Magdalen Asylum Philadelphia , 1865 View of the interior of the asylum for prostitutes and "fallen" women at Race and Twenty-second Streets. Shows dozens of women at handicrafts in a room. The women, seated and standing, knit, sew, and make clothes. One older woman works at a desk covered with craftwork. The Magdalen Society of Philadelphia was founded in 1800 to aid and reform "fallen" women. It was the first organization of its kind in the United States.