Historic houses contain layered stories from the people who have lived there over decades and centuries. Historic house museums often also have additional layers of meaning and mystery created by the process of preservation and restoration. Recently Board Member Emily Taggart Schricker looked back over Elfreth’s Alley Association minutes and the logbook of the restoration of house #126 to learn more about the layers in our museum today.
History isn’t just about the rich and famous!
The names and stories of everyday people may have been lost or don’t live in the history books, their stories remain and it is our responsibility to share their past to remind us of what shapes our present. This week we chatted with Isabel Steven about the research she conducted on the women who lived in house #126 on the Alley, which is our museum house.
This summer the Elfreth’s Alley Association is lucky enough to have two interns working with us. I have asked them each to introduce themselves to you. Today, meet Isabel Steven! -TM
My path to Elfreth’s Alley began in the first weeks that I moved to Philadelphia two years ago. I toured the Alley and the house museum on a typical summer day that was bright and bustling with tourists, locals, and residents. Although in many ways No. 126 was what I expected from a historic house, it was surprisingly similar to the home I had just moved into. Both spaces have the trademark features of a traditional trinity house: one room to each floor, ceilings so low you could brush them with your fingertips, and a narrow, steep curved set of stairs. The warnings from the volunteer guides to be careful when going up and down them made sense; I myself had slipped going down my own set a few days earlier.