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Reviewer: James Garrison <jbg@op.net> from Philadelphia
Roger Moss's new book on the historic house museums in greater Philadelphia fills a void that has existed for a long time. From the turn of the century through the 1920's there were many guides published to help a newly mobile society re-discover the landmarks that the new highways were both making more accessible and threatening. The Bicentennial did not bring a major updating of the available literature, but it did give many local historical societies and sites a major boost. This new book spotlights many of the smaller house museums in groupings meant to encourage touring. While not an architectural guide, the design of the buildings is given equal emphasis with descriptions of the history and collections. There are many interesting themes that are independent of specific buildings. The introduction recaps the history of historic preservation in Philadelphia in the context of the national movement, with the early effort to preserve Independence Hall and other 's! hrines' of democracy. A theme of this topic is the relationship of private citizens and the government. Many of the sites described are only still in existence due to the efforts of concerned individuals, families, or grass roots organizations. Women play a particularly important role, again through individual efforts or through groups such as the Daughters of the American Revolution, the Colonial Dames, or women's groups connected with museums. The huge number (relatively speaking) of historic sites in the immediate area makes any kind of guide a daunting proposition. Moss cites almost 200 house museums alone. His criteria for inclusion in this book consisted of location, original use as a residence, being open to the public without a special appointment, and finally, those houses where the interiors and collections are also distinguished. The fifty properties are grouped geographically to encourage visitation of multiple sites in one trip. The text aids in planning da! y trips. The text is very informative, with the themes pr! eviously mentioned, and interesting anecdotal information. For example, an owner of the Physick House stripped out most of the original woodwork because of her phobia about dust. The Barclay Farmstead is a 32 acre park in the middle of Cherry Hill, The Solitude sits in the middle of the Philadelphia Zoo, Woodlands in a cemetery. Harriton in Bryn Mawr was originally a tobacco plantation with slaves. Henry Mercer's 44 room house in Doylestown with 44 rooms 200 windows and 18 fireplaces is built entirely of reinforced concrete. The generous support of the Barra Foundation ensured that the production of the book is of the highest quality, and available at a moderate price. The photography by the noted local architectural specialist Tom Crane is first rate. In combination with the text the illustrations are a strong enticement to take a few weeks off, hop in a car, and start checking off the list.