A Walk Around Independence Mall District in Philadelphia

If you think you know all about the Liberty Bell, you might be surprised at what you'll discover at the Liberty Bell Center in Philadelphia.  First cast as the Pennsylvania State House bell, its origins go back to 1751, before the Declaration of Independence.  There also is no record that it rang on July 4, 1776.

Nonetheless, it has become a symbol of freedom in our country, even used by the Suffragists who possessed a replica of the Liberty Bell forged in 1915. It traveled the country with its clapper chained to its side, silent until women won the right to vote.  The Liberty Bell traveled the country on the Freedom Train for the bicentennial back in 1976 and I vaguely remember going to see it in San Diego as a little girl so this viewing of the bell was something I've been looking forward to.

 "Proclaim Liberty Throughout All the Land Unto All the Inhabitants thereof"

The statue Religious Liberty stands outside the National Museum of American Jewish History.  It shows a woman, symbolizing liberty, shielding a boy with a lamp, representing religious faith. On the opposite side of the woman is a carved eagle crushing a snake, a classic symbol of American democracy and representing the country's continuing struggle against intolerance. Continuing as we speak, right?

The Declaration of Independence and U.S. Constitution were both debated and signed inside Independence Hall just across from where the Liberty Bell is on display. It was built to be the Pennsylvania State House originally, construction began in 1732 and was still underway when Pennsylvania Assembly meetings began in 1735.  Entrance to Independence Hall is free but timed tickets do have to be acquired first.  We did not go inside, just admired the building as we passed by.

Independence Hall tower and clock up close

As originally designed and built, Independence Hall had no tower or steeple. These were added around 1750. The wooden steeple had rotted by 1773 and was removed in 1781. In 1828, the city hired architect William Strickland to restore the original steeple. Strickland deviated from the original design, incorporating a clock and additional ornamentation.

Imagine bumping over a cobblestone street in a buggy...eventually most cobble streets gave way to brick which was much smoother.  Philadelphia has streets preserved that are cobble and streets that are brick too.

The Second Bank of the United States was built between 1819 and 1824 in grand Greek Revival style.  Reminiscent of The Parthenon, it sits in crumbling grandeur with its many decades of service as a bank and then a Custom House long in the past.  Now it houses a portrait gallery of over 100 Revolutionary and Federal portraits, maybe I'll get to those if I visit again.

Across from the Old Custom House are a couple of great buildings including the Philadelphia Bank Building on the far right which was built in 1857-1859.  It now is home to condos - I loved the ship at the top of the facade.

Its neighbor to the left also had some great ornamentation. Originally the Farmers and Mechanics Bank, the symbols are fitting.  It opened in 1855 and retained banking function until 1976.  It was bought by American Philosophic Society and renamed Benjamin Franklin Hall which promotes useful knowledge in the sciences and humanities through excellence in scholarly research, professional meetings, publications, library resources, and community outreach. 

Pictures on the internet indicate I should have popped inside for a look, but I only got the exterior glimpse.

I did pop inside the Lafayette Building though.  Built in 1907 its interior was gutted back in 2011 and it now lives on as the Hotel Monaco.  Check out the ship chandelier in the lobby!

As we drove away from the area later, I spied this fun sign on the old Lit Brothers Department Store building.

Those times are gone, when people knew what the word "millinery" meant!