| Pennsylvania (Philadelphia County), Philadelphia — "Associators" — Pennsylvania National Guard — 1747 - 1997 |
| | The Rampant Lion [Image of a lion with sword and shield] Crest of the the PA National Guard. Near this site, the Associators, a group of citizen-soldiers organized by Benjamin Franklin and predecessor to the modern Pennsylvania National Guard, established the first Pennsylvania military installation to defend the colony and the port of Philadelphia.
The Pennsylvania National Guard dedicates this monument to those patriots on our two hundred fiftieth anniversary. — Map (db m19096) |
| Pennsylvania (Philadelphia County), Philadelphia — "Gloria Dei" Church — National Historic Site |
| | Here in 1677, Swedish settlers founded the first Christian church within what is now Philadelphia. Religious services were originally held in a log blockhouse. The present edifice, was erected in 1698-1703 and dedicated on June 2, 1700. In 1845 the congregation was received into the convention of the Protestant Episcopal Diocese of Pennsylvania. On November 17, 1942 this site was designated as a national historic shrine commemorating the cultural and religious aspects of Swedish colonization in America. — Map (db m21803) |
| Pennsylvania (Philadelphia County), Philadelphia — “The Place You Tread is Holy Ground-” |
| | In this church on the 4th of July 1779 was held the first public - religious commemoration of the Declaration of Independence. Attendance at the Holy Mass, then sung, was The Continental Congress, The President and official head of the new government, the officers of the army and navy, and the French and Spanish Ministers- at the close of the Revolution following the surrender of the British under Cornwallis to Washington at Yorktown the armies of the Republic and of France joined in a solemn . . . — Map (db m9113) |
| Pennsylvania (Philadelphia County), Philadelphia — A Fashionable Promenade |
| | In the 17th century, when the Square first appeared in the city plan, streams drained into a deep gully in front of you. Then, beginning in 1833, geometric paths invited visitors into a leveled square planted with hundreds of trees. By 1846, Washington Square, with its seats, lamps and ornamental fence, had dramatically changed from the "offensive nuisance" of the 18th century into "a beautiful and fashionable promenade" where adults strolled and children played marbles. In 1853, American . . . — Map (db m9031) |
| Pennsylvania (Philadelphia County), Philadelphia — A Street Scene in the Capital City |
| | The building at the corner of Library Street is a quaint and substantial example of the old style architecture where substance and solidity were objects of the first importance. Public Ledger, April 20, 1887 Close by the Pennsylvania State House and other important government buildings were vibrant neighborhoods which mixed the elegant with the mundane. This historic print depicts the street in front of you in 1799, at the close of the decade when Philadelphia was the capital of the . . . — Map (db m9253) |
| Pennsylvania (Philadelphia County), Philadelphia — A Working-Class House in the Capital City |
| | Wealth makes all the distinction of classes in Philadelphia. Duc de la Rochefoucault-Liancourt, 1783 The house of a workman stood here in the late 1700s when Philadelphia was the temporary capital of the United States. Its location is marked by the brick square in front of you. The house had only two rooms and an attic, each on top of the other. Houses like this often served as both residence and workplace. A shoemaker, a turner, a coachman, a tavernkeeper, and a coppersmith --each in . . . — Map (db m9220) |
| Pennsylvania (Philadelphia County), Philadelphia — Abraham Lincoln |
| | Abraham Lincoln
stood here
when he raised the flag
on Independence Hall
February 22nd 1861.
This tablet placed by Post 2
Department of Pennsylvania Grand Army of the Republic — Map (db m9259) |
| Pennsylvania (Philadelphia County), Philadelphia — All Wars Memorial to Colored Soldiers and Sailors |
| | (Front Inscription): Erected by the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania in honor of her Colored Soldiers. (Back Inscription):To commemorate the heroism and sacrifice of all Colored Soldiers who served in the various wars engaged in by the United States of America, that a lasting record shall be made of their unselfish devotion to duty as an inspiration to future generations, this monument is dedicated May 30, 1934. Commissioners:
William H. Riley Jones, Chairman;
Hon. Samuel B. . . . — Map (db m8411) |
| Pennsylvania (Philadelphia County), Philadelphia — Andrew Hamilton |
| | In honor of Andrew Hamilton 1665 - 1741 "The Philadelphia Lawyer" — Map (db m9351) |
| Pennsylvania (Philadelphia County), Philadelphia — Anthony J. Drexel — (1826 - 1893) |
| | Entrepreneur and philanthropist Drexel created the world's first trans-Atlantic banking network from an office first located here. It financed many U.S. railroads and businesses of the industrial era. Founder of Drexel University. — Map (db m9532) |
| Pennsylvania (Philadelphia County), Philadelphia — Arch Street Friends — 1681 |
| | The Arch Street Meeting House stands as an enduring symbol of the people who created Pennsylvania as a "Holy Experiment." Built to house the men's and women's Yearly Meetings, the business sessions of the Religious Society of Friends for Philadelphia and Environs, it remains one of the oldest active houses of worship in the city. Begun in 1803, the building was financed by the sale of the Greater Meeting House, which stood at Second and High (now Market) Streets, the site of Quaker Meetings . . . — Map (db m9324) |
| Pennsylvania (Philadelphia County), Philadelphia — Archeology Methods and Interpretation |
| | Uncovering History How do we learn about the lives of those who came before us? Old documents such as letters, diaries, and land deeds tell us about particular people, places and events. Yet written records do not always survive and most were produced by and for society's elite. The details of everyday life are rarely mentioned in historical documents. Ofter the poor and the enslaved appear as little more than figures in a ledger of numbers in a tax or census record. We must look beyond the . . . — Map (db m8981) |
| Pennsylvania (Philadelphia County), Philadelphia — Arsenal — (former Guard House and Prison) — 1816 |
