Franklin's Philadelphia Home

During the course of his long life, he wrote thousands of letters to family and friends, maintaining personal ties both in America and across the Atlantic.

Franklin was one of 17 children in a family of Boston tradesmen. At 12, he was apprenticed to his brother James, a printer. Though he loved reading, Benjamin chafed under his brother’s stern rule, eventually rebelling and fleeing his apprenticeship to find his own path.

Arriving in Philadelphia nearly penniless in 1723, Franklin used his wit and trade skills to establish himself. By 1730, he married Deborah Read. Together, they ran a frugal household and a growing business, eventually raising children and welcoming a wide circle of friends.

Franklin’s ambition took flight with the Pennsylvania Gazette and Poor Richard’s Almanack . His writing was witty, provocative, and far more entertaining than his competitors'. These popular publications expanded his influence across the colonies and across the Atlantic.

In 1753, Franklin was appointed Deputy Postmaster General. He didn’t just manage the mail; he transformed it. By introducing home delivery and customer credit, he turned the colonial postal system into a profitable, efficient network for the first time in history.

Driven by a desire for self-improvement, Franklin formed "The Junto," a club of tradesmen dedicated to the public good. Their collaboration birthed vital institutions: Philadelphia’s first volunteer fire brigade, its first public hospital, and the University of Pennsylvania.

While Franklin’s family initially held enslaved servants, his views evolved significantly. He eventually headed the Pennsylvania Abolition Society and funded schools for Black children, becoming a firm believer that education was the key to equality and social progress.

Sadly, the Franklins never lived in the house together; Deborah passed away in 1774 before Benjamin’s return. However, in his final years, Franklin expanded the estate, adding a massive library and a printing office for his grandson, surrounding himself with family and books.

After Franklin’s death in 1790, the home served as a boarding house and hotel. By 1812, rising land values led his heirs to tear the house down, replacing the garden with crowded rental row houses and shops. Only the arched carriageway and underground foundations survived.