City Life On Motherhood & The Circle Of Life At City Hall For Mother’s Day, Stacey Meadows takes us inside the Register of Wills office at City Hall with this moving personal essay
History SEPTA Spruces Up The Underground With Downtown Link Harry K. takes us on a tour of the city’s extensive pedestrian underground concourse network, soon to be rebranded by SEPTA as the “Downtown Link”
Art & Design In The Aftermath Of Charlottesville, Counting On The Catto Memorial As Southern cities erupt in protest and race-fueled violence over the removal of Confederate memorials, historian Amy Cohen looks at Philadelphia’s lack of diversity in public monuments
Photography Public Clocks Still Keeping Time On Philly’s Streets (At Least Twice A Day) Has there ever been a comprehensive study of Philadelphia’s exterior clocks? Well there is now. Steve Weinik combs the city for his Philly Analog series
Preservation Almost 150 Years Later, A Small Miracle At City Hall Dirty chain link fencing be gone. City Hall’s four portals are finally fitted with the caliber of gates John McArthur, Jr. originally intended for his French Second Empire masterpiece. Co-editor Nathaniel Popkin says the elegant gesture is long overdue
Urbanism Courtyard Compass Reveals A City Off Axis If you’ve ever feel like the city is just a tad off we have validating news for you. Philadelphia was built a few degrees left from its true north axis point. Contributor Joe Brin talks cartography and William Penn’s city plan with Frank Morelli, Survey Bureau manager of the Streets Department
Art & Design A Monumental Shift At Dilworth Park Olin’s design for Dilworth Park gives Philadelphia what it has long struggled for: a suitably grand approach to the monumental City Hall, says Hidden City co-editor Nathaniel Popkin. Here’s his review of the park, now essentially complete
Architecture Dilworth Park, On Balance The new Dilworth Park at City Hall has drawn a considerable amount of criticism since opening last week. Despite a few misgivings, Michael Bixler thinks that there may be a silver lining: inclusive, public appeal