| | Report from the Fort 4 December 1815 • Captain Samuel Babcock, Engineer I have the honor to enclose an estimate and plans of additions and repairs which I conceive necessary at Fort Mifflin. The Bombproofs which exist at present are in a state little fitted for the uses they were intended for, being very damp, dark, and approaching to decay. The one I have projected is intended to serve as a Guard House and Prison to be situated parallel to the revetment, one side facing the parade the . . . — Map (db m12625) |
| Pennsylvania (Philadelphia County), Philadelphia — Artillery |
| | Cannon During the Revolutionary War armaments at Fort Mifflin were typical of those used at all colonial forts. Cannons were the largest weapons, but due to lack of materials in America, they were acquired from France or captured from the British. Cannon of the time were actually cast in iron and had a smooth bore. All cannon were classified according to the weight of the round shot they were capable of firing. Shot or cannon balls ranged from 2 to 32 pounds. Cannon were placed on split . . . — Map (db m12783) |
| Pennsylvania (Philadelphia County), Philadelphia — Artillery Shed — 1837 |
| | Report from the Fort 30 September 1836 • Richard Delafield, Captain of Engineers [The] erection of a gun shed, for such artillery and carriages as shall not be mounted in battery … may not … be perfected this fall. National Archives A year later, in November 1837 completion of this large-scale shed was reported. It was added to the parade ground during the fort renovation of 1835-39 to hold wheeled ordinance and unmounted cannon. Transport and erection of the . . . — Map (db m12611) |
| Pennsylvania (Philadelphia County), Philadelphia — Barry |
| | In memory of John Barry Father of the American Navy Born in Co. Wexford Ireland March 25, 1745 First captain of the first ship owned by the Continental Congress. Continuous in his service during the entire period of the Revolution. Supreme Commander of the entire naval force of the colonies in the War for Independence. Appointed by President Washington to the highest rank and first in command of the Navy of the United States. He died in Philadelphia September 3, 1803 and is buried in the . . . — Map (db m9117) |
| Pennsylvania (Philadelphia County), Philadelphia — Battle of Germantown |
| | The Battle of Germantown occurred at Cliveden, the country home of Pa. Chief Justice Benjamin Chew, on Oct. 4, 1777. A British regiment occupied Cliveden and defended it from full assault by the colonials. Over 70 soldiers died on these grounds. Although it was an American defeat, Washington’s bold strategy helped to win French aid for the cause of independence. — Map (db m12373) |
| Pennsylvania (Philadelphia County), Philadelphia — Battle of Germantown |
| | On the morning of the Battle of Germantown,
October 4 1777,
the Pennsylvania Militia, under
Gen'l John Armstrong,
occupying the high ground on the west side
of the creek opposite this point, engaged in a skirmish the left wing of the British forces,
in command of Lieut.-Gen'l Knyphausen,
who occupied the high ground on the
east side, along Schoolhouse Lane. — Map (db m24885) |
| Pennsylvania (Philadelphia County), Philadelphia — Benjamin Franklin — 1706 - 1790 |
| | The class of 1930 at its 50th reunion honors Benjamin Franklin founder of the University of Pennsylvania which began at this site in 1749 and which in 1779 became the first university in this nation. We recognize the growth of our beloved institution from small beginning to world renown. May our fellow men note our affection for the university and our respect for its architect. May 1980 — Map (db m9314) |
| Pennsylvania (Philadelphia County), Philadelphia — Benjamin Franklin — (1706 - 1790) |
| | Printer, author, inventor, diplomat, philanthropist statesman, and scientist. The eighteenth century's most illustrious Pennsylvanian built a house in Franklin Court starting in 1763, and here he lived the last five years of his life. — Map (db m9535) |
| Pennsylvania (Philadelphia County), Philadelphia — Benjamin Smith Barton — 1766 - 1815 |
| |
Physician, professor of natural history at the University of Pennsylvania. Author of first American botany textbook. In 1803, he taught natural history to Meriwether Lewis in preparation for Lewis & Clark Expecition, 1803 - 1806. He lived here. — Map (db m24649) |
| Pennsylvania (Philadelphia County), Philadelphia — Bicentennial Moon Tree |
| | Sycamore planted May 6, 1975 from seed carried to the moon by Astronaut Stuart A. Roosa on Apollo XIV, February 1971.>br>National Aeronautics & Space Administration Forest Service USDA Pennsylvania Horticultural Society Honoring Earth's green world of trees — Map (db m9026) |
| Pennsylvania (Philadelphia County), Philadelphia — Blacksmith Shop — ca. 1778 |
| | Report from the Fort 21 January 1802 • Major J. J. Ulrich Rivardi The Blacksmith shop, a brick building, two fires, 20 feet by 19 – very good. In 1776 the Committee of Safety of the Delaware River ordered a “Smith Shop and Forge” to be built on Mud Island. This might be the building – rebuilt after the Revolution and described by Rivardi. One fireplace was removed in the 20th century, but the chimney shows its former location. When a blacksmith is on duty, . . . — Map (db m12605) |
| Pennsylvania (Philadelphia County), Philadelphia — Broad Street Station |
| | Opened here, 1881, by the Pennsylvania Railroad; enlarged 1893. This was once the world's largest railroad passenger terminal. Its great arched train shed burned, 1923. The station and its long elevated stone track bed (the “Chinese Wall”) remained until 1952-53. — Map (db m20958) |
| Pennsylvania (Philadelphia County), Philadelphia — Buckley Park |
| | In memory of
PFC Charles J. Buckley USMC
1949-1968
and of other Americans
who gave their lives in
the Republic of Vietnam — Map (db m22109) |
| Pennsylvania (Philadelphia County), Philadelphia — Burholme World War I Memorial |
| | To honor the
valiant sons of Burholme
and all others who served
their country in the
World War
1917 - 1918
J. George Herrmann
Emmett G. Laub
[Died in service] — Map (db m22474) |
| Pennsylvania (Philadelphia County), Philadelphia — Capt. Charles Massey House — circa 1794 |
| | Charles Massey's grandfather, Samuel Massey, an Irish Quaker, founded the family shipping company in Philadelphia in 1699. Charles' fleet of 20 vessels sailed to 76 ports around the world and his flagship, “The Globe”, made 8 voyages to China around the Cape of Good Hope, before she was retired from duty.
