And more news from Garth Lax, this time regarding all the great sites to see in the historic city:
| 2011 INTERNATIONAL PAPER DOLL CONVENTION LET FREEDOM RING ! Email # 3 IN THE FOOTSTEPS OF BENJAMIN FRANKLIN #1 234 Years ago a group of 56 British Colonists gathered in Philadelphia in the State House of the Province of Pennsylvania, and from that gathering emerged the Declaration of Independence. In 1787, delegates gathered there to write the Constitution of the United States Today, the area in which they walked is known as the "old city", and you can still tour the original buildings, see the chambers, and stroll the streets that saw so much of the early history of the United States. Before you come to Philadelphia, rent a copy of the movie, "1776", or in the U.S. just watch for it on television right around July 4. It's an historical musical, very entertaining, and set in the "Old City" of Philadelphia. You'll watch the recreation of events in the legislative chambers of Independence Hall, and see many of the buildings that we'll mention in this email and the next one. You'll "meet" many of the people who met in Philadelphia in 1776 - - an entertaining Benjamin Franklin, an exceptionally well-played John Adams, a young Thomas Jefferson, John Hancock, and many more. "1776" will make the "Old City" more alive and your visit much more meaningful. Let's get started. INDEPENDENCE VISITOR CENTER The Visitor Center, at the corner of 6th and Market Streets, is the point at which you should begin. You can view the 28 minute film, "Independence"; visit touch screen computer kiosks; pick up maps and other literature; and have any questions answered by Park Rangers. However, the main reason is that this is where you'll get your free timed ticket to visit Independence Hall. You must have a ticket to enter Independence Hall. You'll pick up your ticket on the day of your visit starting at 8:30 a.m. Arrive early — during the busy season, tickets often are gone by 1 p.m. To guarantee a ticket and to avoid waiting in the walk-up ticket line, consider purchasing timed tickets ($1.50 each) in advance, either by phone or online through the National Park Reservation system. You may call toll free at: 1-877-444-6777 from 10AM to 10 PM Eastern Time or you nay use the website at http://recreation.gov . While tickets to Independence Hall are free, the reservation fee is $1.50 per ticket. You must claim them (using reservation number and valid identification) at least 60 minutes before the tour on the day of your visit. The "Will Call" section is to the left at the desk. You do not need to wait in the walk-up ticket line. THE LIBERTY BELL The famous bell was commissioned from the London firm of Lester and Pack (today the Whitechapel Bell Foundry) in 1752, and was cast with the lettering (part of Leviticus 25:10) "Proclaim LIBERTY throughout all the land unto all the inhabitants thereof." It originally cracked when first rung after arrival in Philadelphia, and was twice recast by Pass and Stow, whose last names appear on the bell. It acquired its distinctive large crack sometime in the early 19th century—the conventional story claims that it cracked while ringing after the death of Chief Justice John Marshall in 1835. Originally, the Bell was mounted in the steeple of what today is Independence Hall. For a time (1950s to 1970s), the bell hung on its yoke in the Tower Room of Independence Hall, where it was visited (and touched) by millions, to the point at which portions of the lip had the patina worn away to expose the original copper and tin alloy. Today, the 2080 pound (940 kg) bell is housed in its own pavilion across the street from Independence Hall. It's Free. To get there, as you leave the Visitor Center, walk south, cross Market Street, and head for the metal and glass building in the middle of the block between 5th and 6th Streets - - the security screening center. It's a bit like airport security - - place all metal objects in your purse or camera bag, remove your belt. The security line sometimes is long, so check your timed Independence Hall ticket, and allow about 45-60 minutes to go through security, visit the Liberty Bell Center, and go on to Independence Hall. (If time does not allow, then go to Independence Hall and come back to the Liberty Bell later.) Liberty Bell Center is open from 9 AM to 5 PM. INDEPENDENCE HALL Independence Hall, the centerpiece of Independence National Historic Park, is located on Chestnut Street between 5th and 6th Streets. The lovely building in the Georgian style, was built between 1732 and 1753, and served as the Pennsylvania State House. This is the building in which the Declaration of Independence and the US Constitution were vigorously debated and adopted. The guided tour of Independence Hall, led by National Park Rangers, begins in the courtroom where lawyers from opposing sides shared tables and law books. George Washington’s “rising sun” chair dominates the Assembly Room which is arranged as it was during the Constitutional Convention. In the adjacent West Wing, the original inkstand used to sign he Declaration of Independence and an original draft of the Constitution are displayed. The Assembly Room in which the Declaration was adopted is pictured on the reverse of the US $2 bill from the painting by John Trumbull. Independence Hall is open 365 days a year. Hours vary by season. Following your tour, you'll exit Independence Hall by the front door that faces south. Now, make a quick right and walk to the next building, Congress Hall.
US SUPREME COURT CHAMBERS From 1790 to 1800, the US Supreme Court met in Philadelphia's Old City Hall, a 2 1/2 story red brick building just to the east of Independence Hall. The building is nearly a copy of Congress Hall, but a bit less elegant. Guided tours are conducted several times a day. Entry is free, but restricted to the guided tours. The next building that you'll come to is Philosophical Hall. PHILOSOPHICAL HALL The Hall, constructed between 1785 and 1789, was the central meeting place for members of the American Philosophical Society. The Society was founded by Benjamin Franklin in 1743, and its members included George Washington, John Adams, Thomas Jefferson, Alexander Hamilton, as well as doctors, lawyers, merchants, clergymen, and artisans. The building is open to the public and contains very interesting exhibits. The current exhibition, "Of Elephants and Roses; Encounters with French Natural History, 1790-1830" has a somewhat off-putting title. However, imagine yourself in Paris 200 years ago. You could have seen the Empress Josephine’s famous black swan, a mastodon tooth sent by Thomas Jefferson to the Paris Museum of Natural History, and original watercolors by Pierre-Joseph Redouté, known as the “Raphael of flowers.” These are among the objects that will be on view in this sumptuous exhibition about the science and art of French natural history from the 1789 Revolution to the July Monarchy of 1830 - - an era when Paris was the center of life sciences in the Western world, and Philadelphia, the center of science in North America. Philosophical Hall is open 10 a.m.- 4 p.m. Thursday-Sunday (on Fridays, it's open until 8 PM) A $1.00 donation is requested. When you exit Philosophical Hall, make a left and walk back toward Chestnut Street. Turn right on Chestnut Street and walk about halfway down the block to the Second Bank of the United States. SECOND BANK OF THE US PORTRAIT GALLERY At the corner of 4th and Chestnut Streets, three blocks east of Independence Hall is a beautiful Greek Revival Building, one of the finest in the U.S., that was built to house the Second Bank of the United States. With its eight Doric columns, crowned by an entablature containing a frieze and simple triangular pediment that spans the width of the structure, the building appears much as an ancient Greek temple The building has had many uses since the bank closed in 1841. Today, it serves as an art gallery, housing a large and famous collection of portraits of prominent early Americans painted by Charles Wilson Peale and many others. The structure is open daily free of charge. I'll be back in two weeks with In the Footsteps of Benjamin Franklin #2. - - Garth
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