Study Report: Thaddeus Kosciuszko National Memorial

Magaziner, Henry

Thaddeus Kosciuszko National Memorial, at 301 Pine Street in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, preserves the home of Tadeusz (Thaddeus) Kościuszko. The life and work of the Polish patriot and hero of the American Revolution are commemorated here. The Kosciuszko National Memorial presents an opportunity to properly memorialize a great man who is not sufficiently memorialized. While there are a number of monuments to him and there is at least one park named for him, there is no American interpretive program currently devoted exclusively to this purpose. The proposed Kosciuszko National Memorial presents an opportunity to fill this void. The Memorial can also be used to illustrate how many great men, men from many lands, came to our shores to help us found and build this nation. The location of the Memorial is most appropriate. Philadelphia was the first place where Kosciuszko put his military engineering genius into practice. Philadelphia was also the last place where Kosciuszko lived, when he was in America. Even though his stay there was brief, 301 Pine Street is probably the only structure remaining which served as his residence. The Memorial fits in completely with Independence National Historical Park's overall program of interpreting the American Revolution and the founding of the United States. 301 Pine Street's proximity to the main part of Independence National Historical Park, being tied to it by the public walkway, makes this Memorial even more desirable. Another fortunate circumstance is the fact that the building itself is being donated to the government. Finally, with a program so rich in potential, it would be unfortunate if it had to be curtailed because of the building's physical limitations of space. This is why the two house plan is so strongly recommended.

Study Report: Thaddeus Kosciuszko National Memorial

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