Matthias William Baldwin (1905)

by Herbert Adams (1858 - 1945)

Photo Caption: Photo Alec Rogers © 2014 for the Association for Public Art
City Hall, North Plaza (Broad and Market Streets)
1905

  • Title

    Matthias William Baldwin

  • Artist

    Herbert Adams (1858 - 1945)

  • Year

    1905; installed 1906; relocated 1921, 1936

  • Medium

    Bronze, on granite base

  • Dimensions

    Height 8′, width 2'6", depth 2'6" (base height 10’8″, width 4'10", depth 4'10")

  • Themes

    Presidents and Leaders

Gift of Burnham, Williams & Company of the Baldwin Locomotive Works to the City of Philadelphia through the Fairmount Park Art Association (now the Association for Public Art)

Owned by the City of Philadelphia


Museum Without Walls Audio

0:00/ 0:00

Download Museum Without Walls audio file

At A Glance

  • Part of the Museum Without Walls: AUDIO program

  • Matthias Baldwin designed the first U.S.-made steam locomotive

  • Baldwin founded a school for African American children and helped launch the Franklin Institute

  • This bronze was a gift of his former company through the Fairmount Park Art Association (now the Association for Public Art)

Before his death in 1866, his company became one of the largest makers of locomotives in the world

During Philadelphia’s reign as a mighty manufacturing center, one of its industrial giants was the Baldwin Locomotive Works. A former jewelry maker, Matthias Baldwin designed the first U.S.-made steam locomotive in 1831. Before his death in 1866, his company became one of the largest makers of locomotives in the world.

A philanthropist and civic leader, Baldwin founded a school for African American children and helped launch The Franklin Institute.

This bronze was a gift of his former company through the Fairmount Park Art Association (now the Association for Public Art). Originally installed at Broad and Spring Garden Streets in 1906, it was brought to City Hall plaza in 1921 and placed on this site in 1936.

Herbert Adams' statue of Matthias William Baldwin
Photo Caitlin Martin © 2013 for the Association for Public Art

 

RESOURCES:

 

Voices heard in the program:

George E. Thomas is an architectural and cultural historian. He is a professor of urban studies at the University of Pennsylvania.

Joel Spivak is an architectural consultant and Philadelphia transit historian. He is the author of Philadelphia Railroads and co-author of Philadelphia Trolleys.

Segment Producer: Kimberly Haas

A program of the Association for Public Art (formerly the Fairmount Park Art Association), Museum Without Walls: AUDIO is an innovative and accessible outdoor sculpture audio program for Philadelphia’s preeminent collection of public art.

User calls Museum Without Walls Audio for Robert Indiana's LOVE sculpture
Photo Albert Yee © 2010 for the Association for Public Art

A “multi-platform” interactive audio experience – available for free by cell phone, mobile app, or on our website – Museum Without Walls: AUDIO offers the unique histories that are not typically expressed on outdoor permanent signage.

Unlike audio tours that have a single authoritative guide or narrator, each speaker featured in Museum Without Walls: AUDIO is an “authentic voice” – someone who is connected to the sculpture by knowledge, experience, or affiliation.

Over 150 unique voices are featured, including artists, educators, scientists, writers, curators, civic leaders, and historians.

LEARN MORE >>

 

This artwork is part of the Around City Hall tour

Loading map...

More artworks

Need More Information?

General Inquiries

info@associationforpublicart.org or call 215.546.7550