Charles Massey died in 1810. — Map (db m21528) |
| Pennsylvania (Philadelphia County), Philadelphia — Carpenters' Hall |
| | . . . for the purpose of obtaining instruction in the science of architecture and assisting such of their members as should by accident be in need of support, or the widows and minor children of members . . . By-laws of the Carpenters' Company Carpenters' Hall, completed in 1774, was the meeting place of a group of Philadelphia master builders known as the Carpenters' Company. The Carpenters banded together to establish architectural standards, to set prices for work, and to aid members' . . . — Map (db m9653) |
| Pennsylvania (Philadelphia County), Philadelphia — Casemates or Bombproofs — 1798 |
| | Report from the Fort 21 January 1802 • Major J. J. Ulrich Rivardi The bombproofs are six in number and well arched. No.1 - used as a guard house has two large bake ovens – its dimensions are 50 feet in length, 18 in width and 12 high in the center of the arch – it is well floored – is apt to leak in the spring. No. 2 - used as powder magazine, being very dry, and isolated, is 68 feet long, 17½ wide and 12 feet high in the center of the . . . — Map (db m12759) |
| Pennsylvania (Philadelphia County), Philadelphia — Caspar Wistar — (1761 - 1818) |
| | Noted physician, lived here. Professor of anatomy at the University of Pennsylvania. President of the American Philosophical Society & Pa. Abolition Society. In 1803, tutored Meriwether Lewis in medicine & paleontology, in preparation for the expedition west. — Map (db m9109) |
| Pennsylvania (Philadelphia County), Philadelphia — Catherine Hanson |
| | This fountain is to the memory of Catherine Hanson. Daughter of Andrew Hanson, died October 28, 1646 at 8 years of age and was the first white body to be laid away in the soil of the Swedish Colony, which is now Pennsylvania. — Map (db m21536) |
| Pennsylvania (Philadelphia County), Philadelphia — Charles Allen Smith |
| | Erected by the Allied
Monument Committee of Phila.
to Charles Allen Smith
April 21, 1917
Killed at Vera Cruz
April 22, 1914 — Map (db m21531) |
| Pennsylvania (Philadelphia County), Philadelphia — Chestnut Hill and Mount Airy World War II Memorial |
| | This memorial is erected
in memory of those who
gave their lives and
as a tribute to
the men and women of
Chestnut Hill and Mt. Airy
who served in the Armed Forces
of the United States of America
in World War II — Map (db m22144) |
| Pennsylvania (Philadelphia County), Philadelphia — Chestnut Hill and Mount Airy World War Memorial |
| | In loving memory of the men
of Chestnut Hill and Mt. Airy
who died in the World War
France 1918
“They challenge us to hold more
precious than mortal life ·
Ideals of Honour · Justice and
Righteousness”
“They counted not their lives
Dear unto themselves”
Gerald Speck February 10 Augusta, Ga·
Henry Howard Houston Woodward April 1 Montdidier·
Clement Cresson Kite June 17 Chateau Thierry·
Antonio Cimino June 22 Vosges·
Arthur Vandervoort . . . — Map (db m22115) |
| Pennsylvania (Philadelphia County), Philadelphia — Christ Church |
| | Founded, 1695. Erection of present building begun in 1727. Bells were brought from England in 1754. Among the noted persons buried here are James Wilson and Robert Morris, Signers of the Declaration of Independence, and Bishop White. — Map (db m9330) |
| Pennsylvania (Philadelphia County), Philadelphia — Christ Church — 1695 |
| | The very existence of Christ Church and the elegant majesty of this building is a testament to the success of William Penn's "Holy Experiment." His Charter of Privileges allowed all denominations freedom of worship, even the Church of England from which Quakers had dissented on their native soil. Today, Christ Church is often called "The Nation's Church," and its history is closely tied to that of colonial Philadelphia and the birth of America. George Washington, Benjamin Franklin and Betsy . . . — Map (db m9331) |
| Pennsylvania (Philadelphia County), Philadelphia — Christ Church |
| | Whereas the honorable Continental Congress have resolved to declare the American Colonies to be free and independent states ... it will be proper to omit those petitions from the liturgy wherein the King of Great Britain is prayed for ... Christ Church vestry minutes, July 4, 1776 Built between 1727 and 1754, Christ Church stands not only as a masterpiece of Colonial architecture, but as a reminder of the role of religious faith in the struggle for American freedom. The 200-foot high . . . — Map (db m9354) |
| Pennsylvania (Philadelphia County), Philadelphia — Christ Church Burial Ground — 1719 |
| | Christ Church Burial Ground is most famous as the final resting place of Benjamin Franklin, a man who captured the spirit of his age and of the city. Franklin's genius touched nearly every aspect of Philadelphia's life and produced many achievements. Franklin had an international reputation as a scientist because of his pioneering study of electricity. He used his fame abroad and his diplomatic skills to negotiate the Alliance with France in 1778 and the Peace with Britain in 1783, . . . — Map (db m9315) |
| Pennsylvania (Philadelphia County), Philadelphia — Chronology of Benjamin Franklin |
