We’ve had a blast touring Philadelphia the past few weeks on American Nomad. In today’s blog, I wanted to share my ‘best of guide’ to its incredible historical sites.
Philadelphia is a city where HISTORY comes alive:
As we learned in a previous blog, Philadelphia was founded by British Quaker William Penn in 1682. Penn, who had seen the devastation of The Great Fire of London and subsequent bubonic plague in 1666, wanted to ensure Philadelphia was built on a grid with wide streets and parks that would not only provide quality of life with “a green country town,” but also protect from fire damage.
Penn, as a Quaker, decided Pennsylvania would be a ‘holy experiment,’ a refuge for religious freedom with almost total self-government. This spirit of freedom and equality helped plant seeds of liberty in the heart of Philadelphia.
You can walk in the footsteps of William Penn at
- Step onto Penn’s Landing, the historic site of William Penn’s 1682 arrival in Pennsylvania, now a lively waterfront hub on the Delaware River that comes alive with events throughout the year. Penn’s Landing is home The Independence Seaport Museum, which document maritime history and culture along the Delaware River.
- Pennsbury Manor is a reconstruction of William Penn’s country estate, located just outside of Philadelphia on a picturesque forty-three acres along the Delaware River in Morrisville, PA. It is the only site in the nation dedicated to preserving the historical significance of William Penn. https://www.pennsburymanor.org/
- Arch Street Meeting House: Arch Street Meeting House has ties to William Penn who formally granted land to the Society of Friends (Quakers) in 1701 to be used as a burial ground. The east wing and center of the meetinghouse itself were constructed between 1803 and 1805, designed by the respected Quaker master-builder Owen Biddle Jr. Notable members of the Religious Society of Friends who worshiped at this meetinghouse include my ancestors (first cousins from my mother’s side) The Grimke Sisters. They were abolitionists who left South Carolina for Philadelphia where they advocated for the abolishment of slavery. Remarkably, the Arch Street Meeting House continues to serve as a place of worship for Quakers today.
Living History at Elfreth’s Alley
Travel back through time into Colonial Philadelphia with a stroll through charming Elfreth’s Alley. Dating back to 1703, it is one of the oldest residential streets in America. Learn more here.
Birth of America…Must See Sites
These are the places that tell the story of Philadelphia’s role in founding The United States of America, from The Colonial Era to Revolutionary War and beyond.
Many of Philadelphia’s Revolutionary sites are conveniently located within a few city blocks, centered around Independence National Historical Park. Located in the heart of Philadelphia’s Old City, it’s nicknamed ‘America’s most historic square mile’ due to its significance in the birth of the United States. Located across from Independence Hall, I recommend starting your adventure at The Independence Visitor Center, where you can speak with park rangers and city experts to help plan your own Revolutionary adventure.
- Official Independence National Historic Park Website – includes a list of all NPS sites within Independence NHP
The centerpiece of Independence National Historic Park is Independence Hall, a site of immense historical significance where both the Declaration of Independence (during the Second Continental Congress) and the U.S. Constitution were written, debated, and signed. We delve deeper into its history in our recent blog post.
Liberty Bell – Housed in a museum adjacent to Independence Hall, the bell is Inscribed with the words “Proclaim Liberty throughout the land,” The Liberty Bell has been a symbol of American freedom since it was installed at Independence Hall in the 1750s. Learn more about the Liberty Bell in our recent blog post.
- Declaration House (Graff House): This reconstruction of the house where Thomas Jefferson wrote The Declaration of Independence was built in 1975 in honor of the nation’s bicentennial. While staying in Philadelphia for the Second Continental Congress, Jefferson rented two upstairs rooms from bricklayer Jacob Graff, who had built the original home in 1775. Sadly, the Declaration House is currently closed to the public except for special events. During our trip, we still enjoyed seeing the exterior and imagining Jefferson upstairs crafting The Declaration. While it currently flanks a bustling street, surrounded by high rises and heavy traffic, in 1776, this location faced a field and was considered a quiet locale. This helped Jefferson have the peace and quiet he needed to draft the Declaration from June 11 to 28, 1776.
- Carpenter’s Hall: Located at 320 Chestnut Street, Carpenter’s Hall is a treasure trove of Philadelphia History. Still owned and operated by The Carpenters Company, the oldest extant craft guild in the United States, Carpenter’s Hall was the site of the First Continental Congress in 1774. Benjamin Franklin also used the building for his Library Company, and it temporarily housed Franklin’s American Philosophical Society, as well as the First and Second Banks of the United States. The first Secretary of War, Henry Knox, set up his offices here and used it as the first ‘Pentagon’ in 1790.
