Synopsis

At the turn of the 21st century, a small group of Quaker women in Philadelphia promoted a modest proposal: living together into their old age. They, their husbands, and their allies persisted until they realized not only their dream of a communal home but something well beyond: a vehicle of social interaction for hundreds of central Philadelphia residents.

In the latest of his Quaker-themed books about Philadelphia, Greg Barnes traces the story of Friends in the City, a new community without walls that has provided older city dwellers with new friends as well as stimulating urban adventures, and brought a small number of them into an experimental retirement community. This pictorial history both celebrates senior creativity and offers a model for other communities.