Independence National Historical Park

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Independence National Historical Park
IUCN Category III (Natural Monument)
Location	Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA
Nearest city	Philadelphia, PA
Coordinates	39°56′55″N 75°9′1″W / 39.94861, -75.15028
Area	44.88 acres (20.88 federal) 0.18 km²
Established	July 4, 1956
Visitors	4,087,918 (in 2004)
Governing body	National Park Service

Independence National Historical Park preserves several sites associated with the American Revolution in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. Administered by the National Park Service, the 45-acre park comprises much of the historic area of downtown (or "Center City") where Independence Hall, the Liberty Bell, the Independence Visitor Center, and the National Constitution Center are located, along with dozens of other historic buildings and educational centers. The sites located within the park are in the Old City and Society Hill neighborhoods of the city.

[edit] Administrative history

The national historical park was authorized on June 28, 1948, and established on July 4, 1956. On March 16, 1959, it incorporated the Old Philadelphia Customs House (Second Bank of the United States) which had been designated a national historic site on May 26, 1939. As with all historic areas administered by the National Park Service, the Independence was listed on the National Register of Historic Places on October 15, 1966. Independence Hall was designated a World Heritage Site on October 24, 1979.

[edit] Independence Mall

Independence Hall

Most of INHP's buildings and land are contained within the broad plaza called Independence Mall, which is bookended by the National Constitution Center on the north, Independence Hall on the south, and Fifth and Sixth Streets on the east and west, respectively. The Mall was created in the 1950s^[1] by city planner Ed Bacon, who demolished "blocks of Victorian architecture" to bring an open space to the heart of historic Philadelphia.^[2]

[edit] Other park sites

Liberty Bell.

Features of Independence NHP include:

• Philadelphia Bourse ^[3]
• Bishop White House
• Carpenters' Hall
• Christ Church
• City Tavern
• Congress Hall
• Declaration House
• Deshler-Morris House
• Franklin Court
• Free Quaker Meeting House
• Great Essentials Exhibit
• Merchants' Exchange Building
• Mikveh Israel Cemetery
• New Hall Military Museum
• Old City Hall
• Philosophical Hall
• Second Bank of the United States
• Todd House

Philadelphia Bourse

Other NPS sites associated with Independence NHP but not located within its boundaries include:

• Benjamin Franklin National Memorial
• Gloria Dei (Old Swedes') Church National Historic Site
• Thaddeus Kosciuszko National Memorial
• Edgar Allan Poe National Historic Site

[edit] See also

Philadelphia Portal

• The Constitutional Walking Tour

[edit] Footnotes

[edit] References

• The National Parks: Index 2001–2003. Washington: U.S. Department of the Interior.

[edit] External links

• National Park Service: Independence National Historical Park
• Independence Hall: International Symbol of Freedom, a National Park Service Teaching with Historic Places (TwHP) lesson plan
• The Liberty Bell: From Obscurity to Icon, a National Park Service Teaching with Historic Places (TwHP) lesson plan

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