Introduction

Philadelphia’s built landscape owes its beauty, diversity of styles and practicality to the talented master builders and carpenters who made up the membership of the Carpenters Company of Philadelphia. 

Formed in 1724 the company is the nation’s oldest building guild, modeled after that of the Carpenters Company of London.  By 1770 they built their imposing structure, a testament to their skills that would house some of the city’s most innovative organizations – the First Bank of the United States, the Library Company, and serve as the initial meeting place for so many others. 

The Company’s members came together inside the Hall for meetings but also outside the Hall as they served together in the Pennsylvania Assembly, on Philadelphia’s city council, gathered in the city’s meeting houses and churches and founded many of the city’s charitable, service and fraternal organizations.

Artifacts and historic manuscript records from those early years document the significance of this organization which David McCullough described as the “acorn of our country.”

Use the navigation options on the right, and at the bottom of each page, to move through this exhibit. You can also view an interactive map and timeline of this exhibit.