William Penn Annex East in Philadelphia in Philadelphia County, Pennsylvania — The American Northeast (Mid-Atlantic)
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 the State House. The most important result of those deliberations was the Declaration of Independence which was first read in public here in the State House Yard on July 8, 1776.
The scene was quite different when the Constitutional Convention convened in 1787. The sounds of war had faded and the courtyard had become a peaceful garden. Winding walkways, grassy mounds, and a rich variety of trees and bushes provided a tranquil setting for the founding of the new government.
Erected by National Park Service, U.S. Department of the Interior.
Topics. This historical marker is listed in these topic lists: Government & Politics • Notable Buildings • Notable Events • Patriots & Patriotism • War, US Revolutionary. A significant historical month for this entry is July 1752.
Location.
this page online
Other nearby markers. At least 8 other markers are within walking distance of this marker. Independence Hall (a few steps from this marker); A Street Scene in the Capital City (within shouting distance of this marker); American Philosophical Society (within shouting distance of this marker); Philosophical Hall (within shouting distance of this marker); Commodore John Barry, U. S. N. (within shouting distance of this marker); a different marker also named Independence Hall (within shouting distance of this marker); Memorial to the Soldiers and Patriots of the Revolution (within shouting distance of this marker); West Wing - Independence Hall (within shouting distance of this marker). Touch for a list and map of all markers in Philadelphia.
Regarding Independence Square. Photo: Artist's conception of the July 8 reading of the Declaration of Independence here. Congress, acting for the people had declared "that these United Colonies are, and of right ought to be Free and Independent States..."
Diagram: Buildings in Independence Square.
Photographed By Beverly Pfingsten, July 5, 2008
2. Independence Square Marker
The marker used to have a cell phone tour sticker on the top right. It has since been removed.
Photographed By Bill Coughlin, July 25, 2017
3. Independence Square Marker
Credits. This page was last revised on February 2, 2023. It was originally submitted on July 17, 2008, by Bill Pfingsten of Bel Air, Maryland. This page has been viewed 1,108 times since then and 33 times this year. Photos: 1. submitted on December 19, 2022, by Devry Becker Jones of Washington, District of Columbia. 2. submitted on July 17, 2008, by Bill Pfingsten of Bel Air, Maryland. 3. submitted on August 1, 2017, by Bill Coughlin of Woodland Park, New Jersey.
