The major themes outlined in this document can be conveyed to the visitor in myriad ways. This plan links our major historic themes with spaces at Stenton – the landscape, mansion, outbuildings and gardens. It also assigns the significant topics, ideas or stories to be covered in each space, supported by objects and people that help with their illustration. These may be covered by guided tours of the site, permanent or temporary signage, and permanent or temporary exhibits.

Each of the sheets following offers a new interpretive framework for spaces at Stenton. Many will be included as part of the regular guided tour of Stenton, while some will occasionally be part of the guided tour but may be more usefully interpreted to the public by other means. Common practice in historic house museums is to show visitors in through the front door, the "proper" historic point of entry, which allows the layers of the house to be exposed theatrically like stage sets, moving from formal rooms, to more private spaces and service spaces. The order in which spaces are presented in this document allows the themes and stories to unfold following this convention. Perhaps it would be useful at a future point in time to create a tour that begins with and emphasizes service spaces and shows the visitor how Stenton was perceived by servants, from the inside out, rather than from the outside in as described below. Some spaces like the basement and third floor are discussed but not visited as part of this tour. Other spaces, like the garden and greenhouse, may be best interpreted using signage, rather than formally including them on guided tours of the site.

It is important to note that this is a planning document; by its nature it is meant to serve as a framework for interpretation. At the same time, it is not meant to be immutable. Stenton' s interpretation will change and grow as scholarship develops, as further research is undertaken, and as interpretive techniques change. Hopefully this Interpretive Plan will underpin Stenton’s interpretation for at least ten years, with the ultimate mark of its success being its ability to guide our interpretation by defining strong themes that are deftly illustrated in our exhibit spaces and on tours while allowing for the incorporation of new material, new ideas and new ways of looking at the past.

FORECOURT/COURTYARD

ENTRY HALL

OFFICE

PARLOUR

FIRST FLOOR LODGING ROOM

BACK DINING ROOM

STAIRHALL AND LANDING

 

Upper Floors, Kitchen, and Grounds

FORECOURT/COURTYARD

Main Theme: The Courtyard should be used (weather dependent) on a guided tour to introduce the site, with brief discussion of each of the four major themes: The Stenton Network: A Center of Colonial Power, James Logan as the Central Figure in Stenton's History, The Logan Plantation: A Diverse Community, and The Women of Stenton.

Topics or Stories to Discuss:	Objects illustrating Topics	People Related to Topic
Cast of characters – Brief biographical information suggesting James Logan as the strong central character at Stenton. Mention three generations of the Logan family.		James Logan William, George and Deborah
Stenton as a country house – Built between 1723 and 1730 as an expression of the political, social, economic and intellectual power of James Logan. Originally a 'plantation' of 500 acres. Introduce Quakerism and the idea of Quaker aesthetics. Stenton was named for the village in Scotland where Logan's father was born.	Façade of house – architecture, textured surface (Flemish bond brick with glazed headers) and missing Cupola/ Hood/ Balustrade/ Weathercock Situation of the house in the landscape/approach to the house Topography suggesting forecourt Juxtaposition with urban environment Lack of doorknob to suggest servitude – Transition to being welcomed to Stenton	James Logan Servants and slaves as part of the Logan plantation
Authenticity – One of the earliest surviving buildings in Philadelphia, well-preserved, well-documented. It has been called "the most authentic of all of Philadelphia’s historic houses."	Voluminous documentation at the Historical Society of Pennsylvania and elsewhere.	Preserved by The NSCDA/PA for over 100 years.

Historical Context – Background information that may help visitors to understand better what they are seeing in this space.

1. Pennsylvania as a British Province - Although earlier European colonization had taken place, William Penn founded Pennsylvania in the 1680s as a British colony. During Logan's time, Pennsylvania was a thriving British colony. As a representative of the Penn family, proprietors of the Province, Logan had a range of duties connected with the administration of the colony. Eventually, he "retired" to his new house, which was influenced by fashion in the British Isles. Notable here is the façade of Stenton, which is similar to many late 17th and early 18th century small provincial English country houses and cosmopolitan merchants’ houses. It was one of the grandest houses in the Colony, a mark of Logan's position in Colonial society.

Main Theme: Literally serves as the intersection of the house and its cultures, and builds information about William Penn, Logan and Quakers.

