Carpenters' Hall

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Carpenters' Hall - Table of Contents

Exterior - Carpenters' Hall
Philadelphia, Pa.
Carpenters' Hall - Official Website

Architect:	Robert Smith
Built:	1770-73
First owner:	Carpenters' Company
Style:	Georgian
Status:	National Register of Historic Places

"Carpenters’ Hall was designed by Robert Smith, a Scottish-born architect who emigrated to America in the 1740s. In addition to membership in the Carpenters’ Company, Smith belonged to the prestigious American Philosophical Society and was considered by many to be the foremost master builder of the Colonial Period." - Historical Travel (May 2011)

"On New Year's Day, 1770, Carpenters' Company members voted to proceed with their Hall. More than a meeting place, the Hall would showcase their considerable technical skills and also be available for rent. For many years the Hall was the largest rental space in the city. This fact alone assured Carpenters' Hall a key role in the events of the War for Independence." - Carl G. Karsch, The Story of Carpenters' Hall

The exterior brick walls are 13 inches thick and bore the weight of the building since there were no supports.

12 over 12 windows feature keystone and paneled wooden shutters.
Entrance: Pediment with decorative molding ..... Keystone ..... Engaged Tuscan columns ..... Fanlight

Gouged dentils The headers were created from brick ends taken from the side placed closest to the fire in the kiln.

"The weight of the building is principally borne by the exterior brick walls, which are 13 inches thick. Bricks were laid in a pattern called Flemish Bond, meaning that each header (short brick) lies in the middle of the stretcher (long brick) in the row below it. Here, the headers were created from brick ends taken from the side placed closest to the fire in the kiln. - Historical Travel (May 2011)

Shutter. Note fastener at bottom right - see next photo below for detail:

Second story.

Tie rod anchor Flemish Bond

Cupola with finial and lantern.
The finial is the Masonic symbol: builder's square and compass.
The lantern is covered, thus not allowing light into the cupola.

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