MOWER, MORGAN & MARKET SQUARE
The Evolution of A Corner in Chestnut Hill

Come and explore the evolution of a prominent corner of Chestnut Hill in a photographic exhibit currently on display at the Chestnut Hill Historical Society. The exhibit traces the development of the site over the preceding 130 years - from historic Civil War Hospital, to an extraordinary Victorian mansion, to contemporary apartment/shopping complex. Not without its share of controversy, this site encapsulates the sometime competing forces of institutional, residential and commercial development. The exhibit is free and can be seen on weekdays between 11 am and 4 pm. Special arrangements can be made for groups by calling (215) 247-0417.


(Insert photos from exhibit w/ captions)


(Caption for Mower Hospital photo) The Mower General Hospital, which was located on land just north of the Wyndmoor train station, was opened in 1863. It treated some 20,000 soldiers during the two years it was in operation. Only 257 soldiers died. Called a masterpiece of engineering, the 7-acre compound was composed of a large, central courtyard from which radiated 50 corridors of wards. It was demolished in 1865.

(Caption for Wyndmoor photo) In the late 1880s, Randal Morgan, a prominent Philadelphia businessman, purchased an existing house that had been build on the land subsequent to the war. Over the next few years, he acquired more property, ultimately compiling an estate of 87 acres. In addition to the original house, a second mansion was built (Thomas, Churchman and Molitor, architects), and joined a working farm, a dairy and magnificent gardens designed by Fredrick Law Olmstead. The property was sold to Temple University in the early 1950s, and the structures were allowed to deteriorate.

(Caption for Chestnut Hill Village/Market Square photo) The Chestnut Hill Community Association formed a Morgan Tract Committee to negotiate an agreement with the subsequent developer specifying the density of any housing to be built on the site as well as the total square footage of a shopping center. A compromise plan was finally reached during a huge public meeting in May, 1958. Since that time a combination of factors (absentee landlord, location, changes in housing patterns) have contributed to difficulties for both the residential apartments and the shopping center. In the spring of 2000, protesting neighbors and others eventually persuaded the management of the new Superfresh Market to add decorative elements to the 35' high wall that had been erected on the Mermaid Lane side of the building, which somewhat ameliorated the most recent problem.