Trip to Philadelphia's Historic District - 15 June, 2002

It was too rainy to visit Philadelphia on Friday (6/14/2002). It looked hopeful that Saturday would be a better day. Starting our very cloudy and 59°F didn't scare us away. In fact, it turned out to be a blessing in disguise. No traffic, no crowds, no lines! Wow. All seven of us, Mom and Dad W, Barb and Roger Wiley, Susan, Natalie, and I were out of the house by 8:15A and in the brand new Visitor's Center on 5th & Market St. by 9:10A. We visited just about every historic site this day and here are a few photos as proof.

The only thing not photo'd was our trip to Pat's Steaks. Every time I go there, it seems to be extremely stressful. This was no exception, as traffic, parking, and rain, combined with finding a tough place to eat, made it a true and typical Pat's Steak experience.

To see a map of where we went, click here --- SEE MAP


            Signing of the Declaration of Independence                                                    Political Cartoon urging Unity

GEORGE WASHINGTON

This is a statue of George in front of Independence Hall.

INDEPENDENCE HALL

This tower is a top one of the five former government buildings in the Independence Hall National Park.

NATALIE SWEETIE

She was so good on this trip.

Barbara Wylie

Probably the most knowledgable one on the trip since she's been doing some recent reading about history about this era.

Waiting in Line

We had a reservation for the 10:30 tour and this gave me some time to snap some photos off. This is Barb Wylie and Mom and Dad Wackler.

The Assembly Room inside Independence Hall

This is where the Declaration of Independence was hammered out.

West Wing of Independence Hall

This is the first floor where the first House of Representatives met.

West Wing of Independence Hall

This is the Senate room. During the time that Philadelphia was the U.S. Capitol, this room held the 32 senators. Besides the original 13 colonies, Tennesee, Kentucky, and Vermont were represented in this room.

UNITED STATES SEAL

This seal was painted on the ceiling of the senate chamber. It actually has two versions. When at war, the eagle faces the arrows. When at peace, the eagle faces the olive branches.

The Liberty Bell

My best picture of this symbol of freedom. It rang for roughly 90+ years before unrepairable cracks forced it into retirement. Luckily, they haven't put the bell behind bullet proof glass yet.

Barbara Shocked!

Barbara can't believe that Sue Wackler took such a big bite of her chicken. (Only kidding.)

The Bourse

This used to be an exchange. It's now a bunch of shops and eateries next to Independence Hall National Park.

The Crew

Here we are trekking down Market Street toward Benjamin Franklin's House.

Benjamin Franklin

This is a painting of Ben when he was younger.

Betsy Ross' Gravesite

This is located in a small courtyard on the site of Betsy Ross' house.

Theatrical Performance

These actors rotate through the historic sites of Philadelphia performing short skits. This was in the courtyard outside Betsy Ross'