city hall near adoption center in Philadelphia, PA

The information in this article is presented by the adoption center in Philadelphia, PA, a part of Adoptions From The Heart.

Philadelphia holds the second largest county population in the Northeastern portion of the United States, with an estimated amount of 1,584,064 people. It also holds its place as the 6th most populated city in the entire United States.

History

Philadelphia is one of America’s oldest cities. The city was founded in 1682 by William Penn, an English Quaker, to serve as the capital of the Pennsylvania Colony. Upon taking ownership of the land, Penn continued to expand the area by purchasing land from the Lenape tribe to ensure peace within the community. Under an elm tree near Shackamaxon, in what is now the city’s Fishtown area, Penn established a friendship covenant with Lenape leader Tammany.

Penn envisioned a city on the Delaware River that would function as a port and government headquarters. Penn set out roads on a grid layout to keep residences and businesses spaced out, with space for gardens and orchards, with the hopes of making Philadelphia more like an English country town than a metropolis. The city’s residents, on the other hand, did not follow Penn’s ideas, crowding the Delaware River port and subdividing and reselling their parcels.

Philadelphia was a natural hub for America’s revolutionaries because of its significance and strategic location in the colonies. By the 1750s, Philadelphia had overtaken Boston as the largest city and busiest port in British America and the British Empire’s second-biggest port after London.

Philadelphia was home to a multitude of industries and enterprises during the nineteenth century, the greatest of which being textiles. The Baldwin Locomotive Works, William Cramp & Sons Shipbuilding Company, and the Pennsylvania Railroad were all major enterprises in the 19th and early 20th centuries.

Historical Facts

Philadelphia was an important gathering venue for the Founding Fathers of the United States during the American Revolution when they signed the Declaration of Independence in 1776 in the Second Continental Congress.

Philly is home to many of the first established businesses in America as well as 65 National Historic Landmarks. Some of those places include:

  • First library (1731)
  • First hospital (1751)
  • First medical school (1765)
  • First zoo (1874)

Learn more about nearby regions in our upcoming blog:

Our Local Office

TheĀ Philadelphia, PA adoption center from Adoptions From The Heart has helped build more than 6,200 beautiful families. If you or someone you love is interested in receiving information about the adoption process, contact our compassionate adoption professionals today.