| | 1706 Born at Boston, January 17. 1723 Removed to Philadelphia. 1729 Editor of Pennsylvania Gazette. 1730 Appointed Public Printer. 1731 Founded the Philadelphia Library. 1736 Organized the first Philadelphia Fire Company. 1737 Appointed Postmaster of Philadelphia. 1738 Member of the Provincial Assembly. 1741 Established first American Magazine. 1742 Invented the Franklin Open Stove. 1743 Founded the American Philosophical Society 1749 Projected University of Pennsylvania. 1751 Founded the . . . — Map (db m9318) |
| Pennsylvania (Philadelphia County), Philadelphia — Citadel - 1796 — Commandant’s House – 1835 |
| | Citadel
Report from the War Office 16 January 1796 • Timothy Pickering, Secretary of War A fort, on Mud Island, is about half done, and a Citadel has been erected to complete the fort … Report from the Fort 21 January 1802 • Major J. J. Ulrich Rivardi The Citadel of brick, one story high 70 feet by 34 contains one room 27 by 27 – two rooms 20 by 15, two smaller ones, one kitchen and a porch. The garret is surrounded by a gallery and a breastwork of brick, but . . . — Map (db m12613) |
| Pennsylvania (Philadelphia County), Philadelphia — Commodore John Barry — 1745 - 1803 |
| | Father of the American Navy — Map (db m9136) |
| Pennsylvania (Philadelphia County), Philadelphia — Commodore John Barry, U. S. N. |
| | Father of the Navy of the United States Born in Wexford, Ireland 1745 Died in Philadelphia 1803 Presented to the City of Philadelphia by the Friendly Sons of St. Patrick 1907 — Map (db m8988) |
| Pennsylvania (Philadelphia County), Philadelphia — Congregation of the Dead |
| | On January 27, 1777, Deborah Norris wrote to her friend Sally Wister of a "shocking sight." Large pits are dug in the negroes burying ground (Washington Square), and forty or fifty (soldiers) coffins are put in the same hole. Throughout that winter, disease thinned the ranks of the American army. John Adams, a member of the Continental Congress meeting in Independence Hall, visited the Square in April 1777. He spent an hour "in the congregation of the dead." The graves of the soldiers, perhaps . . . — Map (db m9047) |
| Pennsylvania (Philadelphia County), Philadelphia — Cruiser Olympia - Submarine Becuna — Independence Seaport Museum |
| | OLYMPIA
Cruiser OLYMPIA, launched in 1892, is the oldest steel warship afloat today. OLYMPIA is best known as Commodore George Dewey’s flagship in the Battle of Manila Bay, Philippine Islands during the 1898 Spanish American War. After defeating the Spanish fleet, the United States was propelled into a future legacy as a world power.
Following the War, OLYMPIA was often used as a visible reminder of President Teddy Roosevelt’s gunboat diplomacy, “Walk softly and carry a big . . . — Map (db m19242) |
| Pennsylvania (Philadelphia County), Philadelphia — Cyrus Bustill — (1732-1806) |
| | Born of white, Black and Native American descent, he bought his freedom and became a baker of bread for Revolutionary troops. A founder of the Free African Society, he later opened a school for Black children while living here. — Map (db m6423) |
| Pennsylvania (Philadelphia County), Philadelphia — David Salisbury Franks — (c. 1740 - 1793) |
| | Distinguished Jewish officer and aide-de-camp to Gen. Benedict Arnold during the Revolutionary War. Thought to be complicit in Arnold's treason, Maj. Franks was later exonerated. A yellow fever victim, he was buried at Christ Church by a Christian neighbor. — Map (db m9321) |
| Pennsylvania (Philadelphia County), Philadelphia — Declaration Chamber |
| | Here the Continental Congress sat from the date it convened, May 10, 1775, until the close of the Revolution except when in 1776-7 it sat in Baltimore and in 1777-9 in Lancaster and York, due to the temporary occupation of Philadelphia by the British army. Here on June 16, 1775, George Washington accepted his appointment by Congress as General of the Continental Army. Here, on July 4, 1776, the Declaration of Independence was adopted, and on July 9, 1778, the Articles of Confederation and . . . — Map (db m9269) |
| Pennsylvania (Philadelphia County), Philadelphia — Declaration House — (Graff House) |
| | In 1776, while attending the Continental Congress, Thomas Jefferson rented two rooms from Jacob Graff, Jr., to avoid the "excessive heats of the city." Here, in Graff's house on the outskirts of town, Jefferson wrote the Declaration of Independence. — Map (db m7643) |
| Pennsylvania (Philadelphia County), Philadelphia — Don Juan Bautista Bernebeu |
| | Commander / of the Royal American Order / of Isabella, the Catholic / Assistant Quarter-Master of the Navy / and Consul General of Spain / in the U.S.A. / He was born in Alicante in MDCCLXXI / and died in Philadelphia / on September 3, A.D. 1834. — Map (db m9135) |
| Pennsylvania (Philadelphia County), Philadelphia — Enslaved Africans in the Household of George and Martha Washington |
| | At various times during Washington's stay in Philadelphia, nine enslaved Africans were known to have lived and worked here at the President's House. They were dynamic participants in the daily life of the presidential household and the surrounding city. Painstaking research by modern scholars provides us with a glimpse into the lives of these people. The brief biographies that follow help us better understand their lives. They also serve to represent the thousands of free and enslaved people of . . . — Map (db m8919) |
| Pennsylvania (Philadelphia County), Philadelphia — Fawcitt House Site |
