Mercantile genius, religious activist, and politician John Wanamaker lived a noble life characterized by his dedication to religion and to business. Born on July 11, 1838, the world around Wanamaker around the time he was born and raised most likely played an important role in his becoming a successful businessman. The industrial revolution was underway, and Wanamaker was growing up in an era of congestion, slums, and the transition from country stores to imposing factories. Elizabeth M. Geffen points out that many of the more centrally located and noticeable buildings in the city were torn down only to be rebuilt as mammoth business centers of sandstone, granite, and iron.¹ This transition also seems to follow a pattern of the time period where bigger was better. Similarly, Wanamaker would eventually build some of the largest structures ever seen in Philadelphia and the world.

Wanamaker’s first foray into the business world came when he was sixteen years old; from this time until he was nineteen, John worked at Tower Hall, a large granite building still standing at 518 Market Street. According to prominent Wanamaker biographer Herbert Adams Gibbons, he began by polishing the brass doorknobs, but while being low man on the totem poll, he kept an extra eye on the business world around him and gained knowledge and experience of the business world. He was eventually promoted to a sales position and then became the head of the men’s furnishing department.²

Wanamaker’s life certainly did not revolve solely around his business enterprises. He was also a devout and exemplary Christian. He was known around the city for his active involvement with the First Independent Church as a volunteer teacher. In addition, four years after the Young Men’s Christian Association spread to Philadelphia, John Wanamaker was hired to provide leadership and guidance for the organization. Its purpose was to be a Church-associated group that provided moral and spiritual direction for its members. At age twenty, Wanamaker became the first paid, full time secretary of the organization. It was his job to set up the training programs and coordinate all activities of the association. In the first year alone, hundreds of New Testaments were distributed, Sunday School teachers were trained, and membership grew from fifty-seven men to more than two thousand. The growth of city life seemed to have led to a moral decay in society, and Wanamaker and the YMCA answered this call. Wanamaker’s extreme dedication and accomplishments with the YMCA led to his appointment as president of the organization in 1869 and his future philanthropy to build YMCAs all over the world.³

His religious dedication continued with the founding of the Bethany Church and Sunday School. No matter what was happening in his life or the necessity of his being at work for his stores, Bethany Church always came first, and Sundays were spent entirely with the religious life rather than resting from a hard business week. Upon beginning work at the YMCA, it had been Wanamaker’s dream to open this mission, and this did occur three years prior to the opening of his first store – Oak Hall. The opening of the mission was not all glory, however. Wanamaker actually had to relocate and reopen the mission three times because of rioters outside. However, when the cornerstone was laid west of 21^st Street on South Street, he began what would become a career from which "…he got confidence in himself, much business experience and sense of responsibility for a youngster…"⁴

In his business enterprises, Wanamaker was the epitome of originality, intellect, and respect for his workers and customers. From the opening of his first store, Wanamaker held four principles of business dear to his heart, and he practiced these throughout his entire lifetime: one price for all customers; a full guarantee on every piece purchased; cash payment; and cash returned.⁵

According to Gibbons, "where he differed from his contemporaries from the very beginning was in his willingness to look upon merchandising as a science that had to be studied."⁶ This mentality led to great success. Wanamaker had a very personal relationship with his workers and was always willing to do any task that he would expect of one of his workers. This resulted in a very positive and productive work environment that would expand his business ventures. He also made it a point to speak with customers as they were exiting his stores and question them regarding their opinions on the store. He would then take these suggestions into strong consideration on changes to make for the store.

In addition, Wanamaker was a skillful advertiser – like no other had been seen before. He was the first merchant to ever take out a full-page advertisement in a newspaper. Other innovative advertising tactics included handouts, free concerts at the stores, and contests and give-aways.⁷

Wanamaker advertised with the logical intent that advertising would result in more goods being sold. We can see this directly in his own words: "The more goods a store sells, the more economically those goods can be made and distributed. Presuming the merchant takes only his just profit, the greater return for their money will the people get."⁸ Again this illustrates his position that merchandising is a science and his respect for the customers.

