Southwest corner of Sixth and Walnut Streets, Curtis Publishing Company, on site of the Ludwig Building, a school erected by Christopher Ludwig, “Baker General” of the Revolution; see Architecture.
Southeast corner of Sixth and Walnut Streets, site, Walnut Street Gaol, 1775-1838; extended nearly to Fifth Street; in the rear, fronting Locust Street, then Prune Street, was the debtors’ prison; Judge William Moore, also Provost William Smith, were confined here, in 1758, for publishing so-called seditious pamphlets on patriotism; the students went there to recite their lessons to him; Robert Morris, financier of the Revolution, was in prison here, in 1797, for debts incurred in a large private transaction; first successful balloon ascension in America was from the gaol yard, by J. P. Blanchard, French aëronaut, January, 1793.
Sixth to Seventh Streets, on Walnut, Washington Square, patented by William Penn, 1704-05, as burial ground for strangers; hundreds of Revolutionary soldiers were buried here, also victims of the great yellow fever epidemic in 1793; in early times colored slaves gathered here to sing their native songs, and give wild African dances among the graves; named Washington Square by Councils, May, 1825, and improved for public use; monument to the Washington Grays, bronze, life-size figure of a private in original uniform.
215 South Sixth Street, site, residence of Hon. James Campbell, United States Postmaster General, appointed by President Pierce.
219 South Sixth Street, The Athenaeum of Philadelphia, founded, 1813, by students from the University, for a circulating library; first president, William Tilghman, Chief Justice of Pennsylvania; the Law Library was there many years, while Courts were Sixth and Chestnut Streets; was great chess center; architect, John Notman.
245 South Sixth Street, site, residence Commodore Barry, who succeeded John Paul Jones as head of the American Navy.
Locust Street below Sixth, south side, site, Prune Street Theatre; “Home Sweet Home” was sung here for the first time in America.
Northwest corner of Sixth and Spruce Streets, Holy Trinity Roman Catholic Church, built, 1739; circular building, alternate red and black bricks; body of Stephen Girard was buried here for many years; later removed to Girard College.
144-54 South Fifth Street, site, Free Quaker Cemetery.
127 South Fifth Street, site, Philadelphia Dispensary, oldest in United States; founded by Dr. Benjamin Rush in 1786; now merged with Pennsylvania Hospital.