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Project Background

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In 2020 the William Penn Foundation awarded the City of Philadelphia a grant to develop a cultural resources survey plan and pilot, an effort we titled Treasure Philly! The goal of the project was to design and test a more inclusive approach to preservation—a plan to help the City inventory, document, and ultimately protect the rich cultural traditions and community histories that have shaped Philadelphia and its people.

Treasure Philly!, the project’s pilot, launched in the neighborhoods around the intersection of Broad Street, Germantown Avenue and Erie Avenue (BG&E) in the summer of 2023. Alongside the community, the Treasure Philly! team tested a multipronged approach to survey that included large public events, intimate story circles, one-on-one interviews, and neighborhood walks. Ultimately, the team inventoried over 500 individual properties, identifying 33 cultural resources in categories including: organizations and institutions, legacy businesses, cultural activities and events, architecture, and people.

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who we are

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Treasure Philly! is a new Philadelphia Historical Commission initiative to celebrate and preserve cultural history citywide. Historical Commission staff continues to document the BG&E area through field survey, research, and community partnerships.

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Interested in documenting your neighborhood's cultural resources? Reach out to us at preservation@phila.gov!

 

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