Originally called Northeast Square, Franklin Square was renamed in 1825 to honor Benjamin Franklin.The square, measures to be 632 feet north to south and 543 feet east to west .Although designated as a public square in the earliest city plan, Northeast Square was slow to develop, due in part to its marshy land. Its earliest use was as an open common for pasturage and as a site of horse and cattle markets.
By
the early 1740s, the First Reformed Church had begun construction of a church
nearby and lacked room for an adjacent cemetery. The nearest sizeable tract of
open land was Northeast Square. The original cemetery lot measured 306 feet but
was the boundaries were enlarged several times throughout the century.
In
about 1776, a brick powder storage house for military supplies was constructed
in the northwest portion of the square. Viewed as a safety hazard due to the
development of the surrounding area, the it was relocated. It was subsequently
used to store oil for street lamps in the square and in the surrounding
neighborhood. In the 1810s, site was used as a horse and cattle auction site. In
the 1830’s the cemetery closed and the city renovated the space for use as
parkland. In 1838, the city administration decided to make use of the public
area so they commissioned a marble fountain to be built in the center of the
square with wrought iron railing surrounding it and curved paths running
throughout the square.
The
mid to late nineteenth century was a time when the square was at its
prime as it was located in the heart of one of Philadelphia’s exclusive
residential
neighborhoods. The park was the province of the elite of the city. Ladies with
parasols would
stroll the paths and would be joined on the weekends by their husbands and
children. However during the Depression, the square became a retreat for the
unemployed, derelicts, and the homeless.
In
1915, excavations took place for the installation of a new sewer line. In the
course of this
excavation,
several graves were disturbed. During the excavations for the Benjamin
Franklin
Bridge Plaza in the early 1920s, additional human remains were discovered.
In
1925, a water main was constructed through the square. In the course of this
excavation, three human skulls were uncovered in the western part of the square. During a sewer excavation in the square in 1976, two skulls
and other bones were uncovered, as well as two gravestones The most significant
modern disturbance to the square was the construction of two subway tunnels and
a station in the 1930s.
The
square to current date includes few remnants of its former appearance. The
walkways that are left are graveled, not paved, and the fountain in the middle
is surrounded by a graveled walkway. There is a brick restroom structure on the
southeast side of the fountain just off the walkway. A
monument
describing the Old First Reformed Church burial ground that once covered the eastern half
of the square is located on the northeast side of the walkway surrounding the
fountain. To the east
of the fountain are a serpentine brick wall and a cement circular area
surrounding a
monument
honoring park police, city police, and the fire department.There is a
semi-paved seating area on the west side of the square and a small playground.
Diagonal paths lead to the corner of Franklin and Race Streets, the corner of
Sixth and Race Streets, and to the northeast and northwest corners of the
square. The rest of the square is grass lawn interspersed with trees.
Franklin
Square is presently surrounded on all four sides by heavy traffic flow. Its
northern boundary is the embankment for the Vine Expressway which leads to
Interstate 95. Traffic on the expressway and on I-95 is visible and audible
from the square. Crosswalks are few and far between, which makes getting across
the bounding streets difficult.
On
July 31, 2006, after a multi-million dollar renovation, the once dilapidated
park,
was
restored to green space where families and visitors could safely gather.
Existing features were renovated and new features added to make the 7.5 acre
park a new attraction for the City. Unlike
other squares, Franklin Square has set hours.
Part
of the $6.5 million dollar renovation, primarily funded by a state grant, the
centerpiece of the restoration was the historic fountain. To ensure
sustainability, a foundation named “Franklin for the Fountain” Name a Brick Campaign
was developed in which all profits goes toward
future operations of the fountain. One of the highlights of the Square is the Philadelphia
Park Liberty Carousel. As the only one in the city of Philadelphia, it is a
draw for the young and old. There is a charge of $2.50 to ride. Two playgrounds
were added to accommodate the visitors and neighboring daycare centers.
Equipment was installed to coordinate with two different age groups; one for toddlers
(2-5) and the other to older chlider
(5-10). Park benches were also installed as well as special turf around the playground
for safety. Another highlight of
Franklin Square is the 18-hole Philadelphia themed mini golf course. There is a
charge of $8 for adults and $6 for children. Throughout the Square there is
refreshing green space with abundant trees. Once Upon a Nation added over 153
shrubs, and 60 plus trees along with 2 picnic areas. In the summertime, the
Square is used for extended hours so to provide additional safety, over 30
Franklin Fixture style lampposts were installed as well as 24 hour security.
Additionally, as part of the renovation, the bathrooms received a complete
makeover, adding to the comfort of the patrons of the Square. To accommodate
visitors the square offers food vendors, crafts and merchandise kiosks.
In
an effort to keep visitors coming to the Square year round,
organizers
have successfully promoted many types of events such as farmers
markets
and other special holiday events. In 2009,
it
was reported that the Square received over 750,000 annual visitors.
