Category: Preservation Alliance for Greater Philadelphia (Page 1 of 2)

Small one story stone and wood building in a neighborhood setting with a blue metal marker in front and fenced yard to the side.

Byberry Hall: Robert Purvis’ Legacy

September 17, 2025 / Guest Contributor / 0 Comments

September is International Underground Railroad Month and this week’s post features the story of Robert Purvis and Byberry Hall.

In 1844, Robert Purvis, a prominent Black abolitionist and leading figure in the Underground Railroad in Philadelphia, moved with his wife Harriet and their children to Byberry, a rural village in the far northern part of Philadelphia County.

For the next 27 years, they helped make Byberry a center of abolition and Underground Railroad activity. In 1847, Robert and two others built Byberry Hall as a meeting place for discussion of anti-slavery and other social issues. The building is now a key site on the Poquessing Trail of History.

Preservation Partner Spotlight: Poquessing Trail of History

July 16, 2025 / Shelby Weaver Splain / 0 Comments

Partnership is often a key ingredient for a preservation outcome. The value of partnership and collaboration, the importance of preservation networks, and leveraging resources are all central ideas of Pennsylvania’s statewide historic preservation plan, Historic Preservation: The Keystone of Community. Continue reading

Connecting across the Country

March 19, 2025 / Shelby Weaver Splain / 0 Comments

Earlier this month, PA SHPO staff made their annual trek to Washington, D.C. to meet with other SHPOs and preservationists from across the country as part of National Historic Preservation Advocacy Week.

PA’s Historic Preservation Tax Credit – and these 21 Buildings – Get a Boost

August 7, 2024 / jpwood / 1 Comment

This week’s post has some great preservation news to share! We’re happy to announce another successful round of the Pennsylvania Historic Preservation Tax Credit allocation and an expansion of this successful program.

PHMC Announces the 2023-2024 Keystone Grant Awardees

June 19, 2024 / Karen Arnold / 2 Comments

Many of the PA-SHPO’s partners shared my enthusiasm for the 30^th anniversary of the Keystone Grant program and submitted a proposal to the grant program in March.

This year’s awardees include 44 projects that showcase the breadth of preservation happening across the Commonwealth. From historic barns and park pavilions to historic theaters and county courthouses, the selected projects highlight the varied historic resources to preserve for future generations.

Preserving the Henry Ossawa Tanner House

November 29, 2023 / Shelby Weaver Splain / 1 Comment

Earlier this year, the National Trust for Historic Preservation included the Henry Ossawa Tanner House in North Philadelphia on their 11 Most Endangered List. With the help of the Preservation Alliance for Greater Philadelphia, I was able to connect with Chris Rogers of the Friends of the Tanner House to talk about what is happening at this National Historic Landmark.

Read on if you’re looking for some good news…

Preservation’s March Madness

March 17, 2021 / Shelby Weaver Splain / 0 Comments

“March Madness” in the historic preservation world isn’t quite the same as the highly competitive, single-elimination college basketball tournaments that happen each March.

I’ve coopted the phrase to describe National Historic Preservation Advocacy Week and the days leading up to it in our office. Just like the NCAA I players that begin prepping and practicing weeks and months before their games, we kick off each New Year with making plans, preparing materials and partipants, and scheduling visits for Advocacy Week.

One big difference, of course, is that preservationists don’t compete against each other in a nail-biting, winner-takes-all game. One big similarlity, however, is the frenzy of activity, nerves, and excitement before the big event.

#FavoritePAPlaces: Preservation Alliance’s Paul Steinke

June 1, 2020 / Shelby Weaver Splain / 0 Comments

Pennsylvania’s communities are filled with special and meaningful historic places and spaces that add value to our lives and offer comfort and stability during these challenging times. Now more than ever, it is important to stay connected to our communities.

Today’s Spotlight: Paul Steinke

The A. Merky Company Building as the new Christo Rey charter school after rehabilitation. Photo credit: Powers & Co., 2019.

Inspiration in Philadelphia

April 15, 2020 / April Frantz / 0 Comments

When the Preservation Alliance for Greater Philadelphia announces the recipients of their annual Preservation Achievement Awards, I immediately skim through the list of properties looking for familiar names and places. This year’s list did not disappoint.

Preservation Month recap

June 6, 2018 / Shelby Weaver Splain / 0 Comments

At the beginning of May, I promised we’d provide a recap of the #31for31 social media campaign to celebrate Preservation Month across Pennsylvania. If you missed a post on our Facebook page or in our Twitter feed, no worries! You can see it, and the rest of the month’s content, right here. Don’t miss the big announcement covered in the May 31st post! Continue reading

Category: Preservation Alliance for Greater Philadelphia (Page 1 of 2)

Byberry Hall: Robert Purvis’ Legacy

Preservation Partner Spotlight: Poquessing Trail of History

Connecting across the Country

PA’s Historic Preservation Tax Credit – and these 21 Buildings – Get a Boost

PHMC Announces the 2023-2024 Keystone Grant Awardees

Preserving the Henry Ossawa Tanner House

Preservation’s March Madness

#FavoritePAPlaces: Preservation Alliance’s Paul Steinke

Today’s Spotlight: Paul Steinke

Inspiration in Philadelphia

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