A monthly feature brought to you by the St. Peter’s History Committee. This article was written by parishioner Libby Browne.
Plans are underway to restore a large fountain across from the Please Touch Museum, which has been unused since 1955. This fountain has a special connection to St. Peter’s Church—its official name is the John Welsh Memorial Fountain and it was named after a prominent Philadelphian and long-time member of St. Peter’s Church.
John Welsh Jr. was a St. Peter’s vestryman for 54 years. “He was president of the board of finance of the Centennial celebration in 1876 and is credited with the event’s success. He also was ambassador to the Court of St. James, a commissioner of Fairmount Park, and founder of Episcopal Hospital.” (According to “St. Peter’s Church: Faith in Action for 250 Years” by co-author Alan Heavens)
This all rang a bell when I was reading an April 14 article in the Philadelphia Inquirer saying that the John Welsh Memorial Fountain, installed as a memorial following his death in 1886 on the grounds of Philadelphia’s 1876 Centennial Exhibition, is to be restored with partial funding from the state. It has not been functioning since about 1955. In addition to the fountain restoration, there are plans to improve the entire area surrounding the fountain with learning and play features, comfortable seating, public art, and new trees and plants, on its site just opposite the entrance to Memorial Hall, the one major building left from the Centennial, now home of the Please Touch Museum. The fountain was located at the very heart of the Centennial, between the Main Hall and Machinery Hall. You can read more about the project on the Fairmount Park Conservancy’s website.
Welsh had a tremendously important role in the Centennial with the task of raising about $11 million from private and public sources to plan, build, and operate the fair that covered about 450 acres in West Fairmount Park. It was largely a showcase of industrial achievement brought to Philadelphia, then known as “the workshop of the world” for its huge industrial successes. There were displays of hundreds of machines, inventions from all over the world and displays from other states and countries. About 10 million people came to the fair during the six months it was open. As President Ulysses S. Grant said at the May 10, 1876, opening ceremonies:
“And now, fellow-citizens, I hope a careful examination of what is about to be exhibited to you will not only inspire you with a profound respect for the skill and taste of our friends from other nations, but also satisfy you with the attainments made by our own people during the past 100 years.”
It is wonderful to consider that John Welsh, this man who had so much influence on the city, the nation, and the world also gave his time and talent to the mission of St. Peter’s Church over so many of his adult years. Assuming he joined the vestry in about 1832, St. Peter’s was just separating from Christ Church and William White was still Rector and Bishop. We are grateful for his leadership in guiding the parish through those long and challenging years.