Poquessing Trail of History

At the next monthly meeting for the Association of Philadelphia Tour Guides (APT), on October 8 at 7 pm, Jack McCarthy will speak about the Poquessing Trail of History, a project that highlights the rich history of the Byberry neighborhood of Northeast Philadelphia by activating four historic sites along the Poquessing Creek Trail through public programming and historical interpretation and restoration.

The trail will highlight:
(1) an interpretive representation of the c. 1690 Benjamin Rush birthplace house, which stood in Byberry until it was demolished in 1969;
(2) a memorial to the area's original inhabitants, the Lenape;
(3) the Byberry Township African American Burial Ground, established in 1780 by Byberry Friends Meeting as a resting place for area free Blacks and people of color; and
(4) Byberry Hall, built in 1847 by noted Black abolitionist Robert Purvis and others to host discussions of anti-slavery and other social issues.

The project is sponsored by the Preservation Alliance for Greater Philadelphia, with funding by The Pew Center for Arts & Heritage and the Philadelphia Funder Collaborative for the Semiquincentennial.

Jack McCarthy is a longtime Philadelphia archivist and historian who has held leadership positions at several area historical institutions and directed a number of major archives and public history projects. He regularly writes, lectures, and gives tours on the history of Philadelphia music, industry, and Northeast Philadelphia. He is the author of In the Cradle of Industry and Liberty: A History of Manufacturing in Philadelphia, numerous articles for the Encyclopedia of Greater Philadelphia, and the forthcoming book, A Century of Music Under the Stars: A History of the Mann Center for the Performing Arts and Robin Hood Dell, to be published by Temple University Press this November. He is currently directing the Poquessing Trail of History project, a multi-faceted initiative sponsored by the Preservation Alliance for Greater Philadelphia.


**This meeting will also offer a special preview of the new landmark set of three books, Greater Philadelphia: A New History for the Twenty-First Century, produced by the team from The Encyclopedia of Greater Philadelphia. The books include Jack McCarthy's essays on popular music and Philadelphia industries, among many other topics by hundreds of contributors. One lucky in-person attendee will win a complete set of the books, donated by the University of Pennsylvania Press!
The meeting will be in-person at Philly’s Gourmet Steaks, 114 Market Street, upstairs, and livestreamed on Zoom. Come early for dinner and drinks! Rich Armandi of APT corporate member Philly Town 76 will bring some samples of APT's new semiquincentennial t-shirts, and we'll be awarding the pins and certificates to our newest certified members Judy Bingaman and Gigi McGraw. Be sure to join us for a fun, celebratory evening!

APT meetings are open to aspiring and working tour guides as well as anyone with an interest in Philadelphia-focused history. Attend one meeting for free and then it is $60 to join the association for the year (early bird discount now through December 31 - only $40 for 2026) or $10 per monthly meeting in-person event. Zoom meetings are free. Please join us for convivial company, good food, fascinating presentations, and lively discussions.

The Zoom link will be available in the APT Tour Talk newsletter the week of the meeting; non-members should contact Marianne Ruane [president@phillyguides.org](mailto:president@phillyguides.org) no later than 5 pm the day of the meeting to receive the link.