Already an established and respected businessman, Wanamaker worked his way into national politics. He supported the 1888 Republican campaign of Benjamin Harrison for the US Presidency. He contributed great amasses of money to the campaign and influenced many other powerful businessmen to do the same. When Harrison became President of the United States, Wanamaker was appointed to his cabinet as Postmaster General, despite boisterous opposition. In spite of this opposition, Wanamaker vowed to do the best possible job. Through his four year tenure, Wanamaker devoted his work to many important concepts, with three standing out as major accomplishments: the expansion of rural free delivery to the entire country, particularly small towns and villages; the establishment of the postal savings system; and the expansion of the mail-order delivery system.⁹

This aforementioned opposition revolved greatly around his monetary contributions to the campaign and people’s opinions that he bought his way into the Cabinet. Through readings Roger A. Fischer’s interpretations of political cartoons of Wanamaker’s era in "‘Holy John’ Wanamaker: Color Cartoon Centerfold", we are introduced to another side of the business genius. While it is still stated and understood that Wanamaker was a caring man and a talented merchant, many others regarded him as a political disappointment. Part of Fischer’s findings are the following: "During his stint as Postmaster General in Harrison’s cabinet, Wanamaker became notorious in the minds of many Americans unfamiliar with his entrepreneurial and religious exploits as a symbol of political sleaze and mendacity."¹⁰

Wanamaker certainly did not slow down in his business activities as he aged. After he had successfully revamped the commercial world of Philadelphia, he opened a department store in New York City in 1896. At first, he spent one day a week in New York and left his trusted associate Robert C. Ogden in charge of the New York store. Later, however, he moved to New York City for three years to help the store’s financial crisis. Ultimately, in 1920, in all of his stores, Wanamaker offered all merchandise at a flat twenty percent discount. This would turn out to be Wanamaker’s last major policy decision and epitomizes his sincere generosity to and love for his customers.¹¹

Around the time of Wanamaker’s first forays into the business world, there were many other department stores being developed such as Lit Brothers and Strawbridge & Clothier. The Centenniel Celebration brought grand pride and revenue to the city, and industry was booming. During the latter years of Wanamaker’s life, Philadelphia underwent numerous changes. The most significant would most likely be the change in population. Due to the continuing industrialization of the city, in addition to changes and religious and political oppression in Europe, myriads of European immigrants arrived in the city. Between 1901 and 1915, the population grew from 1,293,000 to 1,684,000. This set of immigrants came predominantly from southern and eastern Europe from areas like Poland, Italy, and Russia. They settled predominantly along the Deleware River and lived in shabby areas that became ethnic ghettos.¹²

After this sale of 1920, John Wanamaker turned over his stock to his son Rodman, and two years later he died of heart failure at the age of 84, leaving behind a fortune estimated at $25 million and a legacy that will last for centuries to come. The largely noble, though sometimes jealousy and suspicion-inducing life that Wanamaker led can very aptly be summarized in the following quotation from Nathaniel Burt and Wallace E. Davies: "His combination of self-advertising publicity, religious conviction, political do-goodism, and making money tended to cause other Philadelphians both to admire and to snicker."¹³

Because of his intense dedication to religion, it is not surprising that John Wanamaker began his own Sunday School named Bethany within his first year of working at the YMCA. It is well known that religion was Wanamaker’s first love and that his business enterprises came second. Nothing would come in the way of his duties at Bethany, especially on the Sabbath. After all, William Allen Zulker reminds us that Bethany was started three full years before he opened his first clothing store.¹⁴

The history of Bethany’s location is a complicated one. Wanamaker began to look around for a place to hold his school and found one in two rooms above a cobbler shop located at 2135 South Street. Unfortunately, many people did not want the mission in their neighborhood. On February 14, 1858, the first day of school, Wanamaker, his two volunteer teachers, and their twenty-seven students were driven from the building when hoodlums broke down the doors and chased everyone out. After this, Wanamaker moved his school to a broken-down building at the end of South Street beyond 23^rd Street. Yet again, the building was ransacked but Wanamaker stood his ground this time and refused to leave the property. Volunteer firemen in the area heard of the plight and pledged to be there the following Sunday to deter any potential rioters. With this barrier broken down, the school began to flourish greatly and was moved to a large tent on the north side of South Street, west of 21^st Street. On October 18^th of the same year, the cornerstone was laid on that property and the Bethany Church structure was built. ¹⁵

