Last of two parts
Native Americans arrived in Pennsylvania approximately 14,000 BCE years ago. The tribes lived by farming, hunting, and fishing. The Keystone State gained U.S. statehood in 1787 and has approximately 15 million population. The state tree is the Eastern Hemlock and the state bird is the ruffed grouse. The state flower is the mountain laurel.
Flight from O’Hare left early and arrived in Philadelphia early. The man seated next to me was a wildlife photographer! What are the odds? Weather was mostly warm and sunny. Checked into my hotel and unpacked the luggage. Decided what to do on each day. Took a long shower and rested.
Next morning began walking miles upon miles. Buying the Philadelphia and New York newspapers. An Episcopal churchyard close to the hotel had a rose garden that was fully in bloom and gorgeous. Rittenhouse Park and square were beautiful and a Saturday fest was being held with music and food. The Old City Hall was four blocks away and offered a roller skating area, an art sale, and other amusements on its grounds.
Independence Hall basement was once Philadelphia’s dog pound. Today, security is tight. Security guards all around the Hall with boulders in front and exit only one way down the block. Yes, 9/11 changed our lives forever and freedoms lost. When I visited the last time, jaywalked into the Hall without a ticket because it was free of charge, without security, without lines to enter. No longer. To see Ben Franklin’s burial place in Christ Church cemetery, cost $5 to walk 30 feet. Last visit it was free to walk into the cemetery.
Some of the libraries that have copies of some of my books include the Children’s Library, the Bisrod Library, the Blanche Nixon Library, the Andorra Library, the Elwell Stewart Library, the Widener Library, the Bustleton Library, the Free Library of Philadelphia, and the University of Pennsylvania Library.
Visited the Zoo and took photographs of many of the animals for my next children’s book. Working title is “A Zoo Menagerie” because hundreds of years ago only the wealthy and powerful could keep exotic animals and they were called menageries. Now I have taken photographs of cheetahs, giraffes, red river hog, bald eagle, black-headed spider monkey from Panama, gibbons, and lemurs.
To my amazement, visiting the Liberty Bell was still free with long lines of school groups and tourists from around the world. Security answered my questions with polite response.
Went to see the Liberty Bell once again. The bell had been ordered in 1751. It took nine months for the English bell makers at the Whitechapel Foundry to complete and have the bell arrive in Philadelphia. The state’s name on the Bell was “Pensylvania” because in the 1700s the state was spelled with only one letter n at the beginning.
In 1915 it became possible to telephone across America. The first call was put through from Philadelphia to San Francisco and an official tapped the bell with a wooden mallet and the sound went through the telephone wires so the West Coast could hear it. The Liberty Bell was a popular sight at the world’s fair in Chicago in 1893. The Bell was sent by train.
City Hall was completed in 1901 and for many years was the tallest in Philadelphia. A statue of B. Franklin sits at the top.
Walking the B. Franklin Parkway led straight to the Museum of Art and the “Rocky” steps and now statues.
I so enjoy seeing the history that resides in this great American city. Downtown was pretty clean and workers were watering the flowers all about. Taxi drivers were from Albania, Africa, and Mexico.
I will look forward to another trip with history residing everywhere.