Carpenters’ Hall at 250: Honoring the Past, Building a Stronger Civic Future — With Strategic Support from Frank DiCicco Associates
In a city filled with iconic landmarks, Carpenters’ Hall might just be Philadelphia’s most important historic building — and, until recently, one of its least known. But with its 250th anniversary in the books and the nation’s semiquincentennial on the horizon, that’s changing — thanks in part to the work of Frank DiCicco Associates.
When The Carpenters’ Company sought to elevate the Hall’s profile in preparation for 2026, they partnered with FDA to help develop a strategy that would match the site’s significance. Our team worked closely with leadership to strengthen relationships, build strategic partnerships, and secure vital financial support — including public funding from the City of Philadelphia. Through targeted outreach and stakeholder engagement, we helped position Carpenters’ Hall not just as a relic of the past, but as a living, civic institution at the heart of Philadelphia’s future.
Our role is to help translate 250 years of historical importance into a modern story of relevance, resilience, and civic impact,” said Carl Engelke, FDA Managing Partner.
Built in 1774 by The Carpenters’ Company — a private guild of builders, architects, and tradespeople — Carpenters’ Hall was where the First Continental Congress gathered in defiance of British rule. Under threat of treason, delegates from 13 colonies met and laid the earliest groundwork for what would become the United States of America. It was a meeting that predated the Declaration by two years — and forever changed the course of history.
Despite its extraordinary significance, Carpenters’ Hall operates without dedicated federal funding – raising support through membership dues, private grants, contributions solicited from the City and State and the dedication of a small but passionate staff.
FDA helped amplify this story through:
Strategic messaging development that emphasized the Hall’s independence and historical value
Event positioning and media coordination around key moments like the Hall’s 250th anniversary
Stakeholder outreach to engage city officials, civic partners, and cultural institutions in the lead-up to 2026
Last year’s milestone was marked with a poignant rededication of a historic bell gifted to Philadelphia by Queen Elizabeth in 1976 — an event made even more special by the presence of Prince Edward himself.
“This wasn’t just an anniversary. It was a chance to reintroduce Carpenters’ Hall to a city and a nation preparing to commemorate its founding,” said Blondell Reynolds Brown, Senior Advisor at Frank DiCiccio Associates and former Philadelphia City Councilmember.
But the work isn’t over. As the United States approaches its 250th birthday, FDA continues to help Carpenters’ Hall plan for the future — building an outreach and engagement strategy that will allow it to claim its rightful place in the nation’s semiquincentennial celebrations.
At Frank DiCicco Associates, we specialize in helping institutions tell bold, relevant stories rooted in tradition but aimed squarely at the future. Carpenters’ Hall is more than a symbol of the past — with the right strategy, it’s a civic catalyst for what’s next.
