This is the first of our park visits that we did without kids involved. We will hopefully be back here in the future with them, as there’s a lot that they should see here. Why did we come without kids? Well, the long and short of it is that Tiffany planned a surprise trip for my upcoming 40th birthday. For those who are friends with me on Facebook, you’ve seen all the Amazing Race and National Treasure things she did as the trip revealed itself.
We had a full three days in Philadelphia, and a lot of what we did involved visiting places at Independence National Historical Park, which tells the story of how our country gained independence from Britain. We both realized there’s so much about the founding of our country that we need to learn. (One quick fact: Though the Declaration was signed in Philly, the British still occupied Philly from 1777-1778.)
The park includes places you’re probably familiar with, most notably the Independence Hall and the Liberty Bell. To back up just a little bit, it is worth pointing out that these two originally were just the Pennsylvania State House and the PA State House Bell. The state house then became where important events like the signing of the Declaration of Independence happened, and thus in the 1820s, people began referring to it as Independence Hall. Within the next decade, those who wanted to abolish slavery began referring to the bell as the Liberty Bell (the word liberty being inscribed on the bell itself in a verse from Leviticus).
We had a great time learning more about Benjamin Franklin at the museum dedicated to him. If you want to get another unique memento, buy a postcard with a Benjamin Franklin quote on it at the museum gift store, then go to the functioning post office on the other side of the courtyard and send it home. They have a special hand-cancellation stamp with his signature on it. There is also a wonderful printing press demonstration next door (where you can purchase quotes that they print there).
While in town, we also visited two affiliated areas of the NPS: the Benjamin Franklin National Memorial and Gloria Dei Church National Historic Site.
The Benjamin Franklin National Memorial is located in the rotunda of the Franklin Institute. Inside is a large statue of Franklin and a small display around. The rest of the institute is a science museum that apparently every child in Philadelphia is at (and contrary to National Treasure, it is not the home of the Silence Dogood letters).
Gloria Dei Church NHS is home to the Gloria Dei, or Old Swedes’, Church. It originally was a church for the Swedish immigrants who came over. (The area was called New Sweden for a time.) It is the oldest church in PA, the present building being constructed between 1698-1700. Some of the artifacts inside potentially come from the previous building when this second building was built.
As an aside, there’s a possibility that my 9x great-grandfather was a member at the original building. This ancestor of mine was of Dutch heritage, and his wife was a Finn. (The Finns came with the Swedes, and the Dutch took over the land to form part of New Netherland.) Regardless, this ancestor–Hendrick Jacobs Falkenberg–was an interpreter between the Lenape and the Europeans. Kind of cool that one of my ancestors made language part of his profession just like me, and even cooler that he would have been working in this same area.
We did a lot of other things around Philly. There’s enough to do to fill up several days. Check out these places if you go: Betsy Ross House (small museum, but an interesting look at flag creation), Museum of the American Revolution (very overwhelming in the amount of information, but check out the movies/shows), and the United States Mint (free tours, super interesting).
So, it’s now off to learn more about our country’s founding and how we continue that struggle towards a more perfect union.
Beavers in the Park 