Northwest corner of Ninth and Chestnut Streets, United States Post Office, built in 1884 on site of the Mansion House, built for the official residence of President Washington, but never occupied; used for the University of Pennsylvania. Bronze statue of Benjamin Franklin, sculptor, John Boyle; Chestnut Street front, inscription by Washington: “Venerated for Benevolence, admired for Talent, esteemed for Patriotism, beloved for Philanthropy”; bronze bust, President McKinley in corridor; sculpture group on roof by D. C. French.
Northeast corner of Ninth and Sansom Streets, site, Chinese Museum; later, in 1835, Peale’s Museum; exhibitions by the Franklin Institute were held here.
Northeast corner of Ninth and Walnut Streets, Walnut Street Theatre, built in 1808; oldest theatre in the United States.
808 Locust Street, Musical Fund Hall, built in 1824; oldest building in Philadelphia in continuous use as a hall; Dr. Charles H. Jarvis conducted classical soirées here before the Academy was built; has fine acoustic properties; it is on the site of the Fifth Presbyterian Church, which was moved to Tenth and Arch Streets.
260 South Ninth Street, Potter House, built 1812; Joseph Bonaparte lived here two years; the cartoons, “Birth of Psyche,” brought by him from Versailles, still form the mural decorations of the banquet hall.
Northeast corner of Spruce and Darien Streets, below Ninth, Jewish Cemetery, founded 1740; Rebecca Gratz, heroine in Scott’s “Ivanhoe,” is buried near the entrance.
225 South Eighth Street, Morris Mansion, built 1787; typical colonial model.
Eighth and Pine Streets, Pennsylvania Hospital, founded, 1751, by Dr. Thomas Bond and Benjamin Franklin; Georgian. Contains Benjamin West’s famous painting “Christ Healing the Sick”; woman with white head shawl is said to be likeness of West’s mother.
715 Spruce Street, residence of Nicholas Biddle in 1820; now used by the American Roman Catholic Society.
705 Locust Street, residence of E. L. Davenport, tragedian.