Established in 1789 to serve the German Catholic community, Holy Trinity Church was the first American parish created to serve a specific national or linguistic group. Stephen Girard was buried in the churchyard in 1831, before being reinterred in Girard College in 1851. The churchyard is also referenced in Henry Wadsworth Longfellow’s poem "Evangeline". In addition to the churchyard, Holy Trinity also acquired a strip of the St. Mary’s graveyard between 5th and 6th street. Holy Trinity parish merged with St. Mary’s in 2009 and the church was closed in 2019.
The Athenaeum of Philadelphia dates back to 1814 when it was established as a library and archive. The building is unique in that it was created in a classic Italianate style, and its holdings chronicle the history and culture of Philadelphia. The collection is also particularly strong in the field of early American architecture and the decorative arts. The archives are home to over three hundred thousand photographs and a thousand manuscript collections. The Athenaeum is both a National Historic Landmark (1977) and an active library and archive, and it is open to the public.
The Dream Garden is a massive glass mosaic that graces the lobby of the Curtis Center in Philadelphia. It represents an artistic collaboration between popular early 20th century artist Maxfield Parrish and the Tiffany Company. The 15 x 49-foot mosaic consists of over 100,000 pieces of individually fired, asymmetrical, glass tiles that were installed by hand in the building’s lobby over a six-month period in 1916. The tiles’ 260 colors create a dream-like landscape of blooming plants, old-growth trees, mountains and a waterfall that possesses an iridescent glow. The mural is now owned by the Pennsylvania Academy of the Fine Arts.
Bicentennial Moon Tree, commonly known as the “Moon Tree”, was a special sycamore tree planted in Philadelphia’s Washington Square Park in 1975 to honor the U.S. Bicentennial from seeds transported to the moon and back on the Apollo XIV mission in 1971, by astronaut Stuart A. Roosa. The sycamore tree that was planted in Washington Square Park died circa 2008. As of 2011 there was still the base of the tree standing. In a ceremony on September 24th (which is National Public Lands Day) gardeners at Independence National Historical Park planted a clone created from the ailing Moon Tree. The tree that went to outer space was recycled to be made into wooden features or plaques on the park’s grounds.
Philadelphia's Washington Square, set aside by the city's founder, William Penn, is home to the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier, honoring Revolutionary fighters, as well as to the Bicentennial Moon Tree. Historically, the 6.4-acre square has been used as a pasture, hay field, fishing hole, burial ground, revival meeting ground, public park, and site of the oldest extant publishing house in America [1; 2].
The origins of this unique monument date back to the early 1950s, when the Washington Square Planning Committee of Philadelphia discussed the creation of a monument to George Washington. After months of discussion, the committee decided to incorporate the image of Washington into a tribute to all of the Soldiers and Sailors of the Revolutionary War. The monument was named the “Tomb of the Unknown Revolutionary War Soldier” and designed by Edwin Brumbaugh.
The 3-1/2 story, L-shaped brick building at 225 S. 8th Street was built in 1786 to 1787 for John and William Reynolds. John was a brickmaker and William was a physician; John may have been the home's architect and builder. It is a rare surviving example of a Philadelphia Georgian double townhouse, built on two lots. The Reynolds family lost the home in 1796 due to debts. The house was sold to the Morris family in 1817 and it stayed in their family for 120 years. The Reynolds-Morris House was designated a National Historic Landmark in 1967, when it was a mere 180 years old. The building is still in use and has become the Morris House Hotel.
The Musical Fund Hall is a historic building in Center City, Philadelphia famous for once being the greatest concert hall in the city. After serving as a concert hall, the Musical Fund Hall also saw use as a tobacco warehouse, a boxing arena, and, today, condominiums. While it was once on the registry of National Historic Landmarks, that title was stripped from the Hall. However, it is still listed on the National Register of Historic Places.
The Walnut Street Theatre of Philadelphia holds the title of the oldest continuously operating theatre in the English-speaking world. The theatre opened in 1809 and has since become the most subscribed theatre company in the world. Its stage has held some of the most influential actors and actresses of the 19th and 20th centuries: Edwin Forrest, Audrey Hepburn, Jack Lemmon, Jessica Tandy, and many others debuted at the Walnut Street Theatre throughout its history. The theatre was appointed the State Theatre of Pennsylvania in 1964, and today it puts on more than 20 productions each season.
Located in a historic 1826 building and located just around the corner from Independence Hall and the Liberty Bell, the Philadelphia History Museum has served as a gateway into Philadelphia History for nearly 70 years. The Philadelphia History Museum at the Atwater Kent serves Greater Philadelphia by fostering among its citizens and visitors a deeper understanding and appreciation of the city, its historical artifacts, and its rich legacy. Drawing on its premiere 100,000 piece collection of objects, paintings, and photographs for exhibitions, programs, and electronic media, the museum's purpose is to educate present generations, especially school children, to learn from the past in ways that enrich their lives and improve their futures.
At a time when Philadelphia had no shortage of upscale department stores, the Lit brothers—Jacob and Samuel—opened a moderately-priced alternative. The brothers opened the store in 1893 and continued operations until 1977. The building sat vacant until the late 1980s when it was repurposed as Mellon Independence Center. Since 2013, the building has operated as a retail center known as Market Place East. The building is listed on the National Register of Historic Places.
