The concentration of downtown Philadelphia's historical sites are probably unmatched anywhere across the country. I was in Philly on a business trip with my boss. We had plans for an early dinner, but decided we would sneak in to see the Liberty Bell Exhibit before our reservation at Buddakan which was a few short blocks away. The exhibits, galleries and museums seem like private museums, and it is strange to think that you don't have to pay to enter any of these facilities (I guess it comes out of our taxes). There are a few movies or special exhibits that may require a modest fee, but I was able to walk right up to the Liberty Bell and get a the shot below in a manner of minutes.
The inscription reads in part,"PROCLAIM LIBERTY THROUGHOUT ALL THE LAND UNTO ALL THE INHABITANTS THEREOF". We only had a 20-30 minutes to take it all in, but one of the big takeaways (for me anyway) was that the Liberty Bell wasn't cracked during the announcement the Declaration of Independence on July 4th, 1776. That appears to be a myth or legend that I picked up some time in elementary school. The bell was actually manufactured in the UK, and came over in the mid-18th century. The bell actually cracked over a period of time, but the bell hasn't been rung since February 23, 1846 which is George Washington's birthday. On this day, the bell received it's fatal crack. The NPS suggests that it cracked over a long period of time of continual use.
Independence Hall
This is the main attraction, I didn't get to see it. It is the reason I want to go back. Independence Hall is located in Chestnut Street between 5th and 6th street. It is probably one of the most important sites in US History. The building itself is not that grand, it isn't the White House or the U.S Capitol. There are other buildings of the time that are more spectacular. Furthermore, the building is dwarfed by the cityscape that has sprung up around it. It was here that both the United States Declaration of Independence and Constitution were designed, debated and signed.
Independence Visitors Center
This building could be a shopping mall as it is immense.The Independence Visitor Center is devoted to gift shops, movie theaters, special exhibits, orientation, walking tours, cafes and WIFI! I don't think it is part of the NPS, but it is adjacent to the other parks and is a magnificent area to get oriented to the sites of downtown Philly. I'll be back here too one of these days.
This is one site that I must come back to with my family so we can get the full experience and see all of the exhibits. There is just so much to see and do. In addition to the Independence Hall sites,there is the Deshler-Morris House, the Gloria Dei Church, the Edgar Allen Poe site and the Thaddeus Kosciuszko Memorial.