| | Delegates walking to Carpenters' Hall (to your left) for meetings of the First Continental Congress in 1774 passed an aging wood house at this site. The two-story house was built about 1706 for bodice-maker Nathan Fawcitt. The Fawcitt House, like most wood houses of the period, has not survived. In fact, wood houses became such fire hazards in the congested city that by 1796 city codes prohibited their construction. — Map (db m9658) |
| Pennsylvania (Philadelphia County), Philadelphia — First Continental Congress |
| | The distinctions between Virginians, Pennsylvanians, New yorkers, New Englanders are no more. I am not a Virginian but an American. Patrick Henry, Carpenters' Hall, 1774 In 1774 the American colonies felt threatened. Their grievances against Great Britain were being ignored. Was it finally time for resistance, or was reconciliation still possible? The First Continental Congress met here in Carpenters' Hall in the autumn of 1774 to choose a course of action. Led by John and Sam Adams, and . . . — Map (db m9656) |
| Pennsylvania (Philadelphia County), Philadelphia — First United States Mint |
| | On this site stood The first United States Mint
First public building authorized by the United States Government This plaque dedicated for the Bicentennial of the U.S. Mint 1792-1992
First Mint: 1792-1833 7th Street between Market & Arch
Second Mint: 1833-1901: Juniper & Chestnut Sts.
Third Mint: 1901-1969: 16th & Spring Garden Sts.
Fourth Mint: 1969- : 5th & Arch Sts. — Map (db m24441) |
| Pennsylvania (Philadelphia County), Philadelphia — Fort Mifflin |
| | Laid out in 1771 by the engineer John Montrésor. Heroically held by the Americans under British siege until they were forced out, Nov. 15, 1777. Rebuilt 1798-1800 according to L’Enfant’s design and enlarged in the 19th century. A U.S. military post until the 1950s. — Map (db m12378) |
| Pennsylvania (Philadelphia County), Philadelphia — Fort Mifflin (Mud Fort) on Mud Island — 1772 |
| | Report from the Fort (during construction) 25 September 1794 . Pierre Charles L’Enfant, Engineer to Henry Knox, Secretary of War A place destitute of every comfort for the hands [workmen]; lay open to all accidents of the season [and was] uncommonly bad in the months of June, July and August, when extraordinary freshes [floods] and storms greatly injured the work and caused an increase of labor which could not have been foreseen nor avoided, having had successively . . . — Map (db m12454) |
| Pennsylvania (Philadelphia County), Philadelphia — Franklin Court |
| | I am got into my niche, after being kept out of it 24 years by foreign employments. 'Tis a very good house that I built so very long ago to retire into . . . . Signature - Benj Franklin 1786 By building his home here, Benjamin Franklin not only confirmed his fondness for city life, he demonstrated his ingenuity in creating a liveable urban environment. This section of the city was busy, noisy, and smelly, yet the view from the windows of Franklin's house included grassy plots, gardens, . . . — Map (db m9536) |
| Pennsylvania (Philadelphia County), Philadelphia — Free African Society |
| | Established in 1787 under the leadership of Richard Allen and Absalom Jones, this organization fostered identity, leadership, and unity among Blacks and became the forerunner of the first Afican-American churches in this city. — Map (db m8920) |
| Pennsylvania (Philadelphia County), Philadelphia — Freedom is a Light — For Which Many Men Have Died in Darkness |
| | Left Side Inscription In unmarked graves within this square lie thousands of unknown soldiers of Washington's Army who died of wounds and sickness during the Revolutionary War Right Side Inscription The independence and liberty you possess are the work of joint councils and joint efforts of common dangers, sufferings and success Washington's farewell address Sept, 17 1796 — Map (db m9051) |
| Pennsylvania (Philadelphia County), Philadelphia — Friends Meeting |
| | This meetinghouse was erected in 1804. It is used for weekly, Monthly, Quarterly, and Yearly meetings of Friends. The ground was first used for burial purposes under patent issued by William Penn in 1701. — Map (db m9326) |
| Pennsylvania (Philadelphia County), Philadelphia — Gay Rights Demonstrations — July 4, 1965-1969 |
| | Annual public demonstrations for gay and lesbian equality were held at Independence Hall. These peaceful protests and New York's Stonewall riots in 1969 & Pride Parade in 1970 transformed a small national campaign into a civil rights movement. — Map (db m24889) |
| Pennsylvania (Philadelphia County), Philadelphia — General Stephen Moylan — American Patriot |
| | 1734 ----1811 Erected by Stephen Moylan General Assembly Fourth Degree Knights of Columbus Woodhaven, N.Y. — Map (db m9137) |
| Pennsylvania (Philadelphia County), Philadelphia — Germantown Meetinghouse |
| | Built here in 1770 – the first meetinghouse of the Church of the Brethren in the nation. Founded in Germany in 1708, the denomination was entirely transplanted to America by 1750 due to religious persecution. Many early Brethren leaders are buried in the cemetery. — Map (db m12374) |
| Pennsylvania (Philadelphia County), Philadelphia — Gilbert Stuart House |
| | Sirs: I am under promise to Mrs. Bingham to sit for you tomorrow at 9 o'clock, and wishing to know if it be convenient to you that I should do so, and it shall be at your house... The new 3-1/2 story brick house on this site in 1795 was ideally located for artist Gilbert Stuart. All of America's national leaders were close at hand. The U.S. Congress met only one block away, the Supreme Court held sessions across the street, and President George Washington lived minutes away. Only through . . . — Map (db m9227) |
