Philadelphia, the City of Brotherly Love

The name Philadelphia, which means brotherly love, is an ancient name found in the book of Revelations in the New Testament.  William Penn, the founder of Philadelphia, used the name because it's meaning represented his philosophies and aspirations for his city.  William Penn was a devout follower of the Quaker religion.

Courtroom in Independence Hall

The Liberty Bell

We drove into the city on Friday, the 17th of September. This date, coincidentally, is the date the U.S. Constitution was signed in 1787.  We had our maps and our GPS and were confident that we could find the historical section of Philadelphia.  We did, after driving down Market Street, which it turns out, is one of the most depressed parts of town.  We parked in an all day parking lot and set out for the Visitor Center.  We were able to get tickets for the tour of Independence Hall, which was formerly called the Pennsylvania State House.  After a delicious Philly Cheese Steak sandwich for lunch, we headed over there.  This is the birthplace of the United States.  It is where the Declaration of Independence and the U.S. Constitution were debated and adopted by the likes of John Adams, Thomas Jefferson, George Washington, Benjamin Franklin and many others.  It is made up of two large wings.  One is Congress Hall and the other is the Supreme Court Chamber.  It was quite a moving experience to stand in the room where these documents were debated and signed by the leaders of our country.  We were also able to see the Liberty Bell.  This is something I have always wanted to see.  According to the National Park Service brochure, the bell has become an icon of freedom and the crack is a reminder that liberty is imperfect.  I can't describe the feeling one gets just standing in front of these monuments.

We also hoped to see the graves of Benjamin
Franklin and other signers of the Declaration of Independence.  They are buried in the Christ Church Burial Ground, but it cost $2.00 to get in and they were selling souvenirs inside the cemetery!  We refused to go in on principle.

Traffic in Philly

Log Hut at Valley Forge

George Washington's headquarters

On our way back to our campground, we visited Valley Forge National Historical Park.  This is where George Washington groomed his Continental Army into a fighting force in the winter of 1777-78.  No battles were fought there, but over 2,000 soldiers died due to hunger, disease and extreme weather conditions.  The soldiers lived in little log huts, twelve men to a hut.  George Washington stayed at the home of a man named Isaac Potts.  I guess rank had it's privileges even back then.  The severe conditions did make those that survived into a more professional force according to the brochure.  The area has been preserved and recreated very realistically.  The trenches the soldiers were in are still there.  The log huts are recreated, but very authentic.  The peacefulness of the area was quite refreshing after the craziness of Philadelphia.

The cannons at Valley Forge

We enjoyed our day in Philadelphia.  There is so much there we didn't see.  It might be worth another trip in the future.  We left for New York on Saturday the 18th and will have a tour of NYC on Sunday, the 19th.  On to the Big Apple.  Cheers!