Built by bricklayer Jacob Graff, Jr. in 1775, two rooms of the Graff House were rented by Thomas Jefferson during the summer of 1776 while he wrote the Declaration of Independence. In honor of the Bicentennial in 1976, the Declaration House was reconstructed from photographs and descriptions of the original building and refurnished with reproduced period furniture including Jefferson's swivel chair and lap desk. The house museum also includes exhibits and a film on the drafting of the Declaration.
The President's House: Freedom and Slavery in the Making of a New Nation is an open-air commemoration of America's first executive mansion, the residence of George Washington and John Adams during their terms as President while Philadelphia was the temporary national capital following the Revolution. It is also a commemoration to the nine enslaved African Americans who worked in this house during George Washington's time there, two of whom escaped. It is part of the Independence National Historical Park site, and features a house outline and partial elevation, with interpretive displays on Porcelite panels and illustrated glass, including text and video 24 hours a day. In addition to the history of the site and the people who lived and worked there, the interpretive material explores the paradox of a nation founded on the principle of equality and freedom while still allowing the institution of slavery [1; 9].
The Liberty Bell is one of the iconic American historical artifacts. It was commissioned in 1751 to commemorate William Penn's Charter of Privileges (1701), which was the first constitution of Pennsylvania colony. It hung in the steeple of the Pennsylvania State House (what is now called Independence Hall; this is where colonial delegates debated and signed the Declaration of Independence and the Constitution) and is now on display inside the Liberty Bell Center at Independence National Historical Park. A verse from Leviticus 25:10 is inscribed on the bell: "Proclaim liberty throughout all the land unto all inhabitants thereof." The crack in the bell appeared in the 1830s, but the quality of the bell was suspect from its earliest day. After being recast, the colony ordered a second bell but decided to keep the original. That second bell was sold to a Philadelphia Catholic church in 1828. After an anti-Catholic mob destroyed that church and damaged the second bell in 1844, that bell was recast and is now the property of Villanova University.
From 1965 to 1969, gay rights activists from Washington, DC, New York, and Philadelphia met each July 4th to picket in front of Independence Hall to demand legislation that would protect the rights of LGBT citizens. The event came to be known as the “Annual Reminder” that many American citizens were denied the basic rights enshrined in the Declaration of Independence. The events were commemorated in 2005 with the dedication of this historical marker across the street from Independence Hall.
Congress Hall, located on Philadelphia’s Independence Square, served as the seat of the U.S. Congress from December 6, 1790 through May 14, 1800 while Philadelphia was the nation’s capital. The building was initially the Philadelphia County Courthouse when construction was completed in 1789. It went back to that function after Congress moved to the newly created Washington D.C. Congress Hall has since been restored, is now part of the larger Independence National Historical Park and is open for guided tours on a daily basis from March through December.
Completed in 1753, Independence Hall is considered the birthplace of the United States. It was here that both the Declaration of Independence and the U.S. Constitution were signed establishing the foundation of the law in this country. It served as the first capitol building for the United States, but was originally built to serve as the state house for Pennsylvania. It was also a convention site hosted by President William Howard Taft which would lead to the creation of the League to Enforce Peace. It is a part of Independence National Historical Park, which also includes the Liberty Bell Center and the Benjamin Franklin Museum along with a visitor center that includes theaters, exhibits, and a gift shop.
The American Philosophical Society Hall has housed, since its completion in 1789, the organization Benjamin Franklin founded in 1743: The American Philosophical Society. Franklin founded it to stimulate interest in learning and promote "useful knowledge." In addition to Franklin's contributions, Thomas Jefferson served concurrently as U.S. President and president of the American Philosophical Society. The Hall building serves as our nation's first museum, national library, and academy of science. Inside, changing exhibitions highlight the intersections of science, history, and art. Jefferson's handwritten copy of the Declaration of Independence and the Lewis and Clark journals are among the critical documents, scientific specimens, patent models, portraits, maps, rare books, and manuscripts that comprise this extraordinary collection..
Robert Morris’ statue is situated between the First and Second National Banks, in the Independence National Historical Park, as a reminder of his pivotal role in the Revolution, 1734 - 1806. The monument represents Robert Morris, dressed in great coat and Tricorn hat, struggling through the snow to raise money for Washington's troops at Valley Forge. Robert Morris Jr. (1734-1806) was an American merchant and a signer to the United States Declaration of Independence, the Articles of Confederation, and the United States Constitution. Morris was known as the Financier of the Revolution, because of his role in securing financial assistance for the American side in the Revolutionary War. Ironically, he was sent to debtor's prison in later life.
Completed in 1901, Philadelphia’s Independence Hall is flanked by two buildings: Congress Hall, where the country’s first congressional sessions took place, and Old City Hall. That structure is the city’s second city hall and it did not exclusively serve as a seat of government for much of its history. Designed by David Evans Jr., in the Federalist style, Old City Hall was completed in 1791 and then shut down in 1854. Old City Hall shared space with the U.S. Supreme Court until 1800 when the federal capital moved the court to Washington D.C. It is part of the Independence Hall Complex which is contained within the larger Independence National Historical Park.
