Category: History
Category
Joel’s Wisdom in the Garden: Remembered by Mandy Katz
In fond memory of Curator Joel T. Fry (February 22, 1957–March 21, 2023) Almost one year past the date of Joel’s surprising illness and death, I still find myself in…
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Remembering Joel T. Fry (1957–2023)
Acclaimed historian Joel T. Fry, the long-time curator at Bartram’s Garden, died on March 21, 2023. Beyond his family, his memory is cherished by the dozens of gardeners, historians, archaeologists, scientists, and colleagues, both here in Philadelphia and worldwide, who relied on Joel as an inexhaustible source of scholarly expertise, dry wit, and constant inspiration.
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Ailanthus: John Bartram and Philadelphia’s Most Notorious Tree
Few trees define America’s urban environments more than Ailanthus altissima, or the “Tree-of-Heaven.” If you are not familiar with that name, you are undoubtedly familiar with the tree itself. Ailanthus…
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William Bartram, Indigenous Botany, and the Roots of American Medicine
Eighteenth century American medicine was closely tied to botanical knowledge. While the Bartrams’ contribution to early American medicine through their relationships with physicians in Philadelphia is well-documented, what is less…
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John Bartram’s Journey to Onondaga, 1743
In July of 1743, Conrad Weiser, Pennsylvania’s interpreter and diplomat for Native American nations, invited John Bartram and land surveyor Lewis Evans to accompany him to the Iroquois capital of…
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The Bartrams, the White Mulberry Tree, and the Story of American Silk
The Bartrams were a family of natural scientists who would happily collect and cultivate almost any plant, but they were not immune to acquiring plants that carried the allure of…
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Lenapehoking and Kingsessing: A History
Bartram’s Garden is situated on what was originally the wider territory controlled by the indigenous Lenni Lenape. This territory was referred to by the Lenape as Lenapehoking, which encompassed modern-day…
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An African Plant in Louisiana: William Bartram’s Encounter with Cleome gynandra
In October of 1775, William Bartram discovered a curious plant while voyaging through the bayous and cypress swamps of coastal Louisiana. While he was passing by the Taensapoa River along…
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