Bryn Athyn College Helps Historic Building Crafts in Philadelphia Area Thrive

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Historic building crafts are thriving in the Philadelphia area thanks in big part to formal educational programs on the building arts offered at Bryn Athyn College. Image via Bryn Athyn College.

Historic building crafts are thriving in the Philadelphia area thanks in big part to formal educational programs on the building arts offered at Bryn Athyn College, writes Starr Herr-Cardillo for the Hidden City Philadelphia.

Traditionally, building arts and trades have survived by being passed down from generation to generation. Many of them originated in Old World guilds and family businesses before being brought to Philadelphia by immigrating artisans.

“We have these influxes in immigrant populations throughout Philadelphia’s history,” said Stephen Hartley, head of the Building Arts program at Bryn Athyn College. “They each bring their own spin, from English timber framing, Irish plasterers, Italian stonemasons, to Quaker and Mennonite influences.”

And while many young people today do not see crafts and trades as the viable career paths that they are, Hartley hopes that his program will attract students with existing work experience who are looking for more specialized skills.

Another way to get into building crafts is art school, the path chosen by Warren Holzman of Holzman Iron. Holzman started with sculpture, moved on to metalworking, and now is the principal blacksmith for Bryn Athyn.

Read more about Bryn Athyn College at the Hidden City Philadelphia by clicking here.

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