| Pennsylvania (Philadelphia County), Philadelphia — Gloria Dei Church — (Old Swedes') |
| | Oldest church in Philadelphia. Founded, 1677, by Swedish settlers. This edifice of Swedish architectural design, was erected 1698-1703. The earlier place of worship was a blockhouse. — Map (db m21533) |
| Pennsylvania (Philadelphia County), Philadelphia — Haym Salomon — (1740 - 1785) |
| | Financier of the Revolution. Came to America ca. 1772. Imprisoned by British, 1776 and 1778. Lived in Philadelphia, 1778-85; active in its Jewish community. A broker, he lent money heavily to support the war. never repaid, he himself died in debt. — Map (db m9311) |
| Pennsylvania (Philadelphia County), Philadelphia — Historic Site in Journalism — Cyrus H. K. Curtis |
| | Who was a major magazine publisher, here he founded the Ladies Home Journal in 1883 and rejuvenated the Saturday Evening Post as a magazine of national influence — Map (db m8992) |
| Pennsylvania (Philadelphia County), Philadelphia — Holy Trinity |
| | Holy Trinity was built in 1789 by Philadelphia's German Catholic community. It was the first parish church in the United States established specifically to serve a national group. The religious turmoil and economic hardships of war-torn Germany had brought German immigrants to Pennsylvania since its founding by William Penn in 1682. By the 1780s they accounted for more than half the Catholic population of the city. In 1788 their request to build a separate church and school where they could . . . — Map (db m9097) |
| Pennsylvania (Philadelphia County), Philadelphia — Honor the Immortal Dead |
| | In the grave-yard adjoining this church are buried Commodore John Barry Father of the American Navy. He was chosen by the Continental Congress to command the first warship owned by the colonies and he fought the last naval battle of the revolution. Thomas Fitzsimons Signer of the Constitution of the United States member of the Continental Congress and Representative in the 1st, 2nd, and 3rd. Congress of the United States. He was the first to propose the levying of a tariff to protect . . . — Map (db m9116) |
| Pennsylvania (Philadelphia County), Philadelphia — Hospital & Mess Hall — ca. 1820 |
| | Report from the Fort 21 January 1802 • Major J. J. Ulrich Rivardi Out of the fort is the hospital composed of three small rooms 12 feet by 25, it is a good wooden building, but too small. Another two-room wooden building and an apothecary shop inside the fort also served medical needs at the time. An order for various medical supplies “to treat the sick at the fort” dated 10 May 1801 probably replenished stock at the apothecary shop. The medicines requested are listed . . . — Map (db m12770) |
| Pennsylvania (Philadelphia County), Philadelphia — In Memory of the Many American Soldiers |
| | who, during the War for Independence, died prisoners of war in the jails of Philadelphia, and were buried in this ground during the years 1777 and 1778. — Map (db m9027) |
| Pennsylvania (Philadelphia County), Philadelphia — In This Building — Sat the First Senate and the First House of Representatives |
| | of the United States of America Herein George Washington was inaugurated President March 4, 1793 and closed his official career when herein, also John Adams was inaugurated the second President of the United States March 4, 1797. — Map (db m9262) |
| Pennsylvania (Philadelphia County), Philadelphia — Independence Hall |
| | No stranger ever comes to Philadelphia without paying a visit to this structure, and no public edifice exists among us, which is cherished so warmly in the feelings of the citizens. Views of Philadelphia, 1838 The building in front of you was built between 1732 and 1756 as the State House of the Colony of Pennsylvania. Today it is known as Independence Hall, an international symbol of government by the people. Two great documents took shape here. The Declaration of Independence, adopted . . . — Map (db m9256) |
| Pennsylvania (Philadelphia County), Philadelphia — Independence Hall |
| | The State House of Pennsylvania The birthplace of the United States of America — Map (db m9267) |
| Pennsylvania (Philadelphia County), Philadelphia — Independence Square |
| | ...The said ground shall be enclosed and remain a public open green and walks forever. Act of Pennsylvania Assembly 1735 The State House Yard, now known as Independence Square, was the scene of both turmoil and tranquility in the late 1700s. On the eve of the American Revolution, Philadelphia citizens gathered here for mass meetings to protest British policies. As protests turned to war, soldiers drilled and drums echoed, disturbing the deliberations of the Continental Congress inside . . . — Map (db m9255) |
| Pennsylvania (Philadelphia County), Philadelphia — Jacob Broom |
| | In honored memory of Jacob Broom, Signer of United States Constitution by the Delaware State Society, NSDAR, in This bicentennial year 1987 — Map (db m9352) |
| Pennsylvania (Philadelphia County), Philadelphia — James Wilson |
| | Signer of the Constitution of the United States of America Deputy from Pennsylvania to Federal Constitutional Convention May 25, 1787 - September 17, 1787 Erected by the Pennsylvania Constitution Commemoration Committee 1937 — Map (db m9349) |
