List of National Historic Landmarks in Philadelphia facts for kids

Philadelphia is a big city in Pennsylvania, and it's full of amazing history! It has 67 special places called National Historic Landmarks. These are buildings, sites, or objects that are super important to the history of the United States.

Think of them as national treasures! They tell us stories about how America grew and changed. Let's explore some of these cool places in Philadelphia.

Exploring Philadelphia's Historic Gems

Philadelphia is home to many landmarks that played a big part in American history. From old meeting houses to famous homes, each spot has a unique story.

Historic Buildings and Meeting Places

Many of Philadelphia's landmarks are old buildings where important events happened or where people gathered.

Academy of Music

The Academy of Music is a grand building that opened in 1857. It's the oldest opera house in the United States that is still used for its original purpose! For a long time, it was home to the famous Philadelphia Orchestra. Today, the Pennsylvania Ballet and the Opera Company of Philadelphia perform here.

American Philosophical Society Hall

The American Philosophical Society was started in 1743 by Benjamin Franklin. This group brought together smart people to share ideas about science and knowledge. The building itself was built in 1768. Famous early members included George Washington, John Adams, and Thomas Jefferson.

Arch Street Friends Meeting House

The Arch Street Friends Meeting House was built in 1805. It's the largest Quaker meeting house in the country and has been used continuously since it opened. Quakers are a religious group known for their peaceful beliefs.

Athenaeum of Philadelphia

The Athenaeum of Philadelphia is a special library founded in 1814. It holds many old and rare books and documents. The building where it is located was designed in 1845.

Carpenters' Hall

Carpenters' Hall is a very important building in American history. In 1774, the First Continental Congress met here. This was a meeting of leaders from the American colonies who were discussing how to respond to British rule.

Christ Church

Christ Church was founded way back in 1695. The current building was constructed between 1727 and 1744. It was the first Episcopal Church in the country. Many important people from early American history attended services here.

Church of the Advocate

The Church of the Advocate was built between 1887 and 1897. This church is famous because in 1974, it was the site of the first time women were ordained as priests in the Episcopal Church.

The College of Physicians of Philadelphia Building

The College of Physicians of Philadelphia is one of the oldest medical societies in the United States. Its building is a landmark for its history in medicine.

Eastern State Penitentiary

Eastern State Penitentiary was a prison that opened in 1829. It was considered the world's first true "penitentiary." It was designed to make prisoners feel regret for their crimes through isolation. It's now a museum and a popular place to visit.

First Bank of the United States

The First Bank of the United States was created in 1791. It played a key role in the early financial history of the country. Both George Washington and Alexander Hamilton were involved with its creation.

Founder's Hall, Girard College

Founder's Hall is part of Girard College, a special boarding school for orphans. It was started by the will of Stephen Girard, a wealthy businessman.

Friends Hospital

Friends Hospital was founded in 1813 by the Quakers. It was the first private psychiatric hospital in the United States. It helped change how people thought about and treated mental health.

Fisher Fine Arts Library

The Fisher Fine Arts Library is located at the University of Pennsylvania. It was designed by the famous architect Frank Furness. It's known for its unique and impressive design.

Merchants' Exchange Building

The Merchants' Exchange Building was designed by William Strickland. It was a busy place where merchants traded goods and information. It's now part of Independence National Historical Park.

Mother Bethel A.M.E. Church

Mother Bethel A.M.E. Church is a very important church for African American history. It was a stop on the Underground Railroad, helping enslaved people find freedom. Many famous people visited here, including Frederick Douglass, Rosa Parks, and Colin Powell.

New Century Guild

The New Century Guild was an organization founded in 1882 to support working women. It provided education, social activities, and a safe space for women in the city.

Pennsylvania Academy of the Fine Arts

The Pennsylvania Academy of the Fine Arts is the oldest art museum and school in the United States. It was founded in 1805 and has been a center for American art ever since.

Pennsylvania Hospital

Pennsylvania Hospital is the nation's first hospital. It was supported by Benjamin Franklin and Dr. Thomas Bond. It opened in 1751 to care for the sick and injured.

Philadelphia City Hall

Philadelphia City Hall is a massive and beautiful building in the center of the city. It was designed by John McArthur Jr. and has a huge statue of William Penn on top. It's one of the largest municipal buildings in the world.

Philadelphia Contributionship

The Philadelphia Contributionship is the oldest property insurance company in the United States. It was founded in 1752 by Benjamin Franklin to help people protect their homes from fire.

Philadelphia's Masonic Temple

The Masonic Temple in Philadelphia is a grand and historic building. It serves as the headquarters for the Grand Lodge of Pennsylvania Masons. It's known for its impressive architecture.

Philadelphia Savings Fund Society (PSFS) Building

The PSFS Building was designed by George Howe and William Lescaze. When it was built in 1932, it was one of the first modern skyscrapers in the United States.

Philadelphia School of Design for Women

The Philadelphia School of Design for Women was founded in 1848 by Sarah Peter. It was the only women's art and design college in the nation at the time. It helped women pursue careers in art and design.

Race Street Meetinghouse

The Race Street Meetinghouse is another important Quaker meeting place. It was a center for social reform movements. Important figures like Lucretia Mott and Alice Paul were associated with this site.

Reading Terminal and Trainshed

The Reading Terminal was a historic train station and the main office for the Reading Railroad. It's a huge building that once served as a busy hub for travelers. Today, part of it is the famous Reading Terminal Market.

Second Bank of the United States

The Second Bank of the United States was built after the first bank. It was designed by William Strickland. It played a big role in the country's finances and was connected to figures like Nicholas Biddle and President Andrew Jackson.

United States Naval Asylum

The United States Naval Asylum was designed by William Strickland. It was built to provide a home for retired naval officers and sailors.

Wagner Free Institute of Science

The Wagner Free Institute of Science was founded by William Wagner. It was created to provide free science education to everyone. It still has its original museum collection and library.

Walnut Street Theatre

The Walnut Street Theatre is the oldest continuously operating theater in the English-speaking world! It opened in 1809. Many famous actors have performed on its stage, including Maude Adams and Sarah Bernhardt.

John Wanamaker Store

The John Wanamaker Store was one of the first department stores in the United States. It opened in 1877 and changed the way people shopped. It was known for its grand design and many different products.

Homes of Famous People

Philadelphia has been home to many important figures throughout history. Their houses are now preserved as landmarks.

John Bartram House

John Bartram House was the home of colonial-era botanist John Bartram and his son William Bartram. It's also the oldest surviving botanic garden in North America, where they studied and grew many plants.

Cliveden

Cliveden is a historic mansion that was the scene of fierce fighting during the Battle of Germantown in the Revolutionary War. It's a powerful reminder of that important time.

John Coltrane House

The John Coltrane House was a home of the legendary jazz saxophonist John Coltrane. He was one of the most influential musicians in jazz history.

Edward D. Cope House

The Edward Drinker Cope House was a home of Edward Drinker Cope, a famous paleontologist. He studied dinosaurs and ancient life, making important discoveries.

Thomas Eakins House

The Thomas Eakins House was the home of the famous American painter Thomas Eakins. He is known for his realistic paintings of everyday life.

Frances Ellen Watkins Harper House

The Frances Ellen Watkins Harper House was a home of Frances Harper. She was an important writer, poet, and activist who fought for women's rights and the end of slavery.

Hill-Keith-Physick House

The Hill-Keith-Physick House was a home of Philip Syng Physick, who is known as the "father of American surgery." He made many advances in medicine.

J. Peter Lesley House

The J. Peter Lesley House was a home of geologist J. Peter Lesley. He was a very important figure in understanding the geology of Pennsylvania.

James Logan Home (Stenton)

Stenton was the colonial-era home of James Logan. He was a very important figure in early Pennsylvania government and a close friend of William Penn.

Mount Pleasant

Mount Pleasant is a beautiful colonial mansion located in Fairmount Park. It's known for its elegant design and historical significance.

Charles Willson Peale House

The Charles Willson Peale House was a home of Charles Willson Peale, a famous artist who painted George Washington. His sons, Raphael, Rembrandt, and Reubens Peale, who also became artists, lived here too.

Reynolds-Morris House

The Reynolds-Morris House is a historic home that shows what life was like in Philadelphia long ago. It's a great example of colonial architecture.

Thomas Sully Residence

The Thomas Sully Residence was the home of Thomas Sully, a famous American portrait painter. He painted many important people of his time.

Henry O. Tanner Homesite

The Henry O. Tanner House was a home of Henry Ossawa Tanner. He was an important African American artist who gained fame for his religious paintings.

Woodford

Woodford is another beautiful mansion in Fairmount Park. It was once the home of William Coleman, an important judge in colonial Philadelphia.

Wyck House

The Wyck House in Germantown is one of the oldest houses in Philadelphia, started in 1690! It was even used as a British field hospital during the Battle of Germantown.

Other Unique Landmarks

Beyond buildings and homes, Philadelphia has other special places that are National Historic Landmarks.

Boathouse Row

Boathouse Row is a famous row of fifteen historic boathouses along the Schuylkill River. It's home to the Schuylkill Navy, one of the oldest amateur rowing associations in the world. It's a beautiful sight, especially when lit up at night.

Colonial Germantown Historic District

The Colonial Germantown Historic District is a whole area that is a historic landmark! It's associated with William Penn and shows what a colonial town looked like. It has many old buildings and tells the story of early German settlers.

Elfreth's Alley Historic District

Elfreth's Alley is known as the country's oldest residential neighborhood that has been continuously lived in. Walking down this narrow street feels like stepping back in time to the 1700s!

Fairmount Water Works

The Fairmount Water Works was the first municipal waterworks in the United States. Built between 1819 and 1822, it provided clean drinking water to Philadelphia. It's a beautiful example of early engineering.

Germantown Cricket Club

The Germantown Cricket Club is a historic sports club. Famous tennis player Bill Tilden was a member here. It's a landmark for its role in American sports history.

Institute of the Pennsylvania Hospital

The Institute of the Pennsylvania Hospital was a hospital for men built in the 1850s. Its design was influenced by Thomas Story Kirkbride, who had new ideas about how to care for people with mental illnesses.

Insurance Company of North America (INA) Building

The Insurance Company of North America (INA) Building is a landmark for its importance in the history of business and insurance in the United States.

Johnson House

The Johnson House was a station on the Underground Railroad. This secret network helped enslaved people escape to freedom. It's located within the Colonial Germantown Historic District.

Laurel Hill Cemetery

Laurel Hill Cemetery is one of the first "rural cemeteries" in the United States. Designed by John Notman, it's a beautiful, park-like cemetery with many historic monuments.

Memorial Hall

Memorial Hall was designed for the 1876 Centennial Exposition, a huge world's fair held in Philadelphia. It's a grand building that celebrates American innovation and history.

New Market

The New Market area, especially the Headhouse, was once a bustling marketplace. It's a historic reminder of how people bought and sold goods in early Philadelphia.

Alfred Newton Richards Medical Research Laboratories and David Goddard Laboratories Buildings

The Richards Medical Research Laboratories are two connected buildings at the University of Pennsylvania. They were designed by the famous architect Louis Kahn in the 1960s and are important examples of modern architecture.

Rittenhousetown Historic District

Rittenhousetown Historic District is the site of British North America's first paper mill, built in 1690! It's also the birthplace of David Rittenhouse, a famous astronomer and clockmaker.

St. James-the-Less Episcopal Church

The St. James-the-Less Episcopal Church is a Gothic-style church. It's considered an important example of church architecture and has influenced many other designs.

St. Mark's Episcopal Church

St. Mark's Episcopal Church was designed by John Notman, the same architect who designed Laurel Hill Cemetery. It's known for its beautiful Gothic Revival style.

St. Peter's Church

St. Peter's Church was designed by Robert Smith. It's a historic church with a beautiful interior and a rich history.

The Woodlands

The Woodlands is a colonial mansion that later became a "rural cemetery." It's a beautiful estate with a mix of history and nature.

Historic Ships

Philadelphia is also home to two historic ships that are National Historic Landmarks!

USS BECUNA

The USS BECUNA is a Balao-class submarine that fought bravely in World War II. You can visit it at Penn's Landing!

USS OLYMPIA

The USS OLYMPIA is a naval cruiser that was the flagship for Commodore George Dewey. It played a key role in the Battle of Manila Bay in 1898 during the Spanish–American War. It's also at Penn's Landing.

Images for kids

• 

  The Edgar Allan Poe National Historic Site.

See also

• National Register of Historic Places listings in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
• List of Pennsylvania state historical markers in Philadelphia County