A ‘uniquely Philadelphia place’: Carpenters’ Hall reopens to the public following preservation project, fire

Carpenters’ Hall is open to the public for the first time in more than a year following an extensive preservation project that was derailed by a fire in December.

The site of the First Continental Congress was in the midst of a $3 million preservation project when on Christmas Eve of 2022, someone broke into Carpenters’ Hall and attempted to set it on fire.

The fire was contained to the basement, but ended up damaging the building’s electrical wiring and HVAC systems.

“[The fire] threw a monkey wrench in everything and delayed our reopening,” executive director Michael Norris said. “It just feels really good to be back doing what we were supposed to do, which is to be a place where people come and learn and meet and experience, you know, a really important part of our history.”

Norris said the building had been well preserved ever since it was built in 1770, and people shouldn’t expect too many changes when they visit it in the future.

“People that keep asking me, ‘What’s going to be different?’ And I’m like, ‘No, it’s going to look exactly the same, and that’s exactly the point,’” Norris said. “But it’ll be a better version of that.”

During the preservation project, an 8-foot trench was dug up around the building to waterproof its foundation. During this process, artifacts were discovered — including pottery fragments and a pig’s tooth from a tannery that once stood along the banks of Dock Creek, which used to flow behind Carpenters’ Hall.

A temporary exhibition titled, “Artifacts and Architecture” has some of those artifacts on display, along with photographs by Philadelphia architectural photographer Kat Kendon of
the preservation project.

“This is a uniquely Philadelphia place, and while most of our visitors are not Philadelphians, I think for people who are from Philadelphia who care about the history of the city, it’s a really unique place,” Norris said.

Doors are open from 10 a.m to 4 p.m. Tuesday through Sunday. Admission is free.