Old City, Philadelphia facts for kids

Old City Historic District
U.S. National Register of Historic Places
U.S. Historic district
Elfreth's Alley
Location in Philadelphia Show map of Philadelphia Location in Pennsylvania Show map of Pennsylvania Location in the United States Show map of the United States
Location	Old city area including parts of Washington Square East Development Area and Franklin Square East Development Area, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
Area	75 acres (30 ha)
Architect	Multiple
Architectural style	Greek Revival, Italianate
NRHP reference No.	72000093
Quick facts for kids Significant dates
Added to NRHP	May 5, 1972

A luncheon in Girard Fountain Park after the Oct. 5, 2007, dedication of Keys To Community, a nine-foot bronze bust of Benjamin Franklin by sculptor James Peniston.

Old City is a neighborhood in Center City, Philadelphia near the Delaware River waterfront. It is now best known for historic sites such as Independence Hall.

Places of note

• Girard Fountain Park
• Independence Hall, where the Declaration of Independence and the U.S. Constitution were drafted and signed
• Liberty Bell
• National Constitution Center
• National Museum of American Jewish History
• Penn's Landing

Consulates

Many foreign governments have consulates in Old City, including Panama (124 Chestnut Street), Italy (1026 Public Ledger Building at 150 South Independence Mall West), and Mexico (111 South Independence Mall East). The Dominican Republic closed its consulate in the Lafayette Building at 437 Chestnut Street on November 7, 2005.

Historic congregations in Old City

• Christ Church (1695)
• Arch Street Meeting (1701)
• Old First Reformed Church (1727)[1]
• Congregation Mikveh Israel (1740)
• Old St. George's Church (1767)
• St. Augustine's Church (1796)
• Seamen's Church Institute (1843)

In film

• In National Treasure (2004), Nicholas Cage's character runs across the roof of Independence Hall.
• In Shooter (2007), Mark Wahlberg's character is set-up for the shooting of the Ethiopian archbishop at Independence Mall.

Education

Old City children are assigned to schools in the School District of Philadelphia.

Residents are zoned to the General George A. McCall School for grades Kindergarten through 8. All persons assigned to McCall are assigned to Benjamin Franklin High School in North Philadelphia. Previously Old City was assigned to Furness High School.

The Mastery Charter Schools system operates the Mastery Charter Lenfest Campus (7-12) in Old City. It moved from North Philadelphia to Old City in 2002.

St. Mary Interparochial Grade School is the designated grade school of St. Augustine Church, of the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Philadelphia.

Public libraries

The Free Library of Philadelphia operates its Independence Branch at 18 South 7th Street.