Bossy recently mentioned her father is a cardiologist at the nation’s first hospital, located in the heart, heh, of Philadelphia. The other day Bossy had the opportunity to wander around the hospital’s historic grounds, which are spotted with placards denoting the events that took place surrounding Pennsylvania Hospital’s inception in 1751.
Bossy took lots of photos and she would love to share some historical facts with you. Shall we? Let’s.
This is the old part of the hospital. There is a new part. Bossy forgot to read this placard but there’s a circular thingy on the roof there, and Bossy seems to remember this has something to do with something. Next we have this:
This statue is of Pennsylvania Hospital cofounder Ben Franklin. Or maybe it’s a statue of the other founder, whose name Bossy forgets. But Bossy thinks he was a doctor. Or a surgeon. Were there surgeons back then? In whatever case he’s pointing to a representation of the charter that started the whole Pennsylvania thing to begin with. Or maybe it’s his latest medical bill.
Once again the photo above represents the old part of the hospital and it is falling over! No it isn’t, but maybe Bossy was when she framed this picture? You’ll notice a vine growing along the walkway. It is a historic vine. Or if it’s not, it will be someday. Assuming they can keep it alive. Also it features a bean:
Next we have this:
It’s from the top of… sorry, Bossy forgot to read this placard too. But Bossy thinks there’s an argument to be made for moving this thing to Bossy’s own backyard. She’d love to throw a dinner party or two all up in there. And finally we have this:
MariaV says
January 27, 2010 at 11:32 amNaughty, Bossy! Now I have to look up information on this hospital thanks to you.
Love the light and shadow in the second photo.
Maria says
January 27, 2010 at 12:35 pmThis pretty much sums up all my history lessons in high school and what I got out of them. That is to say: Beautiful pictures!
Julie says
January 27, 2010 at 12:52 pmBossy – our family is visiting Pennsylvania in June and I’m so very happy to have you as our tour guide. Coincidentally, we are huge fans of architectural cicular thingys!
If you come to California on your road trip, I will show you the placard by our lake that says, “A part of the Golden Gate Bridge can fit in this lake.” Swear to Gah. Placards are fun!
David says
January 27, 2010 at 1:06 pmPlacards are over-rated. I like to figure out the particulars of historic sites intuitively anyway.
Oops, just read the above comment. Um, no offense meant, Julie. Just me being flippant as usual.
Sally says
January 27, 2010 at 1:24 pmBossy remembers history like I remember directions when I ask for them…. “They said turn right and something, something, yellow house, something, something. I would like to visit Pennsylvania some day .
Lizzy says
January 27, 2010 at 1:30 pmThe problems with history are all those silly details. Your way is much better.
meleah rebeccah says
January 27, 2010 at 1:35 pmMeleah thinks Bossy’s History Lesson was MUCH more informative and funnier than anything Meleah ever learned in school.
Michelle M. says
January 27, 2010 at 1:35 pmBossy would have made a fun history teacher : ).
APeetsMom says
January 27, 2010 at 1:45 pmI thouroughly enjoyed the tour. Thank you very much Bossy!
Bob Davis says
January 27, 2010 at 1:59 pmYou’ve answered all my nagging questions about Pennsy Hospital. I was wondering all these things while my wife was giving birth there recently…what else was I gonna do?!
GrandeMocha says
January 27, 2010 at 2:04 pmI take pictures like that too. I always think I will totally remember why this was important when I get home. But I never do. I try to take pictures of the signs. Or buy postcards.
Just Juli says
January 27, 2010 at 2:07 pmThe vines, and the “beans” look just like the wisteria vines that I have in my yard. They’re beautiful in the spring/summer, but just a few, fuzzy beanpods on there now. Also, I think that secretly they’re trying to take over my yard, as they grow scary-fast and I’m afraid to over-trim and kill them.
Thanks for the fun tour!
Jenny says
January 27, 2010 at 2:32 pmMaybe that’s William Penn?
Mighty fine history lesson. Getting the feel of the place is more important than a couple dry facts.
Jenny
Jim says
January 27, 2010 at 3:12 pmWhat “No–bel?”
Victoria says
January 27, 2010 at 4:37 pmI think there were surgeons, but weren’t they barbers who performed surgery on the side? So would that make the statue one of a famous barber?
Birdbrain says
January 27, 2010 at 5:36 pmJust Juli is right, that is wisteria. And that last picture of the scrolly thing might be a “corbel”.
Mr Farty says
January 27, 2010 at 6:09 pmOh, architecture and stuff! Farty loves all that. Especially the pretty colours. Or colors, as BOSSY would pronounce it.
Shelley says
January 27, 2010 at 6:24 pmI love Bossy’s history lessons. I learn so much stuff about stuff.
Momo Fali says
January 27, 2010 at 8:03 pmHow do you get blue skies in winter?! We Ohioans have to suffer through gray days all season. We don’t have any placards either.
linda dorris says
January 27, 2010 at 8:21 pmYour dad would be proud!
Bush Babe (of Granite Glen) says
January 27, 2010 at 10:02 pmBossy missed her calling. As a witty, not-so-focussed (and I don’t mean that literally) history teacher with whom one would have loved to go drinking with after school. Providing one went to the right kind of boarding school where this was allowed.
BB
Little Miss Sunshine State says
January 27, 2010 at 10:10 pmGeek chimes in. In some of those old, Colonial era hospitals, the big round room with all the windows was the operating suite. The windows would let in all the light, and surgeries were only done during the day.
joeinvegas says
January 28, 2010 at 12:53 amThanks for keeping us so edumacated.
fanning flashes says
January 28, 2010 at 1:58 amVery nice. I like your explanations much better than any silly placard!
km says
January 28, 2010 at 8:49 amI think the last photo of the scrolly looking thing is for draping yourself over after one of Bossy’s parties in the gazebo looking thingy.
Reeb says
January 28, 2010 at 3:46 pmThat gazebo dinner-party thingy would completely fill the BossyBackyard. It could, therefore, also be Stella’s outhouse since there would be no place else for the poor girl to go. A little damper on outdoor party ambience but otherwise totally worth it.
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Little Miss Sunshine State, thanks for the info on the surgical room on top. I’m an architecture geek too, I suppose. Interesting factoids.
Texas Susan says
January 28, 2010 at 8:15 pmI’m pretty sure the statue is the Quaker Oats guy!
Here’s the company line: “The ‘Quaker man’ is not an actual person,” but is instead a generic representation of a “man dressed in Quaker garb.” Who happens to be standing in front of the Pennsylvania Hospital holding a scroll that reads “Eat more oatmeal!”
Life with Kaishon says
January 29, 2010 at 12:07 pmYour dad is a surgeon! That is so awesome. Does he read your blog every day? I love the tour! And the thing I love the best is that you don’t have any actual information : ) about these things. Lovely. PS Your dinner parties will be SO cool in that rooftop rotunda!
foolery says
January 29, 2010 at 9:20 pmThinking that the sculptor musta been called Mr. Obvious in his day, since a pointy finger doesn’t seem necessary to indicate the importance of a scroll. Or maybe he just didn’t have circles and arrows and placards at his disposal.