Topics or Stories to Discuss:	Objects illustrating Topics	People Related to Topic
Entry Hall as Intersection (doors closed) – The receiving place for visitors for all purposes, including friends, family, political allies, Native Americans. Visitors were held here until shown to another part of the house depending on their business/status. Symbolically, this room is also a crossroad or intersection for the wider world.	Architectural details – arched opening, pendant drops, classical columns, fine woodwork, symmetry and asymmetry, small fireplace, paint color, flexible and usable space that could be used even for dining Chairs – suggestive of waiting space.	James Logan
Stenton's Procession – How visitors would have been led through the house depending on why they were at Stenton. Stenton functioned as a very public house, in many ways a seat of government		Various visitors, such as Benjamin Franklin, Native Americans, and others
James Logan and the Quaker network – Norris family and Fairhill. The Logans and the Norrises intermarried twice in the 18th century, indicative of the Quaker mandate to marry among themselves. One could be "read out of meeting" or disowned for not doing so.	William Penn portrait, Fairhill print and Norris portraits - Illustrate the Quaker network. Isaac Norris was also a prominent Quaker merchant, who chose to build a country house outside of Philadelphia, Fairhill. The image of Fairhill helps us to imagine architectural and landscape features now missing from Stenton	William Penn James Logan Isaac I and Mary Lloyd Norris

Historical Context – Background information that may help visitors to understand better what they are seeing in this space.

1. William Penn, founder of the Province of Pennsylvania, and Quaker religion and beliefs – Visitors should be introduced to William Penn as the founder of the colony of Pennsylvania as a haven from religious persecution. Penn was a member of The Society of Friends (Quakers), a religious group formed in England in the 1650s which believed in reliance on direct personal experience of the spirit, which they called the Inward (or Inner) Light. They often rejected many signs of worldly rank. They refused to remove their hats as a sign of respect to their superiors, and used the familiar "thee" and thou" in speech. They were pacifists, and viewed men and women as equal in the eyes of God. Historians often divide Quakers into "Worldly" vs. "Weighty" Quakers, with Logan a member of the "Worldly" group.

 

OFFICE

Main Theme: Develops James Logan as the central character at Stenton and his role in the networks that connected Stenton with the Colonial world.

Topics or Stories to Discuss:	Objects illustrating Topics	People Related to Topic
The Atlantic World – The vast network of politics, trade, commerce, and business interests of which James Logan was a central part	English chairs – connection with England Maps – showing location of Stenton Fireback – Discuss Durham Furnace here rather than in Parlour to demonstrate trade.	James Logan – political, business and scientific interests
The Frontier – Trade, commerce, relations with Native Americans, as well as Colonial administration of a growing territory, including such notorious incidents as the Great Walking Purchase (1737)	Wampum belt - visual representation of path between peoples (network) Redware bowl –Sa Ga Qua Pieth Tow, King of the Maguas Trade Goods	James Logan Shikellamy (Native Americans) and Conrad Weiser Susanna Wright
Logan's scholarly interests – Astronomy, botany, mathematics, languages, classics. Ben Franklin described Logan as a man "of business, tho' he had always been passionately fond of study."	Globes – Interest in science Skyphos – Greek cup purportedly sent to Logan by London agent, 1st piece of Classical pottery collected by an American.	Benjamin Franklin and John Bartram – Link with Logan's scholarly interests Peter Collinson

Historical Context – Background information that may help visitors to understand better what they are seeing in this space.

1. The British Empire and Anglo-French conflict in North America – America was a Colony of the British Empire, making it reliant on Great Britain for trade, commerce and ideas until the American Revolution in 1776. As a British Colony in the 18th century Pennsylvania was part of a larger rivalry between Britain and France for control of North America. James Logan spent much of his time and energy thinking about this broader issue.
   
2. Indians – Various Native American groups, or Indians, lived in and influenced the Delaware Valley, including the Lenni Lenape and Iroquois. The Lenape (later called the Delaware) were original inhabitants of the area, while the six groups of the Iroquois Confederation dominated New York, and the frontier between British and French colonies. Logan commented, "If we lose the Iroquois, we are gone by land." On at least two occasions (1736 and 1742) large groups (150-200 people) of Iroquois camped at Stenton and met with James Logan.
   
3. Frontier at the Susquehanna River – Pennsylvania during Logan's time was a growing Colony, but vast areas of what is today Pennsylvania were considered wilderness. The frontier that so concerned Logan and his trade and diplomacy was on the Susquehanna River, less than one hundred miles distant.

PARLOUR

Main Theme: The Parlour was the bastion of the civilized world and expressed 18th-century ideas of power, civility and politeness.

