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The city of Philadelphia is the largest city in Pennsylvania and the fifth most populous city in the United States[1]. It is colloquially referred to as Philly, and known as The City of Brotherly Love (from Greek: Φιλαδέλφεια, /fi.la.ˈdɛl.fɛj.a/, "brotherly love" from philos "loving" and adelphos "brother"). The 2005 U.S. Census estimated population of the city proper is 1,463,281.[2] Philadelphia is a major commercial, educational, and cultural center for the nation.
During part of the 18th century, the city was the first capital and most populous city of the United States. At that time, it eclipsed Boston and New York City in political and social importance, with Benjamin Franklin taking a large role in Philadelphia's rise. The city was the geographic center of the 18th century thinking and activity that gave birth to the American Revolution and subsequent American democracy and independence.
HistoryColonialBefore Europeans arrived, the Delaware (Lenape) Indian settlement of Shackamaxon was located along the Delaware River. Although the area lay within the bounds described in the 1632 Charter of Maryland, the Calvert family's influence never reached this far north, and the first European settlers were Swedes (see New Sweden), who called it Wiccacoa, and thirteen families from Krefeld, Germany, who settled in Germantown in 1683. A congregation was formed in 1646 on Tinicum Island by Swedish missionary Johannes Campanius; in 1700, the group built Gloria Dei Church, also known as Old Swedes'. Philadelphia is one of the earliest examples of a planned city. Its rectilinear grid of streets—now a commonplace feature of urban planning—was its most noteworthy innovation. The city was founded and developed in 1682 by William Penn, a Quaker. The city's name means "brotherly love" in Greek (Φιλαδέλφεια). Penn hoped that the city, as the capital of his new colony founded on principles of freedom and religious tolerance, would be a model of this philosophy. During early immigration by Quakers and others, some "first purchasers" who got title to land in the city also received farmland outside the city. One of the notable features of Penn's plan for the city was the creation of five large squares, to provide open space for the city's residents. Penn described his city as a "Greene Countrie Town," highlighting its difference from densely-built cities like London. Most of the city's construction was brick or stone to prevent fires, like the great fire of 1666 that devastated London when William Penn resided there.
American RevolutionImage:Us declaration independence.jpg United States Declaration of Independence Philadelphia was a major center of the independence movement during the American Revolutionary War. The Declaration of Independence and US Constitution were drafted here and signed in the city's Independence Hall. Tun Tavern in the city is traditionally regarded as the location where, in 1775, the United States Marine Corps was founded. During the American Revolutionary War Philadelphia's population was split between Loyalists and Patriots. When the British Army took the city in 1777 many Loyalists lined the streets and sang 'God Save the King'. Upon the retaking of the city for the American cause in 1778 it was the turn of the Patriot population to line the streets in celebration, especially as the population had suffered through a bitter winter with many of the provisions going to the British Army. The British left a mess, says historian Allan Nevins:
About 3000 Loyalists fled with the British; 45 Loyalists who remained behind were put on trial for treason for consorting with the enemy in wartime. Two were convicted, and hanged. For a time in the 18th century, Philadelphia was the largest city in the Americas north of Mexico City, and the fourth largest under the rule of the British crown (after London, Bristol, and Dublin). In 1790, as the result of a compromise between a number of Southern congressmen and Alexander Hamilton, then Secretary of the Treasury, the seat of the United States Government was moved from Federal Hall in New York to Congress Hall in Philadelphia, before assuming its current site in Washington, DC. In exchange for locating a permanent capital on the banks of the Potomac, the congressmen agreed to support Hamilton's financial proposals. Philadelphia served as capital for a decade, until 1800, when the Capitol building in the new federal city of Washington, DC was opened. 19th century expansionImage:Karte Philadelphia Pennsylvania MKL1888.png 1888 German map of Philadelphia. The two most prominent streets are Broad (north-south) and Market (east-west). Two rivers, for a time, bounded the city: to the west, the Schuylkill, and to the east, the Delaware, separating Pennsylvania from New Jersey. An early railroad center, Philadelphia was the original home of the Baldwin Locomotive Works, the world's largest builder of steam locomotives (which eventually relocated to nearby Eddystone, Pennsylvania). The Pennsylvania Railroad, once America's largest railroad by revenue and traffic volume and at one time the largest public corporation in the world, was headquartered in the city, as was its merger successor, the Penn Central, and in turn its freight railroad successor, Conrail. The city was also a major