| Pennsylvania (Philadelphia County), Philadelphia — John F. Kennedy |
| | President of the United States stood here when he delivered his address on the independence of nations July 4th, 1962 This tablet placed by the City of Philadelphia June 29, 1964 James H. J. Tate, Mayor — Map (db m9258) |
| Pennsylvania (Philadelphia County), Philadelphia — John Nepomuk Maelzel — (1772 - 1838) |
| | German-born inventor and showman; exhibited nearby at Maelzel's Hall, 1826-1831, assisted by Wm. Schlumberger. His Automaton Chess Player (The Turk) was famous for games with Franklin & Napoleon. He patented a metronome; made hearing aids for Beethoven. — Map (db m9106) |
| Pennsylvania (Philadelphia County), Philadelphia — John Vallance - Engraver |
| | Built C.1792 Home of John Vallance Engraver Born in Scotland Died in Philadelphia 1823 Early Bank Notes Bear his name — Map (db m9102) |
| Pennsylvania (Philadelphia County), Philadelphia — Library of the American Philosophical Society |
| | Held at Philadelphia for promoting useful knowledge begun by Benjamin Franklin 1743 reorganized under its present name 1769 — Map (db m9225) |
| Pennsylvania (Philadelphia County), Philadelphia — Lieutenant Joseph Bonnell — a Hero of the War for Texas Independence |
| |
On April 7, 1836, Lieutenant Joseph Bonnell, West Point Class of 1825, 3rd Infantry Regiment, U.S. Army, Fort Jesup, Louisiana, was sent alone into Texas by U.S. General Gaines to quell an uprising of 1,700 hostile Indians which threatened the small Texas Army of General Sam Houston. Lieutenant Bonnell completed this dangerous mission by successfully negotiating with Caddo Chief Cortes to have the warriors return to their villages and live in peace. Bonnell’s success greatly assisted . . . — Map (db m20756) |
| Pennsylvania (Philadelphia County), Philadelphia — Linked in Memory |
| | A statue of the most famous American, George Washington, stands near the Square's center. It keeps a vigil at the tomb of an unknown soldier who died during the War for Independence. Revolution linked them in life. This shrine joins them in our memory. In 1825 the city renamed its five public squares. This one became Washington Square. Organizers raising money for a suitable monument hoped for success as the 1832 centennial of the president's birth approached. They actually laid a cornerstone . . . — Map (db m9045) |
| Pennsylvania (Philadelphia County), Philadelphia — Main Gate / Flag — 1798 – 1808 |
| | Main Gate Report from the Fort 21 January 1802 • Major J.J. Ulrich Rivardi I was speaking of the eastern Gate which is not finished yet, as I understand by General Irvine that the materials are paid for and which he has some time ago estimates made which he no doubt transmitted … The fort’s units finishing and hanging the main gate.
Report from the Fort 20 May 1807 • Lieutenant Jonathan Williams, Inspector of Fortifications …the entrance of the fort, which is now . . . — Map (db m12492) |
| Pennsylvania (Philadelphia County), Philadelphia — Manuel Torres — 1764–1822 |
| | In Memory of Manuel Torres, 1764–1822. As minister of the Republic of Columbia He was the first Latin American Diplomatic representative in the United States of America Tribute from the Government of Colombia and from Philadelphia descendants of his friends. July 20, 1926. — Map (db m9112) |
| Pennsylvania (Philadelphia County), Philadelphia — Mathew Carey, Publisher |
| | Once the Resting Place of Mathew Carey, Publisher Born - Jan. 28 1760 Dublin, Ireland Died - Sept. 16, 1839 Phila. Printed first Catholic bible in America, 1790 — Map (db m9139) |
| Pennsylvania (Philadelphia County), Philadelphia — Mechanics' Union of Trade Associations |
| | Formed nearby in 1827 as the first central labor council in the nation; recognized as the beginning of American labor movement. Represented workers as a class, not by craft. Advocated for ten-hour day; engaged in political activism and workers' education. — Map (db m9534) |
| Pennsylvania (Philadelphia County), Philadelphia — Memorial to the Soldiers and Patriots of the Revolution |
| | This tablet is erected by the Pennsylvania Society of Sons of the Revolution as a memorial to the soldiers and patriots of the Revolution who suffered in this building as prisoners of war during the occupation of Philadelphia by the British Army, 1777 - 1778. and also to commemorate the evacuation of the city by that army June 19, 1778. — Map (db m9265) |
| Pennsylvania (Philadelphia County), Philadelphia — Mikveh Israel — 1740 |
| | Mikveh Israel, "The Hope of Israel," is Philadelphia's oldest Jewish Congregation, which began in the 1740s with worship services in a private home in Sterling Alley. The community then purchased a parcel of land from Thomas Penn for a Jewish cemetery, still located on Spruce Street. In 1782, Mikveh Israel constructed its first building on Cherry Street between Third and Fourth. The Synagogue remained in Old City until 1909, when it moved to a site on North Broad Street shared with Gratz . . . — Map (db m9313) |
| Pennsylvania (Philadelphia County), Philadelphia — Mother Bethel — 1791 |
| | Mother Bethel is the first African Methodist Episcopal (A.M.E.) Church in America, founded in 1791. Richard Allen (1760-1831), a former slave, was the founder, and later became the first bishop (1816) of the first African-American denomination in the United States. This site is the oldest parcel of land continuously owned by African Americans.
