Philadelphia's Mural Mile

According to an inventory by the Smithsonian, Philadelphia has more fountains, public sculptures and civic art than any other American city.  It is also home to a lot of graffiti taggers who leave their spray painted expressions in public places, including upon such works of art.  Or, rather, I should say, Philadelphia was once that way.

But thanks to an innovative Mural Arts Program started by muralist Jane Golden in 1984, graffiti artists have channeled their artistic talents in positive ways by creating neighborhood murals on blank building walls throughout the city.  Now, more than 25 years later, these murals have become beloved icons of Philly's neighborhoods and a source of pride for Philadelphians. 

Would you like to see some of these incredible works of art?  Here's one!

#17  "Mapping Courage: Honoring W.E.B. DuBois and Engine #11"
Painted on the south facade of a historic African-American firehouse
S. 6th & South Street in Philadelphia

Why don't you accompany me on my way back to my hotel?  Let's see what others we can find!  Just keep in mind that we are walking this self-guided "Mural Mile" backwards, beginning from the Thaddeus Kosciuszko National Memorial at 3rd & Pine Streets.  Ready?


View The Mural Mile in a larger map

# 15.  "Crystal Snowscape."
629 S. 10th Street in Philadelphia

What?  We missed #16?  Oh, no, you're absolutely right!  We did overlook it!  Let's walk back a block and see if we can find it. 

Do you see it?  No, I don't see it either.  Do you suppose its building was demolished?  Hmmm!  I agree...there's no sign of rubble.  I guess it's here somewhere, but I don't see it. 

Good grief!  What kind of urban adventurers are we, if we cannot follow this simple map?  We're lost and it's only the second one!  Aaaaarrrrggghhhh!  Are we destined to wander forever in Philly?  What?  You think I'm over-reacting?  You might have a point.  Let's just move on to #14, OK?

#14.  "Give Me Shelter."
1236 Lombard Street, somewhere in Philadelphia

Aw!  Isn't that cute?  It's on the side wall of the Morris Animal Refuge building!  I want to whistle all those dogs to call them along on our walk.  Don't you?

#13.  "Theater of Life."
507 S. Broad Street, somewhere in Philadelphia

Hey, what is this building with the "Theater of Life" mural?  The Philadelphia Senior Center?  Isn't that a perfect match!

#12.  "Spring."
1315 Pine Street, somewhere in Philadelphia

Beautiful!  I hope my camera captured the delicate colors of those cherry blossom trees.  That's gorgeous!

#11.  "Mural at Dirty Frank's."
345 S. 13th Street , somewhere in Philadelpha

You're right!  The name says it all!  Dirty Frank's is a bar.  Is this a dive?  What?  Why are you running away?  I couldn't hear youuuuuuuuu...

#10.  "Taste of Summer."
1312 Spruce Street, somewhere in Philadelphia

Mamma Mia!  Do you smell the oregano and tomato sauce from Vetri's?  Do we have time to treat ourselves to an incredible Italian dinner here?  I don't know if I can resist all those glorious smells drifting out to the street. 

What?  You're in a rush?  You can't slow down long enough to taste Italian?  That's pathetic!  Some people just don't know how to enjoy la dolche vita!

#9.  "Pride & Progress.
1315 Spruce Street somewhere in Philadelphia

Wow!  Look at this "Pride & Progress" mural!  It stretches along an entire city block.  What is this building?  Oh, the William Way Community Center.  That fits!

#8.  "Women of Progress.
1307 Locust Street somewhere in Philadelphia

Do you know what the New Century Trust is all about?  That's what the sign says on this next building. 

It's a what?  Oh, a philanthrophy founded in 1893 to support the social, industrial and educational cultivaton and improvement for working girls and women.  Today it still continues to improve economic and social opportunities for women.  Well, of course!  "Women of Progress!"  I get it now!

#7.  "Philadelphia Muses."
1235 Locust Street somewhere in Philadelphia.

