Independence Hall in Philadelphia
On Chestnut Street, along 5th and 6th streets, you will find the 257-year-old building once known as the Pennsylvania State House in the Province of Pennsylvania — the very spot on which the Declaration of Independence was debated and approved; it was the main place to meet for the Second Continental Congress (1775 to 1783) and the Constitution Convention (summer, 1787). For any traveler interested in American history, this spot, now a part of the Independence National Historical Park, is a priority to see.
The original home of the American Philosophical Society (originally Benjamin Franklin’s discussion group, now a society with a museum, libraries, and studies which pursue the humanities and science), Independence Hall is a Georgian-style red brick building designed by Edmund Woolley and Andrew Hamilton. If you’d like to see the building before you go, find either a hundred dollar bill or a bicentennial Kennedy half dollar. Independence Hall is depicted on the back of the bill and coin. On a U.S. two dollar bill, if you can find one, you’ll see a part of the interior of Independence Hall, the Assembly Room, which is taken from a John Trumbull painting titled, Declaration of Independence.
The building’s bell tower used to contain the famed Liberty Bell, but this was replaced by the Centennial Bell in 1876, created for the celebration of the first hundred years of the United States during the Centennial Exposition. The Liberty Bell itself is now displayed nearby in the Liberty Bell Center. In 1976, thirty-seven years ago, Queen Elizabeth II, gave to the American people a replica of the Liberty Bell, known as the Bicentennial Bell, which was made in the same foundry as the first bell.
To really explore the history and sights of Independence Hall and Philadelphia-at-large, you’ll need a few days. For that, you’ll want to go here to find the best places to stay in town. As you investigate the past, you’ll also want to try the cuisine of the 18th Century, which is available at Philadelphia’s City Tavern , a restaurant established in 1773, whose menu is based on the foods and customs of that time.