Cradle of Liberty: 18 Interesting Facts About Philadelphia

Philadelphia — the fifth-largest city in the USA. Bright, bustling, and populous, it truly stands out among other American cities with its unique character. Founded in 1682 on the site of a small Swedish settlement that emerged almost half a century earlier, in 1636, it ranks among the oldest cities not only in its state of Pennsylvania but also in the USA as a whole. Philadelphia is often referred to as the “most historic square mile in America,” being the birthplace and the Cradle of Liberty.

Interesting facts about Philadelphia:

1. One of the unofficial names of Philadelphia is “Quakertown.” Founded by Quakers, who called themselves the “Society of Friends,” they believed that the spirit of Christianity was incompatible with social, national, and religious hostility, inequality, wars, violence, and double standards. The name of the city itself, fully corresponding to their idealistic beliefs, translates literally from Greek as “brotherly love.”
2. Independence Hall is one of the main attractions of the city and the United States as a whole. It was here in 1776 that the famous Declaration of Independence was adopted, and in 1787, the Constitution of the United States. On the territory of this historic complex, the main symbol of independence is exhibited for public viewing today—the Liberty Bell, which first informed the residents of Philadelphia on July 8, 1776, about America’s independence.
3. Philadelphia was the first capital of the “united colonies,” acquiring this status back in 1775.
4. In Philadelphia, within the walls of the famous Congress Hall, the “Bill of Rights” was created, becoming the first official document defining the legal status of an American citizen; here, the first organized protests against slavery took place in the USA.
5. Despite its population of over one and a half million people, Philadelphia is a multinational city with a large number of ethnic communities. Its Anglo-Saxon origin is evident to this day. Mark Twain once wrote: “In Boston they ask, ‘What does he know?’ In New York, ‘How much is he worth?’ In Philadelphia, ‘Who were his parents?'”
6. Benjamin Franklin, the founding father of American statehood, lived in Philadelphia.
7. In 1920, the country’s first Thanksgiving Day parade took place here.
8. Philadelphia is one of America’s first planned cities. Only streets running from east to west have names. Streets leading from north to south are numbered, except for two—Broad Street and Front Street.
9. The world’s first computer, weighing over 12 kilograms and surpassing all other computing devices of that time in speed, was created in Philadelphia in 1946.
10. The Philadelphia Zoo is the first zoo in the USA. Its official opening date is considered to be July 1, 1874, although construction began much earlier, in 1859.
11. Until 1908, the city’s municipal building was the tallest among similar structures in the world. The height of City Hall is 167 meters, an absolute world record for stone buildings without a metal frame. At the top is a statue of William Penn, the founder of Philadelphia and the entire state of Pennsylvania. This historical and architectural monument rightfully belongs to the list of the 150 most beautiful buildings in America according to the American Institute of Architects.
12. According to the city’s charter adopted in 1701, the mayor of the city was elected annually by the City Council from among its members. Since the mayor worked absolutely for free, many refused this honorary position, preferring to pay a fairly large fine. It was only almost fifty years later, from 1747, that mayors began to receive a salary.
13. Philadelphia is home to the oldest botanical garden in North America. Bartram’s Garden, occupying over 18 hectares, is rightfully considered a national pride of Philadelphia.
14. The first stock exchange in the USA was opened in this city.
15. It is believed that the world’s scariest museum is located in Philadelphia – the Mutter Museum of Medical History. It is a unique exposition of pathologies, a large number of the most unusual biological exhibits, and ancient medical instruments.
16. The first American flag was sewn by a resident of Philadelphia, Betsy Ross, whose house now hosts a museum that is extremely popular with numerous visitors to the city.
17. The expression “Black Friday,” when stores break sales records thanks to huge discounts, was coined by Philadelphia police officers in the 1960s. The volume and complexity of their work on this day are simply off the charts due to the large crowds and huge traffic jams on the roads.
18. There are many other interesting and simply amusing things you can hear about this wonderful city. It lives its own life, remaining just as young and energetic as it was many years ago when the first Quakers enthusiastically built their modest homes here in hopes of the happiness, prosperity, and freedom of this country, which became their second homeland.