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Facilities for Special Interests
Atwater Kent Museum
Betsy Ross House
Camp William Penn
Carousel House
Olde Fort Mifflin
Robin Hood Dell East
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Special Activities and Events
Broad Street Run
Mummers Parade
Wanderlust

A Brief History of
The Philadelphia Recreation Department
Part 2

Crawford believed in mandatory training in all fields of recreation for each staff member. To guide leaders in special areas, he created three Specialty Offices: Performing Arts, Arts & Crafts and Sports & Athletics. As a result of these Specialty Offices, the following programs were instituted: The Junior Baseball Federation Program, Bike Rodeos, The Holiday Decorations Contest, The Nutcracker Doll Contest, The Bulletin Board Contest, the first One Act Play Competitions and the Traveling Plays and Players. (The current programs of Fire Prevention Plays and the Young Performers Theater Camp have succeeded the latter two programs.)

Other cultural programming milestones in this period were the start of the Vogue Players in 1964 and the Spring Art Show.

In 1970 we purchased our first Showmobile which allowed us to easily take music and shows into the neighborhoods. Philadelphia also hosted the NRPA Convention in 1970.

In the early seventies the Department arranged for our staff to attend Training and Professionalism Courses at Temple University. A couple of activities that were popular in the seventies were the National Soap Box Derby and Model Teens. Today we have the eleven Teen Centers.

Veterans Stadium, a multi-purpose major league stadium, was opened in April, 1971. The Vet was home to the Philadelphia Phillies (NL) and the Philadelphia Eagles (NFL) as well as the host site for national concerts

In 1972, the Robin Hood Dell East, under the direction of Deputy Commissioner Ted Jordan, created a summer musical series that featured opera, ethnic festivals and such jazz greats as Count Basie, Duke Ellington and Benny Goodman. The Urban Contemporary People's Venue now presents a musical season known as Essence of Entertainment. The Dell East has recently presented entertainers Gladys Knight, The Whispers, Maxi Priest, Jonathan Butler, Michael Colyar, and Philly jazz legends Pieces Of A Dream.

Another achievement in 1972 was the creation of Carousel House, our recreation facility specifically providing services for persons with disabilities. This facility was started in the actual building that housed Fairmount Park's Carousel. 

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