Although it was founded in 1724, The Carpenters’ Company traces its roots back to the very beginning of Philadelphia. Its earliest members arrived with
William Penn in 1682 and took part in constructing the first homes and public spaces in what are now the
Old City and
Society Hill neighborhoods of
Center City, Philadelphia. These master builders, many of whom began their careers in carpentry before also becoming skilled in both construction and architectural design, banded together to create a guild to support their industry. The guild (then referred to as a "Company") was modeled after the
Worshipful Company of Carpenters of
London. Many early members were
Quakers, whose beliefs influenced the Company's mission to promote fair business dealings, expand educational opportunities and support members in times of need. In
Building Early America, author Roger W. Moss writes, "The generation of Carpenters that emerged in the early eighteenth century were leaders of the community, men of some wealth and position who, if not of the first rank, were in daily social and political association with city and provincial leaders." With strong connections to major civic leaders, early members were able to play instrumental roles in the design and construction of such important colonial era Philadelphia buildings as
Christ Church,
Independence Hall,
City Tavern, and
Old Swedes' Church (Gloria Dei). This involvement in civic life extended to politics as well, as virtually the entire Company membership later actively supported the
American Revolution, and most of the members volunteered to serve in the American army. In 1770, after decades in existence, the Company voted to build a meeting space and headquarters. That project would become Carpenters' Hall, which just months after completion in 1774 came to serve as the meeting ground not just for the
First Continental Congress, but also later for
Benjamin Franklin's negotiations with French spy
Julien Alexandre Achard de Bonvouloir and the site for Franklin's Library Company. Carpenters' Hall itself was designed and built by Carpenters' Company member
Robert Smith, who today is acknowledged as "one of the most prominent and skilled architect/builders in colonial America." As Philadelphia grew and prospered in the 19th and 20th centuries, Carpenters' Company members continued their involvement in the creation of important public buildings both in and outside of Philadelphia.
Philadelphia City Hall,
Reading Terminal, and more recent projects at prestigious centers of higher education such as the
University of Pennsylvania,
Bryn Mawr College, and
Temple University were all shaped by Carpenters’ Company members. ==Company library==