low, broad entrance
resembles Southern doorways rather than the Philadelphia type, although
there are a few others of similar character near by. The wide, flat
casings and single-panel doors seem severe indeed by comparison with
most of the earlier doorways with their greater flexibility of line.

Generally similar, the doorway of the old Shippen mansion, Number 1109
Walnut Street, with its straight flight of stone steps unadorned in any
way, is less attractive except in the paneling of the doors. It lacks
the grace of the winding stairs and the charm of the iron balustrade so
much admired in the former. The fanlight pattern, good as it is, fails
to make as strong an appeal as that of the other doorway.

At the northeast corner of Third and Pine streets is to be found a very
narrow doorway of this character, its double doors paneled like those of
the Shippen mansion and its graceful fanlight pattern more like that of
the doorway at Eighth and Spruce streets, though differing considerably
in detail. Like many others in Philadelphia this doorway is reached by
four stone steps leading to a square stone platform, the entire
construction being on the brick-paved sidewalk. The simple, slender rail
of wrought iron, its chief decoration a repeated spiral, is the best
feature.

Philadelphia, perhaps more than any other American city, is famous for
the profusion and beauty of its ironwork, wrought and cast. For the
most part it took the form of stair rails or balustrades, fences and
foot scrapers, and many are the doorways of little or no architectural
merit which are rendered beautiful by the accompanying ironwork. On the
other hand, accompanying illustrations already discussed show the rare
beauty of architecturally notable doorways enriched by the addition of
good ironwork.

Fences were the exception rather than the rule in Colonial times,
although rarely employed along the front of a house to prevent passers
from accidentally stepping into areaways in the sidewalk in front of
basement windows. The danger of such a catastrophe was remote, however,
for Philadelphia sidewalks were very broad in order to make room for the
customary stoop before the doorway and the frequent rolling way or
basement entrance. These sidewalk obstructions being the rule, people
formed the habit of walking near the curb, and accidents were thus
avoided. It was not until late in the nineteenth century, when basement
entrances with an open stairway