anachronistic - like a bad high school production of 1776 - flimsy cotton skirts with no petticoats, modern hairstyles etc. and much early 19th century clothing mysteriously appears in 1793 Philadelphia. The first three talking heads that appear are all from out of state, which is unfortunate, since there are so many local experts available. Cinematography is mostly of the Ken Burns variety; slow pans across 18th and 19th century engravings and prints, computer animated maps (which for some reason are from the late 1800s instead of the late 1700s), interspersed with shoddy modern re-creations and those ever-talking heads, all to a soundtrack of 19th century chamber and symphonic music.  Oddly, there were no credits given at the end; perhaps they rolled them after the commercial break. At the least the series does promote Philadelphia and its history, although I'm sure we're capable of better.

- Bob Skiba

4/5

The Battleship New Jersey Museum and Memorial is looking for a part time site guide:

Position Description:

The goal of the position is to provide visitors an educational, insightful, and fun experience as they learn about how the 16” main gun batteries aboard the Battleship New Jersey were loaded, aimed, and fired. This position is part-time, not to exceed 24 hours per week.

more information on the Cultural Alliance website here:

http://www.philaculture.org/jobbank/14912/tour-guides

- Bob Skiba

It helped refresh my memory on what most of us have probably already learned.

The narrator is Michael Boatman, writer is Nathaniel Popkin, Sam Katz is the creator and director and some of it was filmed at the Physick House.  Check their website & provide your email address to receive notice of the next episode.    http://www.historyofphilly.com/

- Elizabeth McKeon

3/18

As all of you who were at the meeting last week know, we have many new committees for 2012 and new committee chairs as well. The more people we have involved, the more we can accomplish for all of us. If you'd like to make a suggestion to any committee chair or volunteer to be part of a committee, all the contact information is on the APT Contact page on this site, here:

http://www.phillyguides.org/contact-us.aspx

Lend your time and your skills to APT!

- Bob Skiba

3/16

This is a Mid-Fifties slice of life and landscape in Philadelphia and its surrounding towns. With excellent  color footage of downtown scenes, neighborhoods, the Mummers Parade, Levittown, factories in Camden, NJ and many other subjects that can no longer be seen.
 
It was produced at the time by WPTZ Channel 3 and now known as KYW CBS 3. Pete Boyle Sr., father of Pete Boyle, cast member of Everybody Loves Raymond, had a children's show and is briefly shown in this clip. Some good  shots of Dock St. as well. Notice too that all the cars shown are American!

http://www.archive.org/details/Miracleo1955

- Tom Farris

3/16

The New York Times recently published this article entitled "How Not to Attract Tourists":

http://www.nytimes.com/2012/03/16/opinion/the-unwelcome-mat.html?_r=1&nl=todaysheadlines&emc=edit_th_20120316

Our tax dollars at work to undermine our livelihoods.

- Bob Skiba

3/14

I just received a summary of the  Encyclopedia's "City That Loves You Back" event on February 22nd. If you'd like a copy, you can download it here.

-Bob Skiba

3/11

Anita McKelvey sent in this link to an Inquirer article by Tim McGrath about Philadelphia's role in the War of 1812:

http://www.philly.com/philly/opinion/inquirer/20120311_Philadelphians_had_key_roles_in_War_of_1812.html

Tim McGrath will be speaking to us about Commodore Barry next month.

- Bob Skiba

3/10

The Philadelphia Business Journal's Guide to the city's 25 most popular tourist attractions:

http://www.bizjournals.com/philadelphia/news/2012/03/09/guide-to-philadelphias-most-popular.html?s=image_gallery

- Nonnie Wiernik

3/9

Here's a photo of our distinguished board member and president of the Philadelphia Historic Neighborhood Consortium,  Del Conner at the PHNC event this past Wednesday at the American Revolution Center. It was great event and a wonderful mix of people from all sectors of the Philadelphia  tourism industry.

- Bob Skiba

3/8

Lots of people last night at the Revolutionary War Museum...As a guide I am saddened that the archaeology has left (and being stored in a wet basement)...two plus years too soon... They are still trying to raise money and then the building will be torn down...hopefully in two more years....no gov't department ever thinks
of asking those that might be impacted by this...urg.... I asked about the bi-centennial bell and they said they are still discussing that...

