Written by Nick Simard on 16.02.16
When you’re searching for Philadelphia apartments, it’s always fun to know if there are a few special secrets in your neighborhood. Here are four great secret spots for you to enjoy in Philly.
Camac Street is one of those secrets that make Philadelphia so unique. Tucked between 12th and 13th Streets is one of the few remaining wooden paved street in the U.S. In the early 20th century, the city planned to pave its streets with oak and pine blocks to reduce the sound of horse and carriage traffic. Unfortunately, wood doesn’t exactly hold up to water damage or street traffic. Most of the streets were destroyed, but Camac Street was restored to its former glory in 1997.
The Rosenbach Library holds plenty of secrets, and it’s also a bit of a secret itself. The library is located in the historic center of Philadelphia and boasts collections like the forged works of Shakespeare from William Henry Ireland, the notes from Bram Stoker’s Dracula and over 100 personal letters from George Washington. This library is often overlooked, though, because it’s housed inside two nondescript buildings on a quiet, residential street near Old City apartments.
If you look closely enough, you can find secrets everywhere. Along the Market-Frankford SEPTA line, you’ll find 50 “love letters” painted on the roofs of various buildings by graffiti artist Steve Powers. Unfortunately, many people riding on the train miss them, since they’re often only available to see for a matter of seconds. The love letters cover different subjects, such as a man expressing his love for a woman and an artist describing his love for his hometown. Given the difficulty of seeing them all yourself, you might want to consider taking the train tour for the story behind each mural.
Philadelphia has a deep literary history, which perhaps explains why libraries host many of Philadelphia’s most captivating secrets. Nestled in the Philadelphia Free Library is a stuffed raven named Grip. First, Charles Dickens kept Grip as an actual pet. Once Grip died in 1841, Dickens gave the bird to Edgar Allan Poe, who had Grip preserved in arsenic. Grip may have no longer been in the world of the living, but the bird inspired Poe’s famous poem, “The Raven.” That’s a pretty impressive history for just one bird.
Ultimately, apartments in Philadelphia give you access to some of the most fascinating hidden attractions in the world. These fun finds are just a few more reasons to love Philly.
Topics: Philly Things to Do