center for the production of textiles, garments, carpets, lace, and hats. A large port, it remained one of the nation's centers for shipbuilding. In 1876 Philadelphia hosted the Centennial Exposition to mark the one-hundredth anniversary of the independence of the United States. Memorial Hall and the expansive mall in front of it are remnants of this fair. The wealth of nineteenth century Philadelphia made it a center for technological and architectural innovation. Among the city's prominent architects were Thomas U. Walter and Frank Furness. The 20th CenturyIn 1926, the city held the Sesquicentennial Exposition to celebrate the nation's 150th birthday. The city underwent a major expansion in the years around the Susquicentennial, including the development of housing in large sections of the city, particularly upper North Philadelphia, the lower Northeast section of the city, and parts of Germantown and the Northwest. During the post-World War II years, the city began to fall victim to many of the trends experienced by older, east coast cities at the time, including suburbanization and white flight. The city's core industries, especially textile and garment manufacturing, began an exodus to other regions, especially the Piedmont South and the Caribbean. The advent of containerized shipping significantly reduced traffic to Philadelphia's port. And the decline of the railroads, with the advent of the automobile and commercial trucking, affected Philadelphia's most important business enterprise. Mitigating the effects of decentralization were an ambitious "industrial renewal" program beginning in the 1950s that retained and attracted many manufacturing firms, especially to sections of the city's northeastern section. Like many major cities in the United States, Philadelphia has a long history of racial and ethnic conflict. In the 1830s and 1840s, clashes between Catholics and non-Catholics led to riots, resulting in several deaths in Kensington and parts of Center City. In 1964, the area around West Columbia Avenue in North Philadelphia exploded in riot. In 1985 Philadelphia police dropped a satchel charge on the roof of a house, via helicopter, in the Cobbs Creek section of West Philadelphia in order to combat a radical group known as MOVE. The fire consumed 62 area homes and left 11 dead.[2][3] During the 1990s Philadelphia's downtown area, known as Center City, was greatly redeveloped with new commercial and residential development. Many areas of the city have experienced gentrification, including Society Hill, Old City, Manayunk, West Philadelphia's University City district, Northern Liberties, Fishtown, Fairmount, Brewerytown, Francisville, and Lower Kensington. Despite this progress, however, many areas remain in poverty. GeographyTopographyImage:Large Philadelphia Landsat.jpg A simulated-color satellite image of Philadelphia taken on NASA's Landsat 7 satellite. The Delaware River is visible in this shot. According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of 369.4 km² (142.6 mi²). 349.9 km² (135.1 mi²) of it is land and 19.6 km² (7.6 mi²) of it (5.29%) is water. Bodies of water include the Delaware River, Schuylkill River, Cobbs Creek, Wissahickon Creek, and Pennypack Creek. The lowest point in the city lies 10 feet above sea level near Fort Mifflin in Southwest Philadelphia at the convergence of the Delaware and Schuylkill Rivers. The highest point is in Chestnut Hill, at 432 feet above sea level, near Evergreen Place, just north and west of Evergreen Avenue. The counties adjacent to Philadelphia are Montgomery County to the north; Bucks County to the northeast; Burlington County, New Jersey to the east; Camden County, New Jersey to the southeast; Gloucester County, New Jersey to the south; and Delaware County to the west. ClimatePhiladelphia's climate falls in the humid subtropical climate zone, although it is perhaps the northernmost city in the United States that meets this classification. Because Philadelphia is on the far northern end of this climate zone, some of its outlying suburbs, especially to the north and west, are considered to fall in the humid continental zone. Summers are typically hot and muggy, fall and spring are generally mild, and winter is cold, although infrequently very cold. Precipitation is almost uniformly distributed throughout the year[5]. January lows average 23 °F (-5 °C) and highs average 38 °F (3 °C). The lowest officially recorded temperature was -11 °F (-24 °C) on February 9, 1934[6], but temperatures below 14 °F (-10 °C) are not common. July lows average 67 °F (20 °C) and highs average 86° F (30 °C)[7], although heat waves see highs above 95 °F (35 °C) with the heat index running as high as 110 °F (43 °C). The highest temperature on record was 106 °F (41 °C) on August 7 1918[8]. Early fall and late winter are generally driest, with February being the driest month with only 2.74 in (69.8 mm) of average precipitation. Snowfall is variable, with some winters bringing light snow and others bringing many significant snowstorms. It is common for the heavier snowfall to occur north and west of the city, where the climate is slightly colder. The average annual snowfall is 21 in (534 mm). Rainfall is generally spread throughout the year, with eight to eleven wet days per month,[9] at an average annual rate of 42 in (1068 mm).