- What happened during The First Continental Congress? In 1774, delegates met in the newly completed building in response to the British Parliament’s passage of the “Intolerable Acts” against the colony of Massachusetts. Instead of adopting measures proposed by radical members, moderation prevailed as delegates signed agreements of non-importation of British goods and drafted a petition to King George III asking for his assistance. A Second Continental Congress was called in May 1775 after The Battle of Lexington and Concord. The Second Continental Congress was held at Independence Hall, which resulted in The Declaration of Independence in July 1776
Other historic sites in Independence National Park area:
- Betsy Ross House: Home of patriot and flagmaker Betsy Ross. Learn more about Betsy’s Revolutionary legacy here.
Powel House: Built in 1765, this marvelous Georgian home was home to the Powel family. Samuel Powel was a patriot and mayor of Philadelphia. HIs wife Elizabeth, was a well known hostess, who was educated, smart, and had a powerful, opinionated voice. Elizabeth Powel became one of George Washington’s closest confidants, before, during and after his Presidency. In 1931, when The Powel House was at risk of demolition, Philadelphians rallied to save the historic house with their slogan “the house where George Washington danced.” You can plan your visit to the Powel House here
Dolley Todd (Madison) House: This Georgian home was built in 1775, and was occupied by Dolley Payne and her first husband, lawyer John Todd from 1791 to 1793. Dolley lost her husband and their infant son to the Yellow Fever Epidemic in 1793. She met and married the future President James Madison the next year. The house has been restored to the time when John and Dolley lived here. Plan your visit here.
Bishop White House: *Currently closed for renovations* The residence of Dr. White, the first Episcopal Bishop of Pennsylvania. He lived in this home for nearly fifty years and entertained guests like George Washington and Benjamin Franklin. Plan your visit here.
Second Bank of The United States: This gorgeous Greek Revival structure designed and built by architect William Strickland between 1819 and 1824 to serve as The Second Bank of the United States; the second federally authorized Hamiltonian national bank in the United States. Located in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, the bank was chartered from February 1816 to January 1836. It is now home to a Portrait Gallery featuring more than 150 portraits of 18th and 19th century political leaders, military officers, explorers and scientists. 100 of the portraits are by famed Philadelphia painter Charles Willson Peale. During the late 18th and early 19th centuries, Peale asked those “worthy Personages” who exhibited the republican virtues of public-spiritedness, self-sacrifice and civic virtue to sit for him. The Peales were a dynasty of talented artists spanning several generations starting with Charles Willson Peale. Plan your visit here.
Benjamin Franklin Sites:
Immerse yourself in the multifaceted life of Philadelphia’s Benjamin Franklin – printer, statesman, scientist, and a pivotal figure in the founding of American democracy – at these essential sites that chronicle his life and times.
- Franklin Court: Explore the site of Franklin’s former brick home, who lived here while serving in the Continental Congress and Constitutional Convention. Franklin died in the home in 1790 and sadly it was torn down 22 years later. However today the site contains a steel ‘ghost structure’ outlining where Franklin’s house stood. Nearby you can tour The Benjamin Franklin Museum, that explores Franklin’s life and character through artifacts, animations, and hands-on interactives. The Franklin Court complex also includes a working reproduction of an 18th century printing office, an architectural/archeological exhibit, and an operating post office.
- Christ Church Burial Ground: This cemetery dates back to 1719, more than 5,000 people are buried here including Benjamin Franklin and his wife Deborah, as long as four other signers of the Declaration of Independence – Dr. Benjamin Rush, Francis Hopkinson, George Ross and Joseph Hewes.
- American Philosophical Society: Currently located by Independence Hall, The American Philosophical Society, the oldest learned society in the United States, was founded in 1743 by Benjamin Franklin for the purpose of “promoting useful knowledge.” APS houses many important documents and books including the original copies of The Journals of Lewis and Clark. Plan your visit.
Other must-see historical museums in Philadelphia
- Museum of the American Revolution….we took a tour of this phenomenal museum a few weeks back on American Nomad. Highlights include Washington’s War Tent and hundreds of artifacts. Check out my blog post about The Museum of The American Revolution here.
- National Constitution Center: Hands down one of the best museums I’ve visited. This museum tells the story of how our Constitution came to be and also provides interactive exhibits to help you engage with The Constitution. Read all about our tour of The National Constitution Center here.
- African American Museum: Learn about the important role of African Americans in shaping Philadelphia’s history…
- Mother Bethel AME Museum: This museum tells the story Richard Allen who founded the first African Methodist Episcopal Church in the country.
- Weitzman National Museum of American Jewish History
*We’ll be exploring a list of ‘Must-See Philadelphia Museums’ soon, so if your favorite museum is not on the list, we’ll get there soon.
As always thanks for taking time to read American Nomad. Don’t forget to subscribe to get the latest posts.
Find us on Facebook
American Nomad is written by travel enthusiast, singer-songwriter and history buff Adele Lassiter. Her debut EP, also titled ‘American Nomad’ is available on all streaming services and for sale on Bandcamp.