Topics or Stories to Discuss:	Objects illustrating Topics	People Related to Topic
Best room in the house on basis of architecture	Architectural details - Fully paneled Only marble fireplace surround. Servants passage.	Servants – idea of service
Display of wealth, knowledge and civility, including formal entertainment – Civility was an important concept in the 18th-century. Such practices as the service of tea were not viewed as simply polite manners, but as manifestations of a stage of civility characterized by the rule of law and conversation over violence and brute force. Provincials such as the Logans devoted so much attention to the study of civility because it demonstrated their position above a state of barbarity.	Cupboard and silver (£148) – displays of wealth and taste Desk and bookcase (£8) – outstanding furniture Fireback Tea Table – Tea service as a representation of gentility Passage to Hall for servants and family Chairs – how arranged and used Looking glass Logan silver at PMA	James Logan and his display of wealth and power
Display of women's education, domestic handiwork and a father's wealth and status.	Shell work Shadowbox – miniature representation of a polite landscape	Anne Emlen Logan girls and women
Transition to later generations of Logan family	William Logan chair Chippendale chairs	William Logan and Stenton as a second residence

Historical Context – Background information that may help visitors to understand better what they are seeing in this space.

1. Value of Goods - Ownership of silver was literally a display of money in 18th-century culture. The desk and bookcase worth £8 is only a fraction of the cost of the 329 oz. of plate worth £148.
   
2. Comparative size of houses – Architecturally Stenton was very grand. In the 18th-century, the square footage of the Parlour was larger than 2/3 of houses in Delaware Valley.
   
3. Tea and Civility –The Parlour was a setting for formal entertaining, with the service of tea an important social ritual. People like the Logans imported tea from China, signifying it as an expensive and exotic commodity. There are numerous references from visitors to taking tea at Stenton, e.g. William Black from Virginia mentioned a visit in 1744 "At last the tea table was set and one of his daughters presented herself in order to fill out the fashionable warm water." Civility was the opposite of savagery.

 

FIRST FLOOR LODGING ROOM

Main Theme: Private space used to illustrate the Logan’s bedchamber and James Logan's infirmity.

Topics or Stories to Discuss:	Objects illustrating Topics	People Related to Topic
Family life, health, death, medicine – The move to First Floor resulted from Logan's infirmity, which also seemed to exacerbate his generally irascible nature. In turn, it affected the family and changed the way the house was used.	Bed Crutches Elaborate cornice	James Logan Sarah Read Logan – responsible for the "medical" well-being of family
Man's toilet – James Logan's manservant would have dressed and groomed him as a daily ritual.	Shaving and hairdressing accoutrements	Manservant
Global trade	Dressing box – Japanned furniture from England, decorated to emulate Chinese lacquered furniture – exoticism. Carpet on table – Typical of the early 18th-century as well as representing exoticism	Sarah Logan – 1754 inventory from her city house lists a Japanned tea table in parlor.

Historical Context – Background information that may help visitors to understand better what they are seeing in this space.

 

BACK DINING ROOM

Main Theme: The early specialization of a room like this, with its display and patterns of entertaining.

Topics or Stories to Discuss:	Objects illustrating Topics	People Related to Topic
Multi-purpose use of the room – How this room would have served the Logans as a Common Room or back parlor ("family room")	Desk for writing Daybed for resting	James Logan as invalid
Dining Customs – Where and how people dined, as well as the types of implements that they used.	China vs. silver vs. pewter Pewter Press and pewter platters – cipher or initials "SL" on large platters. Enough pewter for a crowd (60 plates)	Servants – coming and going through the exterior door Sarah Logan as hostess
John Smith and Hannah Logan story – "Many Friends" dining in 1748.	Table arrangement - reflects "Dining with many friends."	John Smith and Hannah Logan at the side table.

Historical Context – Background information that may help visitors to understand better what they are seeing in this space.

1. Dining customs – Stenton is unusual in having a room specifically listed as the "Back Dining Room" in its 1752 inventory. This is an early example of room specialization, at least as far as rooms being named. Meals were typically taken in various rooms, and may have been served at Stenton in the Dining Room, bedchambers, the Parlour and even the Entry Hall. In the Dining Room, no single large table would have stood in the middle of the room. Smaller drop-leaf tables and chairs would have been stored around the room against the walls and chair rail until a meal was set. The Logans owned considerable amounts of china but also vast quantities of pewter (60 plates), and food was likely served off both. Also, as is evident from the "Maple desk" and "1 couch & bed & cushion" this room was likely used by the family as a common room for various functions.

1. 17th and early 18th-century ideas about formality of space - The most formal rooms were fully paneled and most expensively furnished. Palaces and country houses were like stage sets designed to be the backdrop for grand performances (parties, entertainments, negotiations), in which the guests experienced the house vista by vista as they followed the parade route dictated by the architecture of the house. The food and drink was set by servants who, like stagehands, did their work behind the scenes and on the periphery of the event. Symmetry at Stenton tells us which vistas or facades were most important.

© 2007, Stenton