McPherson Square Library
601 East Indiana Avenue
Philadelphia, PA 19134-3042
(Indiana Ave. & "F" St.)
215-685-9995
Open today 10:00 a.m. – 5:00 p.m.
| Sunday | Closed |
| Monday | 10:00 a.m. – 6:00 p.m. |
| Tuesday | 10:00 a.m. – 6:00 p.m. |
| Wednesday | 10:00 a.m. – 6:00 p.m. |
| Thursday | 10:00 a.m. – 6:00 p.m. |
| Friday | 10:00 a.m. – 5:00 p.m. |
| Saturday | 10:00 a.m. – 5:00 p.m. |
Upcoming Closures
- Mon., Jan. 21 : Closed Martin Luther King, Jr. Day
- Thu., Feb. 7 : Opening at 2:00 PM Due to staff development.
- Mon., Feb. 18 : Closed Presidents' Day
- Thu., Mar. 7 : Opening at 2:00 PM Due to staff development.
- Thu., Apr. 4 : Opening at 2:00 PM Due to staff development.
Facilities
- Computers for public use
- Meeting space (reservation required)
- Photocopier (black/white)
- Printing (black/white)
- Public restrooms
- Street parking
- Wireless internet access (wi/fi)
Nearby Libraries
Support McPherson Square Library
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Literacy Lab
Sat, Jan 19, 12:00 P.M.
Literacy Lab is a small group literacy instruction program for students in 1st to 3rd grade who struggle to read on grade level. McPherson Square…
Literacy Lab
Sat, Jan 19, 2:00 P.M.
Literacy Lab is a small group literacy instruction program for students in 1st to 3rd grade who struggle to read on grade level. McPherson Square…
Seeing Kensington's hidden treasures
Tue, Jan 22, 3:30 A.M.
Come as we do activities around the One Book One Philly selection, Last Stop on Market Street . We will write poems, create popup…
Kensington Through Our Eyes
Now through Tue, Jan 22, 4:00 P.M.
A photographic exhibition in partnership with the McPherson Square Library and Kensington Voice. All ages welcome and snacks will be…
Literacy Lab
Sat, Jan 26, 12:00 P.M.
Literacy Lab is a small group literacy instruction program for students in 1st to 3rd grade who struggle to read on grade level. McPherson Square…
Literacy Lab
Sat, Jan 26, 2:00 P.M.
Literacy Lab is a small group literacy instruction program for students in 1st to 3rd grade who struggle to read on grade level. McPherson Square…
About
Set in a small neighborhood park, McPherson Square serves the neighborhoods of Kensington, McPherson Square, and K & A. It is located near the Allegheny El station.
History
McPherson Square Branch now resides in a domed, classically designed Carnegie building centered a small neighborhood park known as McPherson Square. Over a century ago, however, the library first opened on July 5, 1898 in an old house known as the Webster Mansion. The mansion had been the home of three generations of the prominent Webster family from 1805 until 1891, when the home and grounds were sold to the City of Philadelphia for recreational purposes. The mansion was torn down in 1915 and the current library building opened on May 25, 1917.
McPherson Square Park is named for General William MacPherson, who was the original owner of Webster Manson. General McPherson— - the son of Captain John MacPherson, a famous Scottish sea captain - —joined the patriot forces in 1776. George Washington, a close friend, was often entertained in the mansion.
In the park is a statue of Charles Allen Smith, the second American killed at Vera Cruz in 1914. Smith lived at 2168 Sergeant Street, and the statue was paid for by a collection from neighbors.
Inside the library, look for sculptured reading tables with attached seating. Woodcarver Stewart Paul was commissioned to make the tables in 1972.