The Hospital of the University of Pennsylvania is among 45 sites across the commonwealth approved for new historical markers by the Pennsylvania Historical and Museum Commission.
The new historical markers celebrate significant people, places, and institutions across Pennsylvania and join more than 2,500 existing markers. HUP was recognized for its profound impact on the Philadelphia community as the first university-owned teaching hospital in the United States.
“Members of the public may submit nominations to mark Pennsylvania people, places, events, organizations, or innovations of statewide and/or national historical significance,” PHMC Communications Director Jay Losiewicz wrote in a statement to The Daily Pennsylvanian. “These nominations are evaluated against established criteria by an independent five-member Marker Review Panel.”
Losiewicz added that the panel is “composed of historians and those who work in public history across the Commonwealth,” and they “provide recommendations to the Commission regarding the approval or denial of proposed historical markers.”
Beyond recognizing the historical merit of a site, a designation also creates public recognition of its community legacy.
“The designation is celebrated with a public dedication ceremony, which often serves as a catalyst for local heritage tourism and can increase visitation to the location,” Losiewicz wrote. “The markers encourage public engagement and self-directed learning about Pennsylvania’s rich history.”
Stacey Peeples, curator and lead archivist at Pennsylvania Hospital, explained that HUP is the first hospital that is connected to the University and laid the groundwork for hospital-university relationships that exist today.
“This [relationship] is an important step for hospital development, so you’re able to do more research, or you’ve got medical students who are able to come through,” Peeples said.
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First-year medical student Kendyl Howell said that the marker will benefit the hospital’s historical image.
“It does enhance and elevate what I already viewed Penn as,” Howell said. “It is one of the first university hospitals … and I do think that was one of the reasons why I really did choose to go to Penn.”
These markers also help recontextualize and broaden the history of long-standing institutions.
“When you’re walking around campus, you’re going to see this sign and it’ll state that HUP is 150 years old,” Peeples said. “And you think, ‘What was medicine like at that time? Who were some of the significant people here?’ It can inspire you to learn and think more broadly about the significance of where you’re standing.”
