Philadelphia THEN Tote Bag

ABOUT THE Philadelphia Then TOTE

This tote bag showcases Philadelphia’s changing geography across two centuries. Early maps reflect the city’s role as a colonial capital and port, while later ones document its industrial rise and urban expansion. The final map shows the present‑day city, shaped by railroads, highways, and waterfront redevelopment. Together, they trace the layered history of a city built on planning and reinvention.

Philadelphians carry around a lot of stuff:  lunch, reading material, umbrellas, extra clothing, shoes, and anything that they may have purchased no matter what the whether.  When they leave home in the morning, they don’t frequently return until dinnertime or even bedtime.  Consequently, they need a tote bag which is both spacious and will look transition well.  This is a really rugged tote bag reinforced with vegan leather on the bottom for the straps.

• Material: Natural Canvas reinforced with Caramel cruelty-free Vegan Leather
• Size: 20” x 20”
• Wrapped in a reusable dust bag with hangtag
• Designed by cultureNOW
• Information about the Philadelphia Maps insert included
• Manufactured in India

ABOUT THE Philadelphia Map Insert

Philadelphia has the distinction of being the first American city to be laid out with green space.  Surveyor Thomas Holme’s 1682 plan provided for 5 squares laid out on a grid between the two rivers.  It was a model for urban growth and inspired many would be immigrants to settle there.  This map insert illustrates the evolution of Philadelphia from its original riverside settlement into a dense, gridded metropolis.  The earliest plans laid out orderly streets between the Delaware and Schuylkill, but over time, the city expanded through annexation, industrial growth, and transportation networks. Its foundational layout comes from William Penn’s vision for a “greene country towne,” executed in map form by Surveyor General Thomas Holme in1683. Each map captures a moment in its transformation, from colonial capital to modern city. This insert will accompany the Philadelphia Silk Scarf and Tote Bags.

LIMITED EDITION

To celebrate the upcoming 250th birthday of our country, cultureNOW will offer a limited edition of the bags in combination with an annual Explorer Membership for one year to the cultureNOW MuseumWithoutWalls.  Explorer Membership retails for $80/ year.  It entitles the member to have a personal library on the website and app. The bags alone retail for for $75.