"Philadelphia and the Delaware Valley " a Philadelphia Travel Page by bct341

Ok, no matter where I go.. or where I live, I will always be from the Philadelphia area. Like any city, it has its pros and cons.

But, it has a great mixture of old and new, historic and modern, with a great past......and hopefully, a vibrant future.

Above is a picture of Philadelphia's skyline. It has changed a lot in the last 15 years. Prior to the 1980's, there was 'gentleman's agreement' that no building will be built taller than William Penn's statue on top of City Hall. There were no skycrapers like there are today. Some of the early city planners admired how paris was layed out which is why there are traffic circles on the boulevard towards the Art museum. Keeping Paris as a model, the Gentleman's agreement was meant to keep the historic perspective alive and well.

Once that agreement was broken, Philadelphia's skyline was quickly transformed into a typical modern city. Although I don't mind the "new" skyline, I have to admit I miss the Philadelphia of old which kept the historic perspective of the city and that small city feel. But, as in most cases.. change is inevitable and the skyscrapers are here to stay :)

From its inception by Swedish settlers in the 1640's, and the official founding as a city by William Penn in 1682, the streets of Philadelphia have flourished with business and bustling city activity. "The City of Brotherly Love" as it is often called, has been the scene of much important American History.

Benjamin Franklin was one of the young city's earliest and brightest stars. The young man strolled into the city with only a loaf of bread, made a fortune as a printer, and at his death was celebrated worldwide as a scientist, philosopher, inventor, statesman, and diplomat.

Philadelphia still rings loudly of its colonial influence. As the home of Independence Hall and the Liberty Bell, it is impossible to walk the streets and not feel pride in such an illustrious history; one that saw the adoption of the Declaration of Independence in 1776 and the writing of a Constitution 11 years later. In the summer, you can get a feel for the miseries the framers endured, locked in un-airconditioned rooms to keep their deliberations secret. Their suffering was richly rewarded, for they gave the new nation what has become the most farsighted, enduring, and imitated document in human history. It has survived unimaginable technological and social change, essentially unaltered.

In 1790, Philadelphia became the nation's capital, a status it retained until 1800, when the government was moved to the still uncompleted Washington, DC. Despite losing the capital, Philadelphia continued to flourish. Situated on the Delaware River, the city has always been one of the most important fresh water ports in the country. The location has supported a strong industrial and commercial life for the area. As the nation industrialized, the city became an important factor in that effort and supplied the nation with ships, iron, and locomotives. Until its recent closure, the Philadelphia Naval Yard was the nation's oldest and perhaps most distinguished for building and maintaining many of the country's most famous ships.

The 19th Century left Philadelphia with the stamp of industrialization. Gone was its polished Colonial image, replaced by factories and a new wave of immigrants. The new persona served the city well until recently, when much of the industry has moved away.

The city is turning towards tourism to fill the gap, a task to which it is well suited considering the ample historic resources and diverse attractions available.

This page will probably grow over time. I have more pictures of other cities than I do of my hometown LOL

So, I will add pictures and sections to this page. It will finally give me an excuse to take pictures around town

Besides the travel tips, I will include some pics in the travelogues. I hope that you enjoy them and they inspire you to visit Philadelphia and have a cheesesteak :)