Greetings from Philadelphia the Birthplace of Our Nation

Independence Hall

 Our visit in old historic Philadelphia began at the Independence Park Visitor Center Information Desk where a knowledgeable volunteer oriented us to a map about things to do and see around Independence Mall and Park.

Horse carriages clatter over stone streets

Over three days we walked and walked along the streets to numerous places where our nation’s forefathers once lived and/or worked. There is so much of our Colonial Revolutionary, and Federal period heritage preserved. Here, along old cobblestone streets, amid red brick houses and public buildings, Americans began their quest for freedom and independence from Britain. We toured the residences where
Thomas Jefferson, Ben Franklin, and Betsy Ross once lived.

Did we dare to ring the Liberty Bell?

The Liberty Bell is the international symbol of freedom. Hung in the State House in 1753, it summoned the Pennsylvania Assembly to work. There are displays in the Liberty Center telling of the history of the bell. In the 1830s anti-slavery groups named it the Liberty Bell. The bell cracked about 1846, but its message still rings out.

The Great Essentials exhibit awed us with the original first print copies of the Declaration of Independence, Articles of Confederation, and the U.S. Constitution.

Congress Hall in Philadelphia was the nation’s capital from 1790-1800. Senate and House of Representatives rooms are furnished with period tables and Windsor chairs.

The exterior of Independence Hall is under renovation with scaffolding around it to the tower. Inside this national shrine is where the Declaration of Independence of 1776 and the U.S. Constitution of 1787 were debated and signed by our forefathers. Below is the silver inkwell used by the signers on these original documents.

In the Betsy Ross House an interpreter portrays Betsy working in her upholstery shop. Betsy made the thirteen star flag requested by George Washington for the 13 colonies and not the Star-Spangled Banner flag of the Civil War. She was blind the last three years of her life and died at age 84.

A colonial historian shares stories and plays his fife

At the President's House we learn that in the summer of 1793 “ten thousand people in the streets of Philadelphia … threatened to drag Washington out of his house, and effect a Revolution in Government” but an outbreak of yellow fever dispersed the mob and saved the national government. (John Adams wrote to Thomas Jefferson on June 30, 1813). Washington had brought some slaves to work in his house and many abolitionists in Philadelphia opposed him on the situation.

Carpenters Hall held the First Continental Congress in 1774

Rhode Island was the only state in the thirteen colonies who never sent a delegation to the Constitutional Convention held in Carpenter's Hall in 1781.

  Benjamin Franklin is accredited with being the first American to invent a musical instrument.He invented the glass armonica in 1761 after seeing wine glasses being used to make musical sounds.

Franklin owned five brick buildings along Market Street which he leased out for tradesmen shops. Ben worked as a printer, book binder and postmaster before he became the great statesman and ambassador to France for support with the War for Independence.

Visiting his house and shops in Ben Franklin Square

Ben and his wife Deborah are buried in the Christ Church Burial Ground. The wording on head stone is very simple according to his will. There were a variety of other tombstones in the cemetery. Table ones where common in England where families would come to picnic with their dead.

An added word of advice should you ever come to Philly. JR will be the first to admit “Stay off the New Jersey Turnpike at all cost”. We found driving the car out of Philadelphia and across the Delaware River to the closest campground in New Jersey each day to be a real pain. The interchange highway signs and traffic are the worst nightmare ever. Other than that anyone will have a fabulous time in Philadelphia.