If any of you love reading old letters..I found this web site...play around..it is addictive.and can be used on tours.

http://www.familytales.org/people.php
 

 - Nonnie Wiernik

NFTGA President Jean Feilmoser from SF and Vice-President Harvey Davidson from NYC were in town today and had a Leap Day lunch at Jones on 7th and Chestnut with some of the APT officers and board. It was a great brain storming session! We talked about ways to work better not only with NFTGA, but with other member organizations. Below are Jean Harvey and Bob at the  . . .  yes, you guessed it . . . Liberty Bell, and the usual suspects at Jones later.

- Bob Skiba

Good news and bad news: The good news? The APT Lecture Series 2012 is a huge success! The Physick House was packed to the rafters and Ken Hinde's overview of Philadelphia architecture was a combination of wonderful images and fascinating, articulately delivered narrative. The audience loved it. The bad news? You'd better get there very early if you want to sit in on single classes. Bravo, Ed Mauger for putting this program together!

- Bob Skiba

Lecture Series seating availability: The course has really filled up nicely. It looks like there should be a few seats available Monday for the $10 rate for last year's takers, but I would get there early. If this changes, I'll post again tomorrow or Monday.

- Bob Skiba

Fellow APTers:

A number of you will remember a presentation to us last year by Lynn Landes, a co-leader with her husband Cliff of The Philadelphia Society of Small Streets and a spearhead of the campaign to place the east end of Irving Street, near 12th and Locust, on the city plan, thereby protecting it from a current privatization effort.

To learn more about the issue, which I hope you'll support, please go to: www.SaveIrvingStreet.org.

The most effective way to assist this effort is to write letters and/or e-mails to Mayor Michael Nutter (Room 215 City Hall, Phila., 19107; mayor.nutter@phila.gov) --and-- Clarena Tolson, the Commissioner of the Streets Department (730 Municipal Services Building / 1401 John F. Kennedy Boulevard / Phila., 19102; clarena.tolson@phila.gov) with cc's to Cliff and Lynn Landes at 217 S. Jessup Street, Phila., 19107.

There are tips for letters and e-mails in the bottom half of the page at  http://www.saveirvingstreet.org/letter.htm. As the tips' location there may not be crystal-clear (!), they appear in the THIRD paragraph of a note to "Friends of Irving Street", following the words "We anticipate that the City of Philadelphia will be brought into these proceedings...".  At the same time, though, a further point is that privatization on Irving Street could also imperil the public use of other great small streets in Philadelphia.

The group's first annual meeting has been scheduled for Thursday, April 26, from 7-9 PM at the Ethical Society on Rittenhouse Square.

You can also aid this issue by joining the The Phila. Society of Small Streets at: http://www.meetup.com/The-Philadelphia-Society-of-Small-Streets-PSSS/.

- Josh Silver

2/23

Thanks to all of you who showed up at the Encyclopedia of Greater Philadelphia's roundtable at the Visitor Center last night. It was a fun evening and it was nice to see friendly APT faces in the audience.

Also, I've just been watching the great webisodes from Sam and Phil Katz's "Philadelphia: The Great Experiment" film series. Do check them out when you get a chance; each one is under 10 minutes. They are here.

- Bob Skiba

2/13

Pictures from the Philadelphia City Museum pre-opening.

You can click on the thumbnails below to see larger images:

- Nick Cvetkovic

Is there any support for some of the organization's events to take place on Friday or Saturday nights? For the second year running now I cannot attend the multi week series of courses which are now taking place on Monday nights. As well, every other event for which I get email takes place during the week. Are there any others who could only attend weekend events?

- Al Cavalari

2/10

I saw the Library Company exhibit, Capitalism by Gaslight: The Shadow Economies of 19th-Century America, today. Totally fun and free! It deals with the underground economy in Victorian America: gambling, scams, prostitution, forgery, etc. (and who doesn't like those?) I'd give it 4 stars.

- Bob Skiba

2/09

Here are some pictures from the APT trip to the Dyottville site today. Thank you, Doug Mooney!

There's a PlanPhilly interview with Doug here and HSP's PhilaPlace story here.

You can click on the thumbnails below to see larger images: