Philadelphia Historic Area

This is what Philadelphia is all about. In fact, it’s what America is all about. Independence Hall. The Liberty Bell. The Betsy Ross House. The National Constitution Center.

And don’t forget these nearby treasures as well – Elfreth’s Alley (America’s oldest residential street), Carpenters Hall, the United States Mint, the Atwater Kent Museum of Philadelphia history, the National Liberty Museum, Penn’s Landing, and the Independence Seaport Museum (featuring, among other things, the Spanish-American war battleship Olympia).

Still haven’t had your fill of Philadelphia? Visit USHistory.org to learn about many more museums, landmarks and points of interest that are all within walking distance of each other in the Historic Area.

And while you’re strolling about, don’t be surprised if you run into Ben Franklin – or, to be more precise, Ralph Archbold, the amazing Ben Franklin impersonator who not only bears a striking physical resemblance to old Ben, but who lives and breathes Ben Franklin’s wit, wisdom and personality. He has appeared before more than 10,000 audiences over the past 30 years!

	OZZARD OF WHIZ: “Do you think Ben Franklin spoke with a Philly accent? Instead of ‘We must all hang together or, most assuredly, we shall all hang separately?’ maybe it was more like ‘If yiz awl dehwn’t hang t’gather, yiz awl are gonna hang sappertly.’ Franklin may have been born in Boston, but he lived most of his life here.”

	SON OF SWOOP: “Really? Franklin was born in Boston? I wonder if he would’ve been a Celtics fan. I’d be in his face at the Wachovia Center. ‘Yo Bifocal Boy! Sit thee down or, most assuredly, I shall kick thy ass forthwith! A sit in time saves nine – nine stitches across your bald head, you ugly a-hole!’”

	LIBERTY BELLE: “SOS, how do you manage to turn EVERY conversation into a rant about beer, babes, ballgames or brawling?”

	SON OF SWOOP: “Call it a gift.”

	LIBERTY BELLE: “Naturally, I love the Liberty Bell. Many of us saw it so often on school trips, we don’t appreciate the fascination it holds for out-of-town visitors. When my friends from college visit me in Philadelphia, the first thing they want to see is the Liberty Bell. Afterward, I take them out for cheese steaks!”

	OZZARD OF WHIZ: “I can just picture Lib’s college friends ordering a cheese steak. ‘I would like a cottage cheese wit’ on a multigrain roll please, and a small cup of sparking water with a lime. Make certain the meat is cooked. Also, would it be possible to substitute watercress for the onions?’”