Many of the landmarks, buildings, streets and parks you pass by in your neighborhood every day have a rich history behind them, and you may not even realize it. So much can be learned by simply taking a walk and exploring your community, says Philadelphia-based author Natalie Pompilio.
As a journalist, Pompilio’s experience has helped her piece together many aspects of Philadelphia’s long history, turning overlooked sites and stories into fascinating walking tours.
Her latest, “Philadelphia: A Walk Through History,” celebrates America’s 250th Anniversary by highlighting themed excursions across the city, including “The Fight for Freedom—The Declaration of Independence,” “African Americans in Colonial Philadelphia” and “Founding Mothers.”
“I think one of the things that we forget is when we look at history, we’re looking back so we know how it all works out,” Pompilio said. “When they were signing the Declaration of Independence, they thought they were signing their death warrants.”
Now 250 years later, we know what occurred after the Declaration was signed, and we can explore the many stories surrounding that integral moment in our nation’s history.
The Declaration of Independence tour takes readers past well-known sites like Independence Hall and the Museum of the American Revolution. It also explores buildings that are less familiar, such as City Tavern and the Bishop William White House.
The “Founding Mothers” tour brings readers to sites that connect to the history of colonial women in Philadelphia, such as the Woman’s Medical College of Pennsylvania, Welcome Park and Elfreth’s Alley.
“I like the ‘Founding Mothers’ theme the most because I learned the most,” Pompilio said. “I learned about people I didn’t know about.”
Pompilio never sought out to become a historian. Early in her career, she worked as a reporter for numerous publications including The Philadelphia Inquirer, The Philadelphia Daily News and The Times-Picayune in New Orleans.
Her interest in book writing began when she applied to an advertisement seeking an author for a New Orleans-based publication. She ultimately was not accepted, as the company was seeking an author who resided in New Orleans permanently. However, an alternate offer from the company sparked what would become a shift in her career.
With her vast knowledge of the Philadelphia region, the publishing company offered Pompilio an opportunity to write a walking tour book highlighting various neighborhoods throughout the City of Brotherly Love.
Together with her sister, who took many of the photos included in the book, Pompilio mapped out neighborhood after neighborhood with a tape recorder in hand. Throughout the process, she discovered how beautiful and unique each area truly was and compiled the best 30 walks into the final version of the book.
“I loved every neighborhood I was in,” Pompilio said. “I was like, ‘oh, I could live here.’ It was really fun to do.”
After producing an updated version of the tour a few years later, she’s excited to now have a third walking tour book, this time celebrating the topics that best resemble 250 years of American history.
Researching the book required countless hours scavenging archives and reputable online sources to compile the most meaningful stories to include. With so much rich history, she found it difficult to include everything she wanted in just 42 pages.
“You don’t have that much space to write up each topic or location, but you want to make it as interesting as possible,” Pompilio said. “And I had to cut so much because I live for the little details.”
Pompilio’s next project, releasing in September, will tell the story of Philadelphia through historical maps of the city. She’s co-authoring the book with map expert Chris Lane.
The narrative will begin with the Lenni Lenape tribe’s dealings with William Penn and continue exploring the years that followed — all told through maps.
“Every map has a layout and a story behind it,” Pompilio said.
As she continues to not only teach, but show, the history of Philadelphia through her books, Pompilio hopes readers will understand just how much you can learn by putting your phone down and going on a walk.
On Wednesday, Sept. 23, the M. Allan Vogelson Library Branch will host the author for “Colonial Americans: They’re Just Like Us!”. Guests can register for the event on the library’s website. The event begins at 6:30 p.m.
