A Philadelphia Story. Lori Litchman
William Penn’s Prayer for Philadelphia
(1684)
And thou, Philadelphia, the virgin settlement of this province—named before thou were born—what love, what care, what service and what travail there have been to bring thee forth and to preserve thee from such as would abuse and defile thee.
Oh that thou mayest be kept from the evil that would overwhelm thee; that faithful to the God of thy mercies, in the life of righteousness, thou mayest be preserved to the end.
My soul prays to God for thee that thou mayest stand in the day of trial, that thy children may be blest and thy people saved by his power.
INTRODUCTION
THE STORY OF THE CITY OF PHILADELPHIA is a love story.
“How’s that?” you might ask.
If you are a native Philadelphian or have lived in the city a long time, you totally know what I mean when I say that Philadelphia is all about love. You actually can feel that love every time you go out of town and return to see the skyline of our fair city glistening in the evening sunset. You can feel the warmth of the city when you walk along Kelly Drive and see fellow citizens out enjoying the day walking, biking, or running along the banks of the Schuylkill River. And you certainly feel a tinge of pride when you pass by historic Old City and witness throngs of visitors who have come to see where our nation was born.
If you are a visitor, however, you might think that Philadelphians, particularly Philadelphia sports fans, are a little harsh. You’ve probably heard the stories of sports fans going crazy and often even booing their own players. Philadelphians are nothing if not passionate—particularly about their sports teams. It’s really just a family affair. Philadelphians love their sports teams so much they feel they can trash the players and teams one minute and embrace them the next—just like you might do to your annoying little brother. You can trash him all you want, but no one else better say a bad word about your brother in your presence. We are fiercely protective of our city. Yo, you got a problem with that?
When you learn about Philadelphia’s history, you will realize that we are a scrappy city and, like any great American metropolis, we’ve had our ups and downs. But even when the city is down, it fights like hell to get back up. Because we love our city, warts and all.
Philadelphia’s founder, William Penn, started the love train back in 1644. He wanted to create a utopian society where people could practice the religion of their choice without fear of persecution. He called his beloved city Philadelphia, Greek for “City of Brotherly Love.” And people came in droves to live freely: By the time the first census was taken in 1790, Philadelphia proper—the area today known as Center City—boasted a population of more than 28,000 people.
But the population was not solely concentrated in the center of town. There were other municipalities nearby. In fact, early census data shows that Southwark, Northern Liberties, and Spring Garden were among the top 10 most populous places. However, the Act of Consolidation in 1854 unified all of those municipalities under the umbrella of Philadelphia, making the County of Philadelphia and the City of Philadelphia one and the same. By 1850, Philadelphia’s population had climbed to more than 121,000, but consolidation expanded it to more than 500,000.
From its earliest manifestation, Philadelphia has always been a city of neighborhoods. Even though the Act of Consolidation technically unified all of Philadelphia County, neighborhoods retained their own character and still do to this day. Granted, neighborhoods have undergone changes throughout the years, but each of the more than 100 neighborhoods in Philadelphia has its own personality and traditions.
The first Philadelphians brought with them a love of innovation and a love of money. The “perennial Philadelphians,” as they have come to be known, were the movers and shakers of Philadelphia. The founders of the city helped create a government for our nation that would emerge from the confines of Independence Hall. The Declaration of Independence and the US Constitution were both penned in Philadelphia, establishing the foundation for our country’s freedom and democratic government.
Philadelphia and nearby areas, 1777
Engraving by Will Faden; via Wikimedia Commons, public domain
The first families of the city created lasting legacies in nearly every facet of society, making Philadelphia a “city of firsts.” From the first hospital to the first biomedical research facility, Philadelphia established itself as the bedrock of our country’s medical community. To this day, Philadelphia is a vital medical education and research city. Philadelphia also set the standard for water cleanliness and delivery, being the first city to create a municipal water system that piped clean water throughout the city. And before Wall Street was the center of the financial universe, Philadelphia established the First Bank of the United States and was seen as the “cradle of American finance.”
A historical engraving of the Fairmount Water Works, circa 1835 (see Chapter 2)
(Engraving by W. H. Bartlett, published by J. C. Armytage; via Wikimedia Commons, public domain)
The founders and first families also established the standards for law and order for the nation. Before Washington, D.C., Philadelphia was the first capital city of the United States. Lawyers were common among the first Philadelphians, and the term “Philadelphia lawyer” was coined in reference to Andrew Hamilton’s legal maneuverings while defending John Peter Zenger in a landmark freedom-of-the-press case. Today, “Philadelphia lawyer” is defined in Merriam-Webster’s Collegiate Dictionary as “a lawyer knowledgeable in the most minute aspects of the law.”
As Philadelphia continued to grow in population and industry took over the country during the Industrial Revolution, the city remained a hub of innovation, adopting the moniker “Workshop of the World.” From false teeth to toys and steel, Philadelphia was a manufacturing mecca. The city also became a textile empire, and factories reigned supreme across the city.
African Americans also have a deep-rooted history in Philadelphia. Because of Philadelphia’s geographic location, the city became a major stop on the Underground Railroad as blacks journeyed toward their freedom. Prominent Quaker abolitionists aided freed African Americans and spoke out about the evils of slavery. In turn, African Americans established homes and communities in Philadelphia.
Penn’s initial plan for Philadelphia was that every property would have green space. It’s not that he was a nature nerd—he actually thought that having green space would help prevent fires. Penn saw his Philadelphia as a “greene countrie towne.” From its earliest days, Philadelphia was verdant and still boasts the largest city park system in the country: Fairmount Park. Back in the day, scientists and naturalists abounded across the city, and their love of discovery established Philadelphia as a center for the natural sciences.
Throughout Philadelphia’s early years, the city was also bursting with creative arts, boasting some of America’s finest painters. In later history, Philadelphia became a prominent publishing center, home to such legendary publications as Ladies’ Home Journal and The Saturday Evening Post.
What would Philadelphia be without its sports legends? From tennis superstars to a rowing Olympian to the famous Connie Mack, Philadelphians can play a good game. Long overshadowed by the “curse