Exemplifying William Penn's Idea Of Green Country Towne

What is utopia? If you were to ask William Penn, his reply would consist of three words, “Green Country Towne”. In other words, a place of sparsely constructed homes along the countryside whose verdure surroundings render it invulnerable to fires (Vitiello, 9/23/2014). This idea of utopia is inherently subjective. It overlooks the classism that inhibits those who are not wealthy or part of the elite, and thus do not have the opportunity to live in such a place. Nonetheless, the attempt to achieve this ideal amongst varied social ranks persisted into what we know today as suburbia. This paper looks at different suburban neighborhoods in Philadelphia in order to determine whether William Penn’s idea of a “Green Country Towne” prevails in spite of the inequity amongst different classes. …show more content…
One can imagine Hamilton’s residential pleasures while walking down the winding narrow paths engulfed by large trees, roses, and other shrubbery to the tune of chirping birds and cricketing cicadas. Exemplifying William Penn’s utopian vision of an isolate manor enclosed by rich vegetation, Hamilton deliberately built his estate on a landscape that would display his prominence. The construction of his manor was inspired by English villas which were, “…clusters of detached single family houses situated on substantial private lots around shared landscaped settings…” (Hayden, 47). which undoubtedly invoked a desire to passersby(). It also It was not until his estate was converted into a cemetery that the public was able to experience the sights and sounds of the "Garden of