{"id":11812,"date":"2017-11-21T06:38:09","date_gmt":"2017-11-21T11:38:09","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/phillyhistory.wpengine.com\/?p=11812"},"modified":"2017-11-21T07:58:45","modified_gmt":"2017-11-21T12:58:45","slug":"the-demise-and-demolition-of-horticultural-hall","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/blog.phillyhistory.org\/index.php\/2017\/11\/the-demise-and-demolition-of-horticultural-hall\/","title":{"rendered":"The Demise and Demolition of Horticultural Hall"},"content":{"rendered":"
\"\"<\/a>
Horticultural Hall, Fairmount Park, 1876. Centennial Photographic Company (PhillyHistory.org\/Free Library of Philadelphia)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Distaste for Victorian architecture blossomed in the first half of the 20th century into unmitigated disgust. By the time the waves of demolition subsided, it was too late for many masterpieces that had been pulled down with confidence and even glee.<\/p>\n

We saw this before, with Frank Furness<\/a>, who \u201cembodied the worst of Victorian excess in the eyes of modernists.\u201d His buildings fell as if in a losing war; and so did many others that dared display individualism or a lack of restraint. Wreckers worked relentlessly through the 1950s and 1960s as preservationists searched for their voices. By the time a reappraisal of the Victorian finally changed minds, it was too late; so much was already gone. Words of regret and mourning seemed flimsy; too little; too late.<\/p>\n

One of the earliest voices, that of George B. Tatum in Penn\u2019s Great Town<\/em>, wrote in 1961 of Horticultural Hall\u2019s demise: \u201cby any standard a major monument of American architecture of the 19th century.\u201d In time, others would join the chorus with ever more strident tones. By 1976, almost 18 years too late, Edmund Bacon commented on the demolition of another \u201cmajor monument,\u201d the Jayne building<\/a>, \u201cas the worst single act of architectural vandalism.\u201d\u00a0Words too late. Words as soundbites. Meanwhile, Philadelphia\u2019s high Victorian buildings had slipped from cultural treasure to architectural albatross.\u00a0 Then they were gone.<\/p>\n

\"Horticultural<\/a>
Horticultural Hall, south entrance, 1876. Centennial Photographic Company. (PhillyHistory.org\/Free Library of Philadelphia)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

The campaign to establish existential doubt for Horticultural Hall<\/a>, began just after the turn of the 20th century with squawks about the burden of repairs. By mid-century, these cries had risen to a cacophony leading to, inevitably, a call for the wrecking ball. Horticultural Hall\u2019s narrative arc, urged on by the city itself, lasted for more than a half a century before the contract was finally put out. Slowly, surely, over nearly half a century, the language of demise exercised its ever firming grip.\u00a0Hurricane or not, the victim was doomed.<\/p>\n

The calls came as early as 1910, when City Council appropriated $30,000 for a major renovation. Horticultural Hall was then thought to be \u201cin such bad condition that the Park Commissioners feared that it would collapse and injury [sic] many persons.\u201d<\/p>\n

By 1937, the building had become a \u201cgray, friendly ghost of a fading age,\u201d if still \u201cquickened by wild, exotic plant life from far corners of the world\u2026\u201d<\/p>\n

Sixteen more years pass. \u201cOriginally gaily polychrome, in reds, greens, and yellows,\u201d Horticultural Hall in 1953 \u201chas lost this finery and much of its original iron embellishment and in many places is rusting\u2026 It is still standing, but is in need of extensive repairs.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cHistoric Hall In Park Held \u2018Dangerous\u2019\u201d read an unapologetic headline in the Spring of 1953, more than a year before Hazel. \u201cA showplace when it was opened,\u201d halfway into the 20th century it was now \u201cin \u2018dangerous condition,\u2019 and the place should be closed, Charles I. Thompson, president of the Fairmount Park Commission declared\u2026\u201d.<\/p>\n

\u201c\u2019Badly rusted framework holding heavy glass panes in the vaulted roof make it likely that the panes will come loose in the near future and fall to the floor,\u201d said Thompson. \u201cThis condition is dangerous and we\u2019d better do something about it before somebody gets hurt.\u201d The Commission concluded: \u201c\u2019we\u2019re just throwing good money after bad,\u2019 and that it would be \u2018better to start over again with a new building.\u2019\u201d<\/p>\n

