With ‘Funeral for a Home,’ West Philly history becomes civic pride

“Funeral for a Home” is a memorial you may actually want to attend. This unique event celebrates the life of a vacant two-story row house slated for demolition, showcasing trends in housing and development, and the rich history of the Mantua section of West Philadelphia and its residents.

According to “Funeral for a Home” organizers, nearly 600 homes, each representing a family and a part of the surrounding community’s history, are demolished in the city of Philadelphia annually. Their demolitions occur unceremoniously, but the modest house at 3711 Melon Street will not go unrecognized, thanks to this project.

Service, demo, parade, and a meal

The funeral on May 31 will include a memorial service, the home’s demolition, a procession, and a communal meal. It’s the last of a yearlong series of events, which included a lecture about “unbuilding” as an urban planning tool, a funeral home open house, a community forum, and a discussion on artists around the country performing similar projects. Residents also had the opportunity to share their stories and images at FuneralforaHome.org.

The project is a collaboration between artists Jacob Hellman, Billy Dufala and Steven Dufala, Mantua residents, historians, community leaders, and Temple Contemporary at Temple University’s Tyler School of Art, which aims to reimagine the social function of art. All have worked to “offer reflections of the house as well as the proud history and promising future of Mantua,” according to organizers.

Project manager and lead historian Patrick Grossi, who lives in a two-story row house in South Philadelphia, thinks the project brings public history to a wider audience. As the project’s community liaison, he discovered that the residents were enthusiastic about participating after initially being concerned that a funeral would be too somber. People also worried about the implications of taking down another home in a neighborhood that’s seen a lot of demolition, he said.

“The residents provided a personal touch and perspective on the archival records I’ve looked at,” he said. “Mantua is also a place that has a pretty rich history of resident planning. They’re interested in having their voices represented. They’re very proud of their history.”

Mantua's history, Philly's icons

Some of the residents of the predominantly African-American neighborhood have lived there since the 1960s, including multiple generations. In the 1940s, the neighborhood transitioned from a predominantly Irish, Italian, and Jewish area when young African-American families migrated from the South. There are stories to be told about “the migration experience and the black Philadelphia experience and they need to be told through first-person perspectives,” Grossi said.

When selecting the house for the project, Grossi said organizers looked in Kensington, West Kensington, and North Philadelphia. Mantua’s rich community organization structure made it easier to work with “the existing energy,” he said.

Grossi has a strong interest in local and architectural history. He believes the row house is the city’s singular piece of architectural iconography.

“Philadelphia doesn’t own the row home, but it is defined by the row home,” he said. “And as somebody who lives here and has an interest in the environment and how it influences behavior and day-to-day life, the project allows me to explore that in a more intimate and emotionally rich way.”

He thinks a project like this helps more people to learn about something they might not otherwise. “It allows you to explore fairly dense and rich political and social historical trends, but to do so in a fun or celebratory way,” he said. “And it has potential for communication – to use history not as a fact-finding measure, but a way to engender a bit of civic pride.”

“Funeral for a Home” takes place from 11am to 2pm on Saturday, May 31. On Saturday, May 10, there will be a walking tour of Mantua, led by residents, beginning at 11am. For more information, visit FuneralforaHome.org.