Episode 32 | Girard Gingers: The Educational Legacy of Stephen Girard of Philadelphia, as Encountered in a Treasured Local Dessert Recipe 

Written By Amber Manning

As the Rosenbach Museum & Library prepares to open two more Treasures galleries, one focused on continental European literature and another focused on American history, this episode of the podcast shines a spotlight on an important portrait hanging in the Rosenbach’s stair hall, just outside the Treasures galleries. Bass Otis’s 1831 portrait of the French-born Philadelphia merchant Stephen Girard connects the Rosenbach to the history of Girard’s philanthropic activities in Philadelphia—and the Civil Rights activism that reshaped Girard’s local legacy in the 1960s. We’ll journey to Girard College in North Philadelphia to learn about Stephen Girard’s business empire, charitable activities (including the founding of the school), and the origins of the Girard Ginger, a favorite dessert baked at the college for more than a hundred years. We’ll bake a batch of Girard Gingers and teach you how to make your own at home this holiday season (see the recipe here)! 

Would you like to see the Bass Otis portrait of Stephen Girard in person? Reserve a Rosenbach tour ticket today! Also, plan your visit to the Founder’s Hall Museum at Girard College by visiting foundershall.org.  

 

Title page of Henry Atlee Ingram, The Life and Character of Stephen Girard… (Philadelphia: E. Stanley Hart, 1884), bound in Henry Simpson (1790-1868), The Lives of Eminent Philadelphians, Now Deceased: Collected from Original and Authentic Sources… (Philadelphia: William Brotherhead, 1859), page 412-3. Call no. A 859liv v.5. Photo by Rasheena Wilson.

 
Amber Manning

I founded AmberCo. when I was five years old. Over the years, it has offered a variety of services from house cleaning, babysitting, car washing, travel planning, interior design and more. After college, I serendipitously fell into working for a web development company and I never looked back. I am happy that AmberCo. has finally settled on a mission that helps people in a meaningful way. I am also happy that some of the original services AmberCo. offered (cleaning and organizing) have carried through into its current iteration. I have been lucky enough to work for significant nonprofits such as the Sierra Club and the International Committee of the Red Cross and small local companies such as Hinkel Equipment Rental and Indars Stairs. My favorite part of working in technology is finding creative solutions for people and making their day to day work easier.

https://amberco.co
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Episode 31 | Small Island: A Conversation About Literary Treasures of Black British Literature, and the Post-Colonial British Experience