The beautiful structure follows Scandinavian architectural style complete with a bell tower, 105-foot spite, a 350-seat lecture hall, classrooms, chapels, and a visitors’ gallery. According to Gibbons, Bethany’s activities stretched greatly beyond just the worship and instruction that would be evident by sizing up the structure. An athletic corps was established in 1874, as well as many other programs, including the following: evangelical tents; a rescue mission; a Bible school; evening classes; visitation to hospitals and prisons; and the prolific Bethany Brotherhood.¹⁶

John Wanamaker organized the Bethany Brotherhood while he was Postmaster General in order to promote male spiritual, social, and mental improvement in the grace of God. Wanamaker kept in extremely close contact with the men of the brotherhood and built them a lavish home. Actually, the building was erected on the exact site of the original Bethany Church located above the cobbler shop. Their Sunday morning rituals included testimonials, prayers, song, and Bible study.¹⁷

This structure included pool tables and shuffleboards; a reading room; a museum; an auditorium; a roof garden and lounge; and a swimming pool. In addition, Wanamaker built a two-story library next door to the brotherhood, fully equipped with 15,000 books. This building became The John Wanamaker Branch of the Free Library of the City of Philadelphia when it was given to the city, but closed in 1932 when Wanamaker’s estate was settled.¹⁸

When John Wanamaker was only twenty-two years old, he opened his first store with partner and brother-in-law Nathan Brown. Oak Hall opened for business on April 8^th, 1861 only ninety-four hours before the first shots of the Civil War were heard. On that day, the men and boys’ clothing store sold only $24.67 worth of clothes. However, by the end of the first year, that number became $24,125.62 and later skyrocketed to $2,085,528.55 annually by the end of the store’s first decade of existence¹⁹ . Klein offers military uniforms needed to clothe the troops in the Civil War as one of the results of Oak Hall’s early prosperity.²⁰ It was in Oak Hall that Wanamaker began his dedication to making his customers happy and treating his workers like a second family.

Oak Hall was located near the hub of merchandising activities during this time period. Most businesses were centralized around the Deleware River from High Street past 8^th Street. Oak Hall was located at the corner of High and 6^th Streets and was originally the site of the home of Philadelphia financier Robert Morris and next door to a home that George Washington once lived in and only a few doors west of Tower Hall.²¹

The opening of John Wanamaker’s Grand Depot is one of the first instances where we can see a store that resembles what we refer to today as a department store. The Grand Depot opened for business on May 6, 1876 (only four days before the Centennial Celebration) and was located at the intersection of 13^th and Market Streets. With an estimated 71,106 customers on the first day alone, the volume of business eventually became too much; nine years after its inception, the structure was enlarged to become twelve stories of steel and granite and the largest retail store in the world.²²

The "New Kind of Store" was originally the site of Philadelphia Central High School. This particular school was one of the first in the country to offer a free higher education according to McIntire.²³ Right next door was the oldest arsenal in the country, dating back to 1785. In addition, the United States Mint was across the street; it was at this location where Joseph Saxon stood to take a picture of the high school. This photograph is currently the oldest photograph that is still in existence. The Central High School property was later purchased by the Pennsylvania Railroad to house a freight depot from 1853 – 1874. Discretely, John Wanamaker then purchased the property to house his Grand Depot. Because of his strong religious beliefs, he put off construction of the store for many months in order to allow the Moody and Sankey religious revival meetings to be held there (for the mere rental of $1). Literally hours after the last meeting was held, construction began.²⁴

The idea behind the "New Kind of Store" was to bring together a group of merchants and specialists to conduct separate shops under one roof and management. This way, a customer did not have to travel from store to store to purchase what they wanted. Other lasting innovations include the following: expansion into women’s clothing and upholsteries; electric lighting; reading and dressing rooms; and "…the modern type of store window decoration…"²⁵

Currently, the Grand Depot is the site of an enormous Lord & Taylor department store. However, the largest organ in the world, which Wanamaker commissioned to be shipped to the store is still present and has been played daily since June 22, 1911.

