The Free Quaker Meeting House was built in 1783, the last year of the Revolution. "The Fighting Quakers," or the Free Quakers as they are sometimes called, were a splinter group who broke with the main body during the Revolution. They took the oath of allegiance to the new country and bore arms which put them at odds with the main body of Quakers. There were about 200 of them in the beginning and from 1783 until 1834 they met here. The most well known Free Quaker was Betsy Ross.
The Free Quakers eventually rejoined the main body and the building was then occupied by the Apprentices' Library Company of Philadelphia until 1897. After that, it acted as a school, a plumbing warehouse, and headquarters for the Junior League of Philadelphia.
In 1961, the structure was moved 30' to allow for the widening of 5th St. It also underwent a complete restoration through 1969. The meetinghouse was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1971.
Apprentices' Library 1880 photo of interior - library early 20th century
1957 1961, being moved today
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