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America's
Best
History
T-Shirts & Gifts
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Philadelphia t-shirts, Philadelphia sweatshirts and other
Independence souvenirs bring the nation to life with vibrant logo and
photo wear.
Includes historical photos and prints in
Then and Now styles
BUY INDEPENDENCE MERCHANDISE
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Visitor
Statistics |
Independence
National
Historic
Park
#6
Most Visited
Historic Site
3,705,538
Visitors (2007)
High
Month -
July - 511,362 |
Edgar
Allan Poe National
Historic Site
#283
Most Visited Site
14,258
Visitors (2007)
High
Month - November -
1,649 |
Thaddeus
Kosciuszko
National Memorial
#303
Most Visited Site
4,6330
Visitors (2007)
High
Month - May - 630 |
| Source: National Park
Service |
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 |
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| Park Size |
Independence
National
Historic
Park
34.36
acres (Federal)
44.80 acres (Total) |
Edgar
Allan Poe National
Historic Site
0.52 acres |
Thaddeus
Kosciuszko
National Memorial
0.02 acres |
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America's Best History, ... Philadelphia & Independence
National Historic Park. When
the American Revolution was fomenting throughout the thirteen colonies,
it was within the city limits of Philadelphia that the seeds of liberty
were sown. As the fathers of our country debated within the
rooms of Independence Hall such items as the Declaration of
Independence before the document was put in place on July 4, 1776, or
the selection of a General to lead the Continental Army, George
Washington, or in the days after the war had been won, the Constitution
that would provide the framework of laws to govern the United States of
America for over two hundred years, the walls of the buildings within
Independence National Historic Park held each whisper from British ears.
And even though the city of Philadelphia has grown around the
historical area in many modern ways, for a sixteen block area or more,
particularly in the center of the site, you can let your imagination
challenge you back to those times in the late 1700's when the decision
to remain a colony, even without representation, or independence and
thus revolution, a loose confederation of states or a stronger federal
form of government, and what would go into the Bill or Rights were
discussed in every corner between the fathers of our nation; George
Washington, Thomas Jefferson, Benjamin Franklin, Alexander Hamilton,
James Madison, John Quincy Adams, and many more. There are
dozens of historic buildings intact, most which can be visited for free.
Historic
Buildings Within Independence
National Park
- Independence
Hall (Free ticket required)
- Old
City Hall
- Congress
Hall
- Philosophical
Hall
- Second
Bank of the United States
- St.
Joseph's Church
- Deshler
Morris House
- Library
Hall
- Franklin
Court
- Carpenters'
Hall
- New
Hall
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- Pemberton
House
- Elfreth's
Alley
- Free
Quaker Meeting House
- Declaration
House
- Market
Street Houses
- Bishop
White House
- Todd
House
- 1st
Bank of the United States
- City
Tavern
- Philadelphia
Exchange
- Christ
Church & Christ Church Burial Ground (Small fee)
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Other
Buildings
Within Independence
National Park
- Independence
Visitor Center
- Liberty
Bell Center
- National
Constitution Center (Fee required)
- Gloria
Dei (Old Swedes') Church National Historic Site
Other Nearby Attractions
- United
States Mint
- Betsy
Ross House
- Edgar
Allen Poe National Historic Site
- Thaddeus
Kosciuszko
National Memorial
EDGAR & THAD NEED
A BIT MORE ATTENTION!
SOME OF THE ODD, OFF THE BEATEN PATH HISTORIC SITES
ARE UNIQUE SPOTS AS WELL. ADD A VISIT TO THOSE TWO
WHILE YOU'RE IN PHILADELPHIA.
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INDEPENDENCE
NATIONAL
HISTORIC PARK
Philadelphia
Then and Now |
| PHILADELPHIA
Then |
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Independence Hall
Known as the
Pennsylvania State House prior to independence, Independence Hall
(center building above), in which both men flanking it, Franklin and
Washington, partook in many a convention, became the cradle of liberty.
In the steeple, beginning in 1753, the Liberty Bell rang.
In May 1775, this building housed the Second Continental
Congress, which debated how to wage war against Britain, but was not
yet convinced about independence from the crown. It was not
until June 1776 that the idea of becoming a free nation rippled through
the hall, followed up only one month later by the acceptance of the
Declaration of Independence. And after years of a loose
confederation of states and the problem inherent in that arrangement,
the Constitution was hammered out here in 1787.
Carpenter's Hall
Inside this
building built by the Carpenters' Company of Philadelphia in the early
1770's, the first Continental Congress gathered to respond to the
Intolerable Acts that had been thrust upon the colonies by British
Parliament. Their response, in the Declaration of Rights and
Grievances, saw no concessions from Great Britain and King George III,
leading to the the battles of Lexington and Concord.