CityscapeArchitectureImage:Phila.jpg Philadelphia's architectural history dates back to Colonial times and has included a wide range of styles, sometimes showcased within a range of several blocks. Most of the city's historic landmarks are in Old City and the Historical District in the Society Hill neighborhood east of Center City, including Independence National Historical Park, home of Independence Hall and the Liberty Bell. For almost a century, Philadelphia's most visible structure was its baroque City Hall building and William Penn tower. Begun in 1871, City Hall took 30 years to complete and is the tallest masonry load-bearing structure in the world at 548 feet, including the statue of William Penn at its crown.[11] Since the 1980s, modern skyscrapers have been erected west of City Hall eclipsing Penn's statue. As of 2006, the tallest structures are One and Two Liberty Place. In 2007, the Comcast Center, upon its expected completion, will become the tallest building in Philadelphia. Currently, thirteen skyrises, residential and commercial, are under construction, six have begun prep work, and seventeen are still in planning. Also nine skyrises are currently under renovation, and seven more are still in planning. Many of these projects will include multiple skyrises, adding to the number of actual buildings. Another seven cultural and commercial projects have begun, which consist of a slot facility, turning the Philadelphia Naval Yard into a suburban style business park with urban amenities, new parks, educational towers, state of the art schools, and others. Another ten are in planning.[citation needed] Most of the city's residential neighborhoods are rowhouse communities, noted for streets lined with attached, single-family homes. Newer duplexes and single homes, as well as some older mansions and estates, are more common in the city's outskirts. Penn's surveyor, Thomas Holme, laid out the city in a strict grid, with streets running either north-south or east-west. The north-south streets are numbered in ascending order from Front (instead of First), along the Delaware River, with the main north-south thoroughfare, Broad Street (instead of 14th) running midway between the two rivers. The east-west streets, many of them named for trees, e.g., Chestnut, Walnut, Locust, and Spruce parallel the main thoroughfare named High Street by Penn, but called Market Street since at least the early 18th century. Six blocks south of Market is South Street, the original southern boundary of the city. Vine Street, three blocks north of Market, was the original northern boundary. Image:Phila8thMarket.jpg 8th and Market Street, showing the Strawbridge and Clothier department store, 1910s. Image:Philly 047.jpg 5th and Market Street, today. Visible in this photo are the studios of KYW-TV (left) and the Bourse building. Holme also planned five public parks, one at the intersection of High and Broad Streets in the very center of the city, now occupied by City Hall, and four others surrounding it now called Washington Square, Rittenhouse Square, Logan Square and Franklin Square. The eastern edge of Rittenhouse Square is on 18th St., four blocks west of City Hall, while the western edge of Washington Square is between 7th and 8th, about six and a half blocks east of City Hall. Both are the same distance south of City Hall. Both Logan Square and Franklin Square are located the same distances east and west of City Hall as Washington and Rittenhouse and two to three blocks north of Market Street, reflecting the southern squares. Fairmount Park is one of the largest municipal public parks in the world, at over 9,100 acres (37 km²). This figure includes all parkland within the city limits, as all 65 city parks are considered part of Fairmount Park and overseen by the Fairmount Park Commission, but the park proper, which runs north/south through the city, does occupy nearly half that area, at over 4,100 acres (17 km²) on both banks of the Schuylkill River and Wissahickon Creek. Philadelphia's streetscape is dominated by rowhouses, attached brick dwellings whose affordability contributed to unusually high rates of homeownership in the city. Between the 1860s and 1920s, middle-class residential developments followed the city's streetcar lines to the north and west. Outlying sections of the city, especially Overbrook Farms, Germantown, Mount Airy, and Chestnut Hill, grew along commuter rail lines and were home to some of the city's grandest late nineteenth and early twentieth century homes, most constructed out of the local gray stone, Wissahickon schist. The post-World War II era witnessed further changes in Philadelphia's landscape. Large-scale housing developments--mostly row houses and twins (double attached houses) --filled former farmland in vast sections of Northeast Philadelphia. Strip malls and shopping centers, many with a suburban appearance, served residents of this vast section of the city. By 1970, most of the remaining undeveloped land in the city's northeast, northwest, and southwest sections had been developed. At the same time, however, many of the older sections of the city, particularly in North and West Philadelphia steadily lost population.