Broken panes made \u201cthe whole place like a sieve when it rains,\u201d an engineer chimed in.<\/p>\n

And we know what happens when it rains: it pours.<\/p>\n

In October 1954, Hurricane Hazel brought not only rain, but 50 to 60 mile per hour winds and gusts of 94 miles per hour. Fifteen people were killed in the Philadelphia area.<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a>
Wreckers Ready to Move into Horticultural Hall, Spring 1955. Charles Newman, Philadelphia Evening Bulletin (Temple University Paley Library – Special Collections Research Center)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

\u201cHazel Hit Historic Hall\u201d read the headline on October 16th<\/sup>.\u00a0 \u201cPark Director Paul MacMurray\u2026disclosed that hundreds of panes of class were blown from the roof of the central hall of the massive structure, a relic of the Centennial Exposition.\u201d<\/p>\n

No one ever documented exactly how many panes were broken, but both the \u201cdanger\u201d and the \u201crelic\u201d cards had been played.<\/p>\n

\u201cHazel Death Death Blow to Horticultural Hall,\u201d confirmed an October 22nd headline. \u201cThe ornate building\u2026is now in such condition that authorities feel it is imperative to begin tearing down the structure as a safety measure.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cWe\u2019re now faced with the problem of tearing it down or it falling down,\u201d claimed MacMurray.<\/p>\n

\u201cIt would be a great pity to tear it down,\u201d retorted preservationists. \u201cIf it was in such a dilapidated state why didn\u2019t the hurricane level it to the ground, instead of blowing out a few panes of glass? \u2026 \u201cOther cities take pride in preserving their landmarks.\u201d \u2026 Where is Philadelphia\u2019s pride now?\u201d This is nothing more than \u201cwillful neglect.\u201d<\/p>\n

Wreckers competed with one another for the \u201cDismantling, Demolition and Disposition\u201d of Horticultural Hall. Bids arrived in room 313, City Hall Annex, before 2:30PM February 7, 1955.<\/p>\n

And by April Fool\u2019s Day a classified advertisement described and offered what remained: \u201c2000\u2019 rare ornamental railings & stairs. Greenhouse. 10,000\u2019 steam pipe from \u00bd\u201d to 5\u201d. Steel beams 8 to 12\u201d from 12 to 30\u2019 in length. Numerous other items dating back over 100 years.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cSalesman on site at all times,\u201d assured the ad.<\/p>\n

[Sources: Philadelphia, A Guide to the Nation’s Birthplace<\/a>, compiled by the Federal Writers’ Project, Works Progress Administration, for the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania <\/em>by Federal Writers’ Project (Pa.), 1937; Theo. B. White, Philadelphia Architecture in the Nineteenth Century (Philadelphia Art Alliance, 1953); George B. Tatum, Penn’s Great Town: 250 Years of Philadelphia Architecture Illustrated in Prints and Drawings (University of Pennsylvania, 1961); The Philadelphia Inquirer<\/em>: \u201cPark Exhibit to Open,\u201d September 15, 1910; \u201cHistoric Hall In Park Held \u2018Dangerous,\u2019\u201d May 24, 1953; \u201cHurricane Kills 15 in Phila. Area, Leaves Path of Ruin in 8 States,\u201d October 16, 1954; \u201dHazel Hit Historic Hall,\u201d October 21, 1954; \u201cHazel Death Death Blow to Horticultural Hall,\u201d October 22, 1954; \u201cGarden Under Glass, Letter by \u201cE.C.\u201d October 27, 1954; January 27, 1955 (letter to the editor); April 1, 1955 \u00a0(classified advertisement)].<\/span><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Distaste for Victorian architecture blossomed in the first half of the 20th century into unmitigated disgust. By the time the waves of demolition subsided, it was too late for many masterpieces that had been pulled down with confidence and even glee. We saw this before, with Frank Furness, who \u201cembodied the worst of Victorian excess […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":22,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[1],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-11812","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-uncategorized"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/blog.phillyhistory.org\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/11812","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/blog.phillyhistory.org\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/blog.phillyhistory.org\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blog.phillyhistory.org\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/22"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blog.phillyhistory.org\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=11812"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/blog.phillyhistory.org\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/11812\/revisions"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/blog.phillyhistory.org\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=11812"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blog.phillyhistory.org\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=11812"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blog.phillyhistory.org\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=11812"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}