This week, our U.S. National Parks journey takes us to the eastern city of Philadelphia, an important place in American history.
Philadelphia sits along the Delaware River in the northeastern state of Pennsylvania. Philadelphia, often called “Philly,” served as the nation’s capital from 1790 to 1800. Earlier, it was the capital of the American colonies during the war for independence from Britain.
Philadelphia became the central meeting place for the men who created the United States government. The buildings where the founders worked still stand in an area called the Old City.
The National Park Service protects much of Philadelphia’s Old City. In honor of the America’s 240th Independence Day, we visit the birthplace of the United States: Independence National Historical Park.
The national historical park is 22 hectares. It covers 20 city blocks of Philadelphia’s historic area. Within these city blocks are some of the most important places in American history.