Frequently-Asked Questions
How old is SMITH?
SMITH opened on July 23, 1899 and has been serving the children of the Philadelphia area for more than a century.
Why was SMITH built?
SMITH was built to provide a safe place in the “country” where children from the city could play.
Who built SMITH?
SMITH was built by Richard and Sarah Smith and dedicated to the memory of their adult son, Stanfield.
Who was Richard Smith?
Richard Smith was a wealthy Philadelphian whose family made its fortune in the typesetting business.
Richard and Sarah Smith lived in North Philadelphia at Broad and Jefferson Streets.
Who lived in the Playhouse?
The Playhouse was never anyone’s home. It was built solely as a play space for Philadelphia’s children and offers three floors of creative play experiences for children 5 and under.
When was the Giant Wooden Slide Built?
The Giant Wooden Slide was added to the Playground in 1905. In 2005 through a generous gift from Ida Newman, who used to play at SMITH in the 1920s, the Slide was restored and dedicated in memory of her daughter Ann Newman. The one-of-a –kind Ann Newman Giant Wooden Slide is 39’ long and 13’ wide.
What else is in the Playground?
In addition to the Ann Newman Giant Wooden Slide, the 6.5 acre Playground has more than fifty pieces of state-of-the-art play equipment for children 10 and under and includes a Tot-Lot just for children 0 -5 year olds.
Who owns SMITH?
SMITH is a non-profit organization and is governed by a volunteer Board of Directors. Although located in Philadelphia’s Fairmount Park, SMITH is not a city agency.
What has happened at SMITH recently?
For more than a century SMITH was managed by the Richard and Sarah Smith Trust and staff. Recognizing the need to preserve and renovate the Playhouse and Playground, expand services and increase the funding base, in 2003 a group of volunteers banded together to form a non-profit organization. Under the direction of SMITH’s board of directors, the organization has raised funds to rebuild the Playground, restore the Giant Wooden Slide, and initiate the restoration of the Playhouse. In addition, SMITH has expanded its program offerings and hours of service.
What is in SMITH’s future?
SMITH’s restoration plans include replacing the terrace that surrounds the Playhouse, updating all the Playhouse systems, creating new play experiences in the Playhouse, relocating the parking lot, adding a water play element, and developing natural play areas.
Smith Memorial Playground & Playhouse, Inc.
