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.
The unusual history of these women is the type of thing that attracted me personally to the Alley a number of years back. The fact that there were women who owned their own home and business without the help of a man in the 1700’s - how uplifting and fascinating to think the issues of today were being acknowledged 200+ years ago! These women are still inspiring and it’s scholars like Isabel who help us continue to learn about their lives and help share their story.
The mission at Elfreth’s Alley includes bringing to life the stories of common people like you and me. I always say that the Alley is a place where I could have been living and working in the 1700’s and taking a peek at what my life could have been like is pretty darn cool, in perhaps the most nerdy history lover way. So take a look at this clip from a broader interview conducted with Isabel Steven (the full video lives on our Patreon page; it's free!). And if you are interested in taking a deeper look into the social lives and economic circumstances of single women who coupled together in late eighteenth-century Philadelphia, we have got you covered because Isabel is conducting a virtual lecture on Thursday November 19th where she will discuss the “Queer Possibilities” of that time period. Buy tickets here for that!
We hope you are enjoying our little “gifts” as we all gear up for this unique holiday season. And we would love for you to consider donating to help us as we ourselves navigate through this new world we are living in.
Happy Holidays!
Brittany Thomas
Board of Directors, Treasurer
Elfreth’s Alley Association
Visit our Patreon page (patreon.com/elfrethsalley) to see the whole interview
Support Our Work
The Elfreth’s Alley works to preserve this National Historic Landmark and interpret its history. We have always relied on donations but 2020 has presented new challenges for our museum as it has for everyone. If you are able to support our mission, you can donate here.
In Case You Missed It
Last week we kicked off our season of giving with a poem! If you didn't catch it, you can see that newsletter here or check out all of the content from the campaign at elfrethsalley.org/deckthealley.
Shopping for Gifts?
Several items from the Elfreth's Alley Museum gift shop are now available for sale on our website at elfrethsalley.org/giftshop.