This "Philadelphia Muses" mural celebrates music, dance and innovation, doesn't it?  How appropriate that it's right here near the Avenue of the Arts!

#6.  "Garden of Delight."
203 S. Sartain, somewhere in Philadelphia

Beautiful!  Both the garden and the mural!

#5.  "Building the City."
S. 12th & Moravian Streets, somewhere in Philadelphia

Whoa!  Look at the scope of this!

One side of #5.  "Building the City." 
S. 12th & Moravian Streets, somewhere in Philadelphia

"Building the City" wraps clear around two sides of this parking lot!  Is that Ben Franklin underneath the hat? 

The other section of # 5.  "Building the City."
S. 12th & Moravian Streets, somewhere in Philadelphia

Are you getting weary?  Wanna head home?  No?  Then, let's keep trudging on our journey!

#4.  "Finding Home."
21 S. 13th Street, somewhere in Philadelphia

I like the title of this mural, don't you?  "Finding Home!"  It's right next to Saint John the Evangelist Church.

#3.  "Tree of Knowledge."
1301 Market Street, Philadelphia

Hey, I know where we are!  That's City Hall right there in the middle of Market Street.  See the statue of William Penn at the top of its 40-story-tall tower? 

What, I cut off Penn in my photo?  No, I didn't!  Did I really?  How could I do that? 

A close-up of #3.  "Tree of Knowledge."
1301 Market Street, Philadelphia

Don't you love the fact that, although no law prohibited it, all Philadelphia buildings stayed underneath Penn's watchful eye from his perch at the top of this tower, thanks to an informal "gentleman's agreement. 

There!  Do you see Penn now?

That agreement lasted a long time, all the way up to 1987 when the developer of two office towers named One Liberty Place broke this tradition which had kept Philly's scale human-sized. 

Still, I like how Philadelphia's dramatic skyline has sprung up since that year as others have added skyscrapers to the commercial district west of City Hall.  Earlier today, I wanted to capture a photo of the cityscape when I visited Penn's Landing, Philly's waterfront along the Delaware River.  But when I saw the span of the Benjamin Franklin Bridge over the river, I decided that would be too much walking for me! 

The view from Penn's Landing looking across the Delaware River to Camden, New Jersey

The Benjamin Franklin Bridge

No way!  You've got a photograph of Philly from Camden?  Can I see it?  Oh, OK, I can wait til we get back to the hotel. 

#2.  "A People's Progression Towards Equality:
With Malice Toward None, With Charity For All."
8th & Ranstead Streets, Philadelphia, PA

That's righteous, isn't it?  "A People's Progression Towards Equality" is next to the Robert N.C. Nix Federal Courthouse.  How just and perfect a setting for Lincoln's closing of the Gettysburg Address!  You know the whole quote, don't you?  No?  Well, let me see if I can get this right--

"With malice toward none, with charity for all, with firmness in the right as God gives us to see the right, let us strive on to finish the work we are in, to bind up the nation's wounds, to care for him who shall have borne the battle and for his widow and his orphan, to do all which may achieve and cherish a just and lasting peace among ourselves and with all nations."

If only we could live up to Lincoln's words...

#1.  "Legacy."
707 Chestnut Street, Philadelphia, PA

Whew, that's it!  We made it all the way back to "Legacy," the very first mural on this Mural Mile self-guided tour.  The artists did an incredible job, didn't they?

The next time I have the pleasure to visit Philly, I plan to pay my way onto a guided Mural Arts Program tour so I can see more neighborhood icons in this "City of Murals."  I have no doubt that, with my ticket purchase coming close to the price of a gallon of paint, the Mural Arts Program could put it to good use.  

But right now, I'm worn out!  Let's return to the hotel.  I'm dying to see your Philadelphia photo!

Panoramic view of Philadelphia's skyline as seen from Camden, New Jersey
Photo courtesy of Wikipedia