[citation needed] Beginning in the 1950s, Philadelphia's City Planning Commission put most of its energy into downtown redevelopment. Under the leadership of Edmund N. Bacon, the commission organized a master plan for the city, creating a variety of special planning, redevelopment, development districts and areas to coordinate their efforts. Projects that were headed by the new master plan were major redevelopment of Center City, including the Penn Center Area (replacing an immense, elevated railroad connector, locally known as the "Chinese Wall," located north of Market and West of Broad), Market East and Penn's Landing; new development and expansion in University City (focused mainly on the University of Pennsylvania); as well as the opening up of development on the fringes of the city, the Far Northeast and South Philadelphia Sports Complex. The most prominent redevelopment efforts in the postwar years involved the creation of Independence National Park and the renewal of the nearby Society Hill district. Beginning in the late 1940s, many Victorian banks and warehouses south of Franklin Square were bulldozed for the construction of Independence Mall. By the late 1950s, with federal urban renewal funds, historic preservationists and developers began to rehabilitate eighteenth-century houses. In the 1960s, Society Hill was transformed by the demolition of the large Dock Street Market and the construction of modern apartments and infill rowhouses. One of the enduring innovations of the redevelopment period was the creation of a group of small, semi-enclosed parks in the Society Hill residential area, connected by brick footpaths. City redevelopment efforts also targeted transportation. The Schuylkill Expressway (I-76) was constructed mainly on land in Fairmount Park, connecting Philadelphia with its western suburbs. The Delaware Expressway (I-95) was not completed until the 1970s, in part because of opposition to it in adjoining riverfront neighborhoods. Delaware Expressway (I-95), and improvements to the Schuylkill Expressway. A proposed crosstown South Street expressway met with fierce opposition from residents of surrounding neighborhoods and was never built. In its place was the Vine Street Expressway, just north of Center City, which was completed in the 1980s. Public transit also benefitted from the construction of the Center City Rail Connector.[citation needed] Revelopment continued apace in the 1970s. Along Market Street, which Bacon had envisioned as a modern commercial district, the city used federal urban redevelopment funds to construct one of the nation's earliest enclosed downtown shopping malls, The Gallery at Market East, in partnership with developer Willard Rouse. In 1976, Philadelphia was one of the participating cities in the United States Bicentennial observances that took place nationwide, spurring a further wave of historic renovation in the central city. Until 1990, there was an unofficial building height limitation in Philadelphia so that no building would be taller than the shoes of the William Penn statue atop City Hall.[12][13] Neighborhoods
Philadelphia has many neighborhoods, each of which has its own identity. Many of these neighborhoods coincide with the borough, townships, and other communities that made up Philadelphia County before their absorption by the city. Common in other American cities, many of these neighborhoods also became identified with specific ethnic groups or classes.
CulturePhiladelphia has become notable in various arts and in culture. Philadelphia has had a prominent role in music including a Philadelphia own sound known as Philadelphia soul. On July 13 1985, Philadelphia hosted the American end of the Live Aid concert at JFK Stadium. On July 2 2005, Bob Geldof, who organized the Live Aid concert, chose Philadelphia as the American host of his huge Live 8 concert. This time the show was held as a free concert on the Ben Franklin Parkway, where over 800,000 people showed up for the global supershow. The city is home to many art galleries, many of which participate in the First Friday event. The first Friday of every month galleries in Old City are open late and for free. Annual events include film festivals and parades, the most famous being New Year's Day Mummers Parade. In cuisine the city is well known for its hoagies, soft pretzels, water ice, and is home to the cheesesteak. TourismPhiladelphia contains many national historical sites that relate to the founding of the United States. Independence National Historical Park is the center of these historical landmarks. Independence Hall, where the Declaration of Independence was signed, and the Liberty Bell are the city's most famous attractions. Other historic sites include homes for Edgar Allan Poe and Betsy Ross and early government buildings like the First and Second Banks of the United States.[14] The city contains many museums such as the Pennsylvania Academy of the Fine Arts and the Rodin Museum, the largest collection of work by Auguste Rodin outside of France. The city’s major art museum, the Philadelphia Museum of Art, is one of the largest art museums in the United States and features the steps made popular by the film Rocky.[15] Philadelphia's major science museums include the Franklin Institute, which contains the Benjamin Franklin National Memorial, the Academy of Natural Sciences, and the University of Pennsylvania Museum of Archaeology and Anthropology. History museums include the National Constitution Center, the Atwater-Kent Museum of Philadelphia History, the National Museum of American Jewish History, the Historical Society of Pennsylvania, and Eastern State Penitentiary. Philadelphia is home to the United States' first zoo and hospital. Areas such as South Street and Old City have a vibrant night life. The Avenue of the Arts in Center City contains many restaurants and theaters, such as the Kimmel Center for the Performing Arts which is home to the Philadelphia Orchestra and the Academy of Music, the nation's oldest continually operating venue, home to the Philadelphia Opera.[15] Shopping