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| PHILADELPHIA
Now |
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Independence Hall
The signature
building of the formation of our nation, Independence Hall may no
longer hold the Liberty Bell within its steeple (picture left above,
now housed in a new pavilion just north of Independence Hall) and
requires passing through a metal detector after 9.11 security
arrangements, but it still remains the most tangible structure in which
to hear about the history of the period from 1774 to 1800.
The rooms within the Independence Hall structures hosted
Constitutional conventions, the first sessions of the Supreme Court, as
well serving as the temporary capital of the United States with the
first meetings of the U.S. House of Representatives and the U.S.
Senate. Tickets for the free guided tours of Independence
Hall must be gotten at the Independent Visitors Center two blocks north
of the regulated area. Tickets can be difficult to get in the
afternoon, so arrive early and secure your passes for later in the day.
Carpenter's Hall
This hall, now
in the middle of the most sedate section of the Independence National
Historic Park, is open to park visitors during regular hours for
independent tours.
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| Things
You Should
Not Miss |
- Even
though, after new security procedures have been put into place after
September 11, the procedure to visit these areas can be time consuming,
take the time and put up with the hassle to line up at the security
pavilion and see both the Liberty Bell and take the guided Independence Hall
tour. The tour
itself, staffed by the well informed rangers of Independence National
Historic Park, takes you into the chambers of Independence Hall, where
you will see the actual location of all this Declaration of
Independence and Constitutional history. Make sure to get
your ticket for the tour at the new Visitor's Center. It is
timed and there are only a couple hundred available per fifteen minute
time block. On a crowded day, these tickets, which are free,
will be gone by early afternoon, even for a late tour time.
Also take note, ... there are no bathrooms in the secure area
and you may be in there for up to two hours. Go before you
enter or you will have to exit the area, then pass through the metal
detectors again.
- The Lower
Park Area.
With the new Visitor Center placed north of Independence Hall on the
mall, the spectacular history of old Philadelphia beyond the secure
area may get a short stick. However, this is an area where
many of the historic buildings sit, reaching down, at the point of City
Tavern, almost to the Delaware River. If you walk here, not
only will you get a better sense of what the city was like in 1776, but
there are many places to rest and relax among mature trees.
Although it is likely an unintended consequence of moving the
center of gravity far from these buildings, don't let yourself be
oriented solely around the new Visitor Center and Independence Hall
area.
- The
Freedom's Rising Show
in
the National Constitution Center.
This new multimedia presentation with a live actor, projected
images on the walls and floor within the tiered circular Kimmel Theater
is on the opposite end of the above historic buildings and walks, but
it serves as a good reminder of the chronology of the events
surrounding the making of the constitution, plus it satisfies the
technological, video generation with a media friendly exhibit.
Tickets for this show can be bought at the Constitution
Center (north end of the mall) or at the Independence Visitor Center.
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| What
is There Now? |
- The Independence National Historic Park
Visitor Center, new within the last few years, including two films,
exhibits, visitor services for the park and other Philadelphia
attractions, a gift shop, and ticketing procedures for the Independence
Hall tour and Constitution Center. It is also the drop off
point for many of the Philadelphia based tours, including the Ducks,
the Trolley Tour, and the Double Decker bus tours.
- The new Liberty Bell Pavilion.
This now includes a long, bricked corridor with exhibits and
films on the history of the Liberty Bell, as well as the Liberty Bell
itself, sited within the alcove of a window that overlooks Independence
Hall. The Liberty Bell Pavilion is free, but is located
within the secure zone and will require entrance through the airport
style metal detector system.
- The National Constitution Center.
This large new structure not only includes the multimedia
presentation described above, but a multitude of exhibits on the
Constitution, many hands on, and Signer's Hall, with life size bronze
replicas of the original signers. There are also, at certain
times of the year, additional exhibits on a variety of subjects.
Fee required.
- All those many historic buildings,
all with
their individual stories.
Who
Visits What at
Independence?
| Park
Section |
2007
Visitors |
Park
Section |
Park Visitors
|
| Independence
Visitor Center |
2,360,243 |
Free
Quaker Meeting House |
70,191 |
| Liberty
Bell Center |
2,031,021 |
Second
Bank |
110,880 |
| National
Constitution Center |
962,256 |
Independence
Living History Center |
35,988 |
| Independence
Hall |
681,525 |
New
Hall Military Museum |
24,373 |
| Congress
Hall |
269,581 |
Edgar
Allen Poe House |
14,258 |
| West
Wing |
367,988 |
Declaration
House |
8,429 |
| Old
City Hall |
187,197 |
318
Market Street |
13,598 |
| Franklin
Court |
234,961 |
Gloria
Dei Church |
8,250 |
| City
Tavern |
136,332 |
Kosciuszko
House |
4,633 |
| Christ
Church |
166,882 |
Todd
House/Bishop White House |
2,802 |
| Carpenters
Hall |
124,424 |
Descher-Morris
House |
557 |
| Printing
Office |
98,129 |
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Source:
Independence National Historical Park
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