Here is a question that I believe the answer to is completely central to the assumption and conclusion of his piece that is Macdonald routed and designed Merion East.
"David,
Do we know more specifically when Macdonald visited Merion for the first time?"
Mike Cirba asked this question yesterday about 5:30 but I can't see that David Moriarty bothered to answer it but perhaps I just missed his answer. Perhaps he missed the question.
Yesterday I was rereading David's essay again and I noticed he never actually said when Macdonald FIRST came to Merion Ardmore. Does he know when Macdonald FIRST saw the site that would become Merion East and just neglected to include it in his piece?
I called Mike Cirba about 5pm and mentioned that to him and he said he recalled noticing that too. I asked him if he understood the significance of that question and answer. I was on the way out the door (actually to Merion
) and I asked him to post that question.
I'm sure everyone who has followed this thread and its timeline construction can understand the significance of the answer to this question.
If Macdonald FIRST arrived at Merion Ardmore at some point in 1910 before around November 5, then David Moriarty's premises still can technically hold together. But if Maconald FIRST arrive at Merion Ardmore at some point after that his premises and conclusion really can't because the reality of a timeline would virtually destroy his premises and conclusion.
Some of the reports such as Alan Wilson's mention that Macdonald/Whigam only came to Merion TWICE. I don't know if that is accurate and he actually came three times or more. But if he only did come twice we definitely know one of those times was in the spring of 1911. Newspaper accounts confirm that.
But when did he FIRST arrive? I vaguely remember seeing a newspaper account that mentioned he came at some point in the fall of 1910. But when exactly? I can't seem to find that newspaper account.
If he did come at some point around November or after around Nov. 5, 1910 did he come at some point before that?
Another way to check this is to find the date of his letter to the board or the date of the board's deliberations about somehow "embodying" Macdonald's ideas on the creation of Merion. But what if that was all offered and deliberated AFTER the land transactions had been set in place?
When Macdonald FIRST came to Merion is an important question and a good analysis of this piece needs its answer!