John Wanamaker and his family called two houses on Walnut Street home for most of their lives; however, a 108 acre estate in Jenkintown, a northern suburb of Philadelphia, served a spring and autumn get-away. Lindenhurst, as it was called (because of the vast array of Linden trees), was purchased by Wanamaker early on his career when he thirty years old. The house was built in the Queen Anne style, complete with luxurious amenities that included a reflecting pool, conservatories, stables, an artificial lake, a two-story playhouse for Wanamaker’s children, a billiard room, and a bowling alley. Lindenhurst was located at 8300 Old York Road in Chelten Hills and was a mere ten miles from Central Philadelphia, still allowing an easy commute for Wanamaker the businessman.²⁶

The land was originally owned by William Penn’s son and was also used as an outpost for George Washington’s troops during the Revolutionary War during a skirmish against the king’s army. In 1907, a fire destroyed the home; it was an incredibly easy decision for Wanamaker to have the retreat rebuilt. After all, it had served as an aesthetic oasis for his family for more than forty years. Homes in Philadelphia came and went, but Lindenhurst remained.²⁷

Also significant in the history of Lindenhurst was when Wanamaker hosted President Harrison at Lindenhurst, where Harrison proceeded to plant a small oak tree that was symbolic of Oak Hall. After the deaths of John Wanamaker and his wife, Lindenhurst was purchased by their neighbor Henry W. Breyer, whose son eventually donated the property to the Philadelphia Council of the Boy Scouts of America for use as a scout training facility. Currently, the gorgeous property is the site of condominiums, townhouses, and offices. Thankfully, the "the original Wanamaker iron lattice-work, domed gazebeo and stone bridge have been preserved – a favorite site for wedding photos."²⁸

Upon the death of John Wanamaker in 1922, Philadelphia Mayor J. Hampton Moore began to raise money for the man who was, in his opinion, "the world’s most distinguished merchant". In the end, over $35,000 was raised by more than 400,000 contributors. The statue was finally unveiled on November 29, 1923 at its current location on the East Side of City Hall. The statue stands eight feet, six inches, weighing in at thirteen tons and also has a copper box containing the following items: President Harding’s letter of endorsement of the erection of the statue; a photograph of Mayor Moore; a printing of the poem "The Inner Side of Every Cloud"; newspapers of Philadelphia; invitations to the unveiling of the statue; and an impression in gold of the seal of the city. ²⁹

Each of these aforementioned sights are integral aspects of the noble life of John Wanamaker, as well as the history of Philadelphia and serve as a powerful and informative link to the past.

Fischer, Roger A. "‘Holy John’ Wanamaker: Color Cartoon Centerfold". Pennsylvania Magazine of History and Biography, (October 1991):451 – 473.

Gibbons, Herbert Adams. John Wanamaker: Volume 1. New York and London: Harper & Brothers Publishers, 1926.

Gibbons, Herbert Adams. John Wanamaker: Volume 2. New York and London: Harper & Brothers Publishers, 1926.

Jackson, Joseph, ed. Quaint Corners in Philadelphia. Philadelphia and New York: John Wanamaker, 1922.

Klein, Maury. "John Wanamaker: Pioneer retail Merchandiser". American History Illustrated 15, no. 8 (1980): 8-15.

McIntire, Henry B. Philadelphia Then and Now. Philadelphia: Henry B. McIntire, 1936.

Weigley, Russel F., ed. Philadelphia: A 300-Year History. New York and London: W.W. Norton & Company, 1982.

Zulker, William Allen. John Wanamaker: King of Merchants. Pennsylvania: Eaglecrest Press, 1993.