Walking and playing in Philadelphia city parks has been a significant part of our children’s experience growing up in Center City. William Penn’s initial design was laid out in a grid format, anchored by four parks or squares and a center square: Southwest Rittenhouse, Southeast Washington, Northwest Logan Circle, Northeast Franklin Square and Center Square (City Hall.)

Throughout the past thirty years we have seen and experienced the growth of numerous small local gardens, green areas, and the planting of trees throughout the streets in neighborhoods and the expansion of the Schuylkill River Trail.  The neighboring area of the river walk was transformed from an overrun tangle of bushes and brambles to a well-landscaped tree and grass-lined path utilized and enjoyed by thousands, as it continues to expand along the Schuylkill river.

To honor these nature parks and areas for family gatherings, I collected stones from each of Penn’s original four parks, the Schuylkill River Trail, Delaware River Park, and numerous other small parks throughout the city to create an homage to these vital locations. The city stones are housed in a compositional format reflecting the initial grid structure of Penn’s design.