VISION STATEMENT

Imagine that sometime between 1650 and 1675, a group of settlers in Pennsylvania decided to erect a small building to commemorate their experience. The group decided what objects and statements should be preserved that would speak to future generations of their unique and trying circumstances in creating a new society in a new world. And they built what they called a Hall of History.

Imagine that twenty-five years later, say in 1700, after having visited and enjoyed the original Hall, the descendants of the first group decided to create their own Hall of History across from the original Hall. The new Hall’s exhibits illuminated various political developments, which occurred since the first building was constructed and included significant cultural developments. Participants from a wider geographical area had now become involved and various points of view were expressed.

Imagine another twenty-five years passed and the year was now 1725. This next generation also felt the need to speak. Their Hall of History was somewhat larger and more refined than the earlier two. Its exhibits reflected not only political, religious, and social changes but also scientific, commercial and educational developments. Like the preceding groups, this generation also faced the challenge of deciding what to say, what to boast about or to conceal, and what objects to exhibit that might capture the spirit of their times.

Imagine that as a result of these first three buildings, a tradition was firmly established of adding to this chain of historic legacies every twenty-five years and imagine further that as the centuries passed, the tradition was never broken. Had this happened, a youngster from anywhere in the United States could today walk down an AVENUE OF AMERICAN HISTORY and see his or her own society unfold, and listen to the “voices” of the past speak out about the changes that made the U.S. what it is today. What we have asked you to imagine never occurred. But why not start the tradition today?

Imagine that it is December 24, 2014 (200 years after the signing of the Treaty of Ghent) and our own generation opens a building commemorating the period 1985-2010. A youngster who walks down our Avenue of American History in the year 2014 could return in 2035 to take the same stroll with his or her children, and return in 2064 with children and grandchildren. Two more new buildings would have been added in that time which would reflect subsequent generational views; new challenges, successes, failures, tragedies and joys. Every twenty five years the eyes and ears of the nation would turn to Philadelphia to participate in a National Dialogue to determine what should be said in the next hall of history and to see what exciting new structure will be built to capture the spirit of the times.

To create yet a broader perspective, each Hall of History will contain two special rooms, one in which a vision of the world one hundred years in the future is presented by the generation that creates each hall, and another room in which subsequent generations are invited to appraise the history “written” by the people who actually experienced it. These rooms should foster a continuing dialogue about the past presented with the benefit of hindsight and changing social values.

This is our vision of an AVENUE OF AMERICAN HISTORY. This is a vision that we believe will translate into a vital tool of our society, a unique educational experience, and an integral, dramatic, and invigorating addition to the cultural infrastructure of Philadelphia. It holds the promise of being a compelling international tourist attraction of the highest order.

© Joel Levinson Associates 2010