Front Doors: Historic Philadelphia

I've been traveling to Philly for work lately, and last week I finally got a chance to get out and explore more than just the shopping in the area.  During an evening carriage ride through the old residential district, we learned that the color, construction and even transoms of your front door held different meanings.  If you saw a home with white, double front doors, that meant it was the residence of a doctor.  You could even identify the religion of a household by the color of their shutters.  Here are some of my favorite doors found while walking through the city.

 

Homes with a wooden carved pineapple displayed by their door meant they were a sign of welcome for overnight guests.  Those homes would offer you a place to stay even if you were a stranger.  A pineapple placed at the foot of the bed the next day meant that you were welcome to stay another night, if there was no pineapple, it was a polite was of asking you to move on.  Throughout colonial America, the pineapple has been a symbol of hospitality.  Headboards or bed posts incorporating the carved pineapple motif, have the intent to carry the message welcome to their guests.

This entryway offers the symbol of hospitality through a black and white pineapple wallpaper.  Repined from Laura Casey Interiors