William Penn Annex East in Philadelphia in Philadelphia County, Pennsylvania — The American Northeast (Mid-Atlantic)
Restoring an Icon
Independence National Historical Park
| | National Park Service, U.S. Department of the Interior | |
One of the most challenging projects ever undertaken at Independence National Historical Park was the restoration of Independence Hall. Carried out by a team of historians, architects, archeologists, carpenters and painters, the work established historic preservation standards that are still used today.
Their efforts revealed many important detailssuch as authentic paint colors and the originality of much of the woodworkand allowed for an accurate restoration of the building's interior.
"The best break Independence Hall and the NPS ever had was to benefit from the research and scholarship of its best historical, archeological, and architectural investigators. There never was an adequate excuse for 'the h-ll with accuracywho will ever know' school of economy. There isn't now."
~ John Cotter, NPS Archeologist
[Captions:]
Workers installed paneling in the Assembly Room of Independence Hall using 18th century methods.
While work continued, the building remained open as much as possible to visitors. At times, some school children found the restoration work more fascinating than the tour.
Historical architects Penelope Batcheler (fourth from the left) and Lee Nelson (second from the right) led much of the work. Batcheler
this page online
Erected by National Park Service, U.S. Department of the Interior.
Topics. This historical marker is listed in these topic lists: Anthropology & Archaeology • Architecture • Parks & Recreational Areas.
Location. 39° 56.916′ N, 75° 9.017′ W. Marker is in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, in Philadelphia County. It is in William Penn Annex East. It is on South 5th Street (County Road 2003) south of Chestnut Street (County Road 3008), on the left when traveling north. Touch for map. Marker is at or near this postal address: 125 S Independence Mall W, Philadelphia PA 19106, United States of America. Touch for directions.
Regionally, this marker is in Southeast Pennsylvania. It is also in the American Northeast and in the Mid-Atlantic. Globally, it is in North America, the Western Hemisphere, the Western World, and the Anglosphere. Historically, it finds itself in what was once the Haudenosaunee (Iroquois) Confederacy, New Netherland, and one of the original Thirteen Colonies.
Other nearby markers. At least 8 other markers are within walking distance of this marker: The Challenges of Preservation (a few steps from this marker); Commodore John Barry, U. S. N. (within shouting distance of this marker); West Wing - Independence Hall (within shouting distance of this marker); Memorial to the Soldiers and Patriots of the Revolution (within shouting distance of this marker); A Street Scene in the Capital City (within shouting distance of this marker); a different marker also named Independence Hall (within shouting distance of this marker);
Other markers no longer nearby. Independence Hall (was a few steps from this marker but has been permanently removed); Independence Square (was within shouting distance of this marker but has been permanently removed).
Credits. This page was last revised on May 26, 2026. It was originally submitted on June 3, 2024, by Devry Becker Jones of Washington, District of Columbia. This page has been viewed 508 times since then and 28 times this year. Last updated on May 21, 2026, by Benjamin Rubin of Columbia, South Carolina. Photos: 1, 2. submitted on June 3, 2024, by Devry Becker Jones of Washington, District of Columbia.
