After spending years studying texts, American history Ph.D. students Chris Klemek and Kyle Farley experienced a different kind of education in 1998.
The two attended a free historical tour of Philadelphia that ultimately widened the scope of their academic studies.
Klemek and Farley were quickly intrigued by the idea of leading historical tours. Eventually, they would take the reins of the program, adopting and expanding upon it.
The result was Poor Richard's Walking Tours, an incorporated company that offers historic tours of Philadelphia ranging from "Rittenhouse Square: A Neighborhood of Contrasts" to "Party Animals: The Origins of the American Political System."
Since founding the company six years ago, Farley and Klemek have brought on five additional guides and have greatly expanded the variety of tours offered.
"The whole thing was an evolution," says fellow tour guide and Princeton University History professor Peter Siskind. "It started as a basic three-hour, 300-year tour, and everything evolved out of that."
According to Klemek, Ohio State professor of History Steven Conn was one of the main influences that led to the founding of Poor Richard's. Conn, who received a Ph.D. from Penn in 1994, had been academically acquainted with Klemek well before Poor Richard's was created and provided inspiration for him and Farley to begin the venture.
Today, guides of Poor Richard's work to spread awareness of Philadelphia's rich history.
"We give a big picture context and make people really understand what they're looking at rather than bombarding them with facts," Siskind says. "You're not just thinking about the boring 'what happened,' but how things happened."
According to Siskind, Philadelphia's past caters perfectly to American history tours, making it an ideal venue for Poor Richard's.
"I think there's an enormous potential to learn about and enjoy Philly in a historical context," Siskind says. "Along with New York, they are the two cities that are old enough. It therefore offers a wealth of opportunities to explore."
Poor Richard's guides, mostly graduate students at the University, are all either working on or have completed Ph.D.s in American history. Thus, the company has given them a chance to "take what [they've been] doing in the classroom and the archives out onto the streets," according to guide and School of Arts and Sciences graduate student Anne Casey.
"It takes a lot of background knowledge. Some of the tours are very intellectually demanding," Casey says, stressing the importance of the guides' courses of study.
"It's all about the way you spin the story. [With strong educational backgrounds,] it's easy to play up highlights of different spots and have a wide range of flexibility."
In addition to the variety of tours and themes, the company's client base has expanded since its founding.
Originally educating mainly departmental associates, Poor Richard's now caters to executives, dignitaries, high schoolers, travel writers and other varied audiences.
During the Republican National Convention four years ago, for example, the Greater Philadelphia Tourism Marketing Corporation hired Poor Richard's to deliver a tour to members of the media. Afterward, GPTMC representative Cara Schneider had nothing but praise for the tour group.
"They're better than anyone I've ever seen," Schneider says. "They put the stories of what happened in perspective and make it meaningful for people familiar with Philadelphia."
For Schneider, Poor Richard's represents a must for visitors to Philadelphia. "Not only do I recommend it, but it should be obligatory," she says.
Though having experienced large success with past clients, Poor Richard's remains virtually unknown to the Penn student body -- a trend Casey hopes will change.
"It would be fantastic to give tours to students from college houses," Casey says. "It's something [the students] might like to do with their parents, to get a feel for where their kids are living."
Regardless, Siskind says that Poor Richard's has been a source of fulfillment for the guides.
Poor Richard's "spark[s] a historical curiosity that I love to impart when I give these tours," he says.
Specifically, Siskind says he works to expose clients to new areas such as North Philadelphia.
"I like taking people to a place where they're hesitant to go most of the time," Siskind says. The exposure allows him to "explain to them how and why that happened, by humanizing issues that so many of us would prefer just not to think about."