Philadelphia has a strong retail community reflected by both small scale local selections and large malls. Center City is home to The Gallery at Market East, one of the largest downtown shopping centers in the country[citation needed], The Shops at Liberty Place and The Shops at the Bellevue, upscale boutique malls, and The Philadelphia Bourse, which orients its offerings towards tourists and visitors. Rittenhouse Row, a section of Walnut Street in Center City, is home to some of the most high end stores and boutiques in the region. Old City and Society Hill, as well, feature upscale boutiques and retailers from local and international merchandisers. It also has several neighborhood shopping districts, most notably Manayunk and Chestnut Hill. Philadelphia has many farmers' markets. The Italian Market in South Philadelphia offers a wide assortment of groceries, meats, cheeses and housewares from a diverse array of countries in addition to its Italian flavor. Geno's and Pat's, two famed cheesesteak outlets, are located here. The Reading Terminal Market in Center City includes dozens of restaurants, farm stalls, and shops, many run by Amish farmers from Lancaster County. There are also neighborhood farmers' markets throughout the city. The Philadelphia metropolitan area also feature shopping malls and outlets. Most notably, the King of Prussia Mall, the second largest mall in the US[16], is thirty minutes away from Center City. Outlet malls, such as Franklin Mills and Lancaster Outlets, are also nearby. MediaPhiladelphia's two major daily newspapers are The Philadelphia Inquirer and the Philadelphia Daily News, both of which are owned by Philadelphia Media Holdings L.L.C. The Philadelphia Inquirer, founded in 1829, is the third-oldest surviving daily newspaper in the United States.[17] The first experimental radio license was issued in Philadelphia in August, 1912 to St. Joseph's College. The first commercial radio stations appeared in 1922. WIP, then owned by Gimbel's department store, became the first on March 17. Also launched that year were WFIL, WOO, WCAU and WDAS.[18] The highest rated stations in Philadelphia today include soft rock WBEB, KYW Newsradio, and urban adult contemporary WDAS-FM. During the 1930s, the experimental station W3XE, which was owned by Philco Corp, became the first television station in Philadelphia. The station, which would later become KYW-TV (CBS), became NBC's first affiliate in 1939. By the 1970s WCAU-TV, WPVI-TV, WHYY-TV, WPHL-TV, and WTXF-TV were founded.[18] In 1952 WFIL (now WPVI), premiered the television show Bandstand, which later became the nationally broadcast show American Bandstand hosted by Dick Clark.[19] Philadelphia has a competitive rock radio market, especially between WMMR and WYSP, which both specialize in playing modern and classic rock. The two stations enjoy a very intense rivalry with each station's listeners being faithfully loyal to their favorite station in most cases. WMMR now plays more music since WYSP has become FREE FM and airs talk shows from 6am - 7pm on weekdays including the syndicated Opie and Anthony morning show, and is also the Philadelphia Eagles flagship station. WYSP was also the former home of the Howard Stern morning show. Philadelphia's four urban stations (WUSL ("Power 99"), WPHI ("100.3 The Beat"), WDAS and WRNB) are popular choices on the FM dial. WJJZ is the city's smooth jazz station. When WJJZ was discontinued in August 2006, it caused an uproar among listeners, but it was revived three months later, under new ownership (Greater Media) and with a new frequency (97.5). The former WJJZ is now WISX, "Philly's 106.1". Sports
Philadelphia has a long history of professional sports teams, and is one of thirteen United States cities to have all four major sports. Specifically, Philadelphia is home to the Philadelphia Eagles of the National Football League, the Philadelphia Flyers of the National Hockey League, the Philadelphia Phillies in the National League of Major League Baseball, and the Philadelphia 76ers in the National Basketball Association. The last major professional sport team to win a championship was the 76ers, which won the NBA Championship in 1983. The failure of Philadelphia's major professional sports teams to win championships since that date is sometimes attributed, in jest, to the so-called "Curse of Billy Penn". Philadelphia also is home to professional, semi-professional and elite amateur teams in other sports. Philadelphia also hosts major amateur sporting events, including the Penn Relays, Stotesbury Cup, Philadelphia Marathon, and Philadelphia International Championship bicycle race. EconomyImage:Comcast center feb07.JPG Comcast Center, Philadelphia's newest office building, under construction Philadelphia's economy is heavily based upon manufacturing, refining, food, and financial services. The city also has its own stock exchange. The city is home to many major Fortune 500 companies, including cable television and internet provider Comcast, insurance companies CIGNA and Lincoln Financial Group, energy company Sunoco, food services company Aramark, Crown Holdings Incorporated, chemical makers Rohm and Haas Company and | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