Although bourse means "stock exchange," the Philadelphia Bourse stood as the world's first to simultaneously house a stock exchange, maritime exchange, and grain-trading center. George E. Bartol, a successful Philadelphia businessman, founded the Philadelphia Bourse Corporation in 1891; the historic building opened in 1895. The beautiful Beaux-Arts Philadelphia Bourse opened as the nation's first commodities exchange. Today, the landmark structure houses a food hall, retail outlets, and office spaces.
Focused on the formation of the Jewish-American identity, the National Museum of American Jewish History was founded back in 1976. It moved to its current, 100,000-square foot home on Philadelphia’s Independence Mall in late 2010. The museum covers the Jewish-American experience from colonial times to present day through permanent and rotating exhibitions as well as educational programs. This Smithsonian affiliated museum is open every day except Mondays and certain holidays, Jewish and national alike.
This museum is located adjacent to where Benjamin Franklin's house once stood back in the 1700s, and is taking up residence in the Independence National Historic Park. The museum is 20,000 square feet and underground. The exhibits and museum store are underground as well. To get visitors in the appropriate mind set, before the museum entrance is the Benjamin Franklin Ghost house. Above ground, this ghost house is a steel structure designed by architects to trace outlines of Franklin's old house and his old printing shop. Established in 1976, the museum has gone through a massive upgrade within the last two years and reopened to the public in August 2013.
The Science History Institute offers exhibits and programs dedicated to preserving the history of chemistry and related sciences such as chemical engineering and the life sciences. Founded in 1982 as the Center for the History of Chemistry and as a collaboration between the University of Pennsylvania and the American Chemical Society, the organization was known as the Chemical Heritage Foundation for many years prior to the merger of that organization with the Life Sciences Foundation. Today, the Science HIstory Institute collects items and stories related to the history of science. In addition to serving as the headquarters of the organization, this building houses a museum, library, archives, conference center, and a research center dedicated to expanding the knowledge and ever-expanding history of the life sciences and chemistry.
The Bishop White House was home to Bishop William White from the time it was completed in 1787 until his death in 1836. White was the Rector of both Christ Church and St. Peter’s Church as well as the chaplain to the Continental Congress and U.S. Senate while the federal capital was located in Philadelphia. White was also the first Episcopal Bishop in Pennsylvania. The Bishop’s former home has been restored to its late 18th century appearance and is now part of the larger Independence National Historical Park. It now provides contemporary visitors with a look into the life of a well-to-do Philadelphian from that era. The house features period artifacts, to include many that are original to the house and were owned by the Bishop.
Prior to becoming Dolley Madison in 1794, Dolley Todd and her first husband, John Todd, lived at this house from 1791-1793. This 18th century, 3-story, Georgian home was built in 1775 by John Dilworth. John Todd died in 1793 and, soon after, Dolley married James Madison. She remained in Philadelphia until the Madisons retired, temporarily, to the family estate at Montpelier in Virginia in 1797. The house is now part of the larger Independence National Historical Park. It has been restored to how it looked while it was occupied by the Todds with period artifacts and furniture. It is occasionally open as a house museum that provides a window into the life of a solidly middle-class, Philadelphia family at the end of the 18th century.
Constructed in 1771 and home to the oldest craft guild in the United States, Carpenter's Hall is best-known as the meeting place of the First Continental Congress. In response to the passage of the Coercive Acts by the British government, 56 Representatives from twelve of the thirteen North American colonies that would later form the United States met in this building between September 5th and October 26, 1774. The delegates issued a protest against the British government but stopped far short of declaring independence, requesting instead that the colonists be able to enjoy a measure of local autonomy within the British Empire. The colonists acknowledged London's authority over matters of trade and diplomacy but insisted that they, like all other English subjects, could only be taxed by their elected representatives. Britain ignored the delegates, pushing the colonists further towards independence.
The museum is located in Carpenters' Court, along Chestnut Street between 3rd and 4th Streets. This building is a reconstruction of the one constructed by the Carpenters' Company in 1791 and originally used to house the office of the first Secretary of War, Henry Knox, and his staff. The building currently houses exhibits highlighting the founding of the United States Marine Corps and the Army and Navy Departments from the American Revolution through the last decades of the 18th century.
Part of Philadelphia’s Independence National Historical Park, the building that is most famous for housing the Second Bank of the United States was completed in 1824. It represented the nation’s second effort at creating a national bank after the First Bank was not re-chartered in 1811. It served as the nation’s bank until it was dismantled, largely by President Andrew Jackson, in 1836. The building now serves the city as an art gallery that features its “People of Independence” exhibit. This exhibit displays over 150 portraits of influential 18th and 19th century Americans. The building was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1987.
This Tour is a Walking Tour.
Get a QR Code for this tour
This tour offers something for local as well as first-time visitors to the city, starting with the Athenaeum and Washington Park. The tour winds its way north and east to include famous landmarks such as the Liberty Bell, but also includes many lesser-known monuments, museums, buildings, and markers.
American Revolution