Mother Bethel is an outgrowth of the Free African Society established by Allen and Absalom Jones in April, 1787. Soon thereafter, Allen and Jones . . . — Map (db m6840) |
| Pennsylvania (Philadelphia County), Philadelphia — Mother's Day |
| | Founded by Anna Jarvis of Philadelphia. First officially observed in 1908, it honored motherhood and family life at a time of rising feminist activism. An early supporter was John Wanamaker, whose store stood opposite. Mother's Day was given federal recognition, 1914. — Map (db m24613) |
| Pennsylvania (Philadelphia County), Philadelphia — Mower General Hospital |
| | Described as the largest U.S. Army hospital of its day: designed by noted architect John McArthur, Jr. Here, wounded Civil War soldiers were cared for , Jan 1863-May 1865. On 27 acres extending to Stenton Ave., it had some 3,600 beds and treated over 200,000 patients. Razed following the war. — Map (db m6334) |
| Pennsylvania (Philadelphia County), Philadelphia — New Hall |
| | Built 1791 by the Carpenters' Company of Philadelphia - location of War Department offices 1791 - 1792. Reconstructed 1959. — Map (db m9657) |
| Pennsylvania (Philadelphia County), Philadelphia — Officers’ Quarters — 1814 |
| | Report from the Fort 31 October 1820 . Major Samuel Babcock, Engineer Quarters for officers 96 by 28 feet and two stories high built in 1814. Report from the Fort 16 October 1844 . Major Brevet C.W. Thomas The officers attached to the post are six – five company officers and one assistant surgeon with rank of Captain. It will be seen that the quarters are ample, even if all the officers should be present, one is absent permanently. Four officers were assigned to . . . — Map (db m12568) |
| Pennsylvania (Philadelphia County), Philadelphia — Old Philadelphia Congregations |
| | It was in Philadelphia, alone of America's colonial cities, that Quakers, Jews, Catholics and Protestants "experienced the difficulties and discovered the possibilities of fruitful coexistence that American democracy was to offer." Philadelphia is a city that not only tolerated but welcomed diverse modes of religious practice from its beginning. That diversity is still evident today in the Old Philadelphia Congregations, a consortium of historic churches and synagogues of different . . . — Map (db m9099) |
| Pennsylvania (Philadelphia County), Philadelphia — Old St. Joseph's — 1733 |
| | Old St. Joseph's earliest church on this site was built in 1733 by Rev. Joseph Greaton, a Jesuit missionary from England. When news that a "Romish Chappel" had been set up the Provincial Council investigated, but because William Penn's 1701 Charter of Previleges for Pennsylvanians guaranteed freedom of worship to all who confessed "One Almighty God," the chapel was left undisturbed. Penn's Charter took precedence over the English Penal Laws.
When the first public Catholic Mass . . . — Map (db m9168) |
| Pennsylvania (Philadelphia County), Philadelphia — Old St. Mary's — 1763 |
| | Old St. Mary's church was the most important Catholic church during the American Revolution and the early years of the nation. Built in 1763, when St. Joseph's became too small to accommodate the Catholic population of the city, the church was enlarged in 1810 when it became the first cathedral of the new diocese of Pennsylvania. During the Revolution the Continental Congress attended services at St. Mary's on four occasions to solemnize observances during the war. George Washington and John . . . — Map (db m9111) |
| Pennsylvania (Philadelphia County), Philadelphia — Old Swedes' Church |
| | “I joined in marriage the first couple, viz., Jonas Jonson, a Swede, and Anne Amesby, an English woman, in the English language.”
Diary of Rev. Andreas Sandel, July 29, 1702
Here are the memories of an all but forgotten group of early settlers in America - the Swedes. More than 300 years ago, before the founding of the city of Philadelphia, Swedes settled the Delaware Valley. Religion was important to these early pioneers who first worshipped in log . . . — Map (db m21539) |
| Pennsylvania (Philadelphia County), Philadelphia — Original Cobblestone |
| | In front of you lies a remnant of a cobblestone street (also called "pebblestone")constructed about 1800. Although William Penn, founder of Philadelphia carefully planned the placement of city streets as early as 1681, it was not until 1762 that the city assumed responsibility for paving. — Map (db m9108) |
| Pennsylvania (Philadelphia County), Philadelphia — Penn's Plan |
| | William Penn learned many lessons in life. Living in 17th century England taught him that open space offered breathing places for great cities and also slowed the spread of fire. He applied what he had learned to Philadelphia. He insisted on a site that was "navigable, high, dry, and healthy." He wanted "uniform" streets with "houses built in a line." He envisioned "gardens, orchards, or fields" around the houses. Penn wanted "a green country town which will never be burnt, and always be . . . — Map (db m9028) |
| Pennsylvania (Philadelphia County), Philadelphia — Philadelphia Beirut Bombing Memorial |
| | . . . — Map (db m21518) |
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