Philadelphia is getting ready to celebrate its 250th birthday next year! To mark this special occasion, City Archives has created an exciting exhibit about important moments in our city’s history. The exhibit also celebrates American Archives Month, which happens every October.

This past summer, archives staff and a student intern worked together to research the exhibit. They looked at how Philadelphia celebrated anniversaries in the past and chose the city’s most famous symbols. The exhibit focuses on three main topics: the Centennial celebration, Freedom Week, and the Liberty Bell.

The Centennial: All about food

150 years ago in 1876, Philadelphia threw a huge party called the Centennial. The celebration lasted from May through November and was held at Fairmount Park. The official name was pretty long: the International Exhibit of Arts, Manufactures, and Products of Soil and Mine.

Food was a big deal at the Centennial. Companies showed off new foods and better versions of old recipes. Some foods that became popular again included popcorn, ketchup, and root beer. Even though people have been popping corn since 4,700 BCE, a vendor had a special contract to sell it all over the fairgrounds. People loved it! A Philadelphian named Charles Elmer Hires introduced his fizzy root beer at the Centennial. He advertised it as a “temperance drink” that was good for your health.

Philadelphia still loves food today, so not much has changed!

Freedom Week: Celebrating democracy

On July 4th, 1776, the Declaration of Independence was approved. Four days later, on July 8th, it was read out loud to the public for the first time. Then on August 2nd, people signed it. These important events remind us that Philadelphia is the birthplace of American democracy.

Freedom Week is a series of events that celebrates the Declaration of Independence and democracy. Our exhibit includes fourteen photographs from the Office of the City Representative, taken from the 1950s to the 1990s. You can find even more pictures on PhillyHistory

The Liberty Bell: Philadelphia’s most famous symbol

When people think of Philadelphia, they think of the Liberty Bell. City Archives keeps records from the Art Commission that date from 1911 to 1980. These records include building plans and letters between city officials, architects, and artists.

In May 1942, someone sent the Art Commission plans for a “bomb shelter for the Liberty Bell.” City officials, including the mayor, approved the idea. The architect, George Pepper, designed a shelter that would let the Liberty Bell be lowered below the first floor of Independence Hall in case of an emergency. At that time, the Liberty Bell was kept in Independence Hall.

Photos from the exhibit

Johnny Carson reads the Declaration of Independence, 1965

Johnny Carson reads the Declaration of Independence, 1965
Johnny Carson, who hosted NBC’s “Tonight” show, read parts of the Declaration of Independence at Independence Hall.

Lafayette Descendent, 1961

A copy of the Liberty Bell was given to Noelle de Chambrun by Miss Liberty Belle and Deputy City Representative Abe S. Rosen. She was visiting Philadelphia for Freedom Week as a descendant of Lafayette and was heading back to Paris. (Lafayette was a French hero who fought alongside George Washington in the American Revolution and helped America win its independence.)

Bird’s Eye View of the Grounds

This picture from the Library of Congress shows Fairmount Park, where the seven-month Centennial celebration took place.

 

Butter and Cheese Factory at the Centennial

As with the Butter and Cheese Factory, most of the buildings from the Centennial were taken down or moved. The Please Touch Museum, which was used as an art gallery during the Centennial, is one of the few buildings still standing in its original location.

 

Popcorn Stand

Visit the exhibit!

Want to see these amazing pieces of Philadelphia history in person? Come visit City Archives and explore the exhibit yourself! It’s a great way to learn about how our city has celebrated its birthday over the years.

Don’t miss this chance to see original documents, photographs, and plans that tell the story of Philadelphia’s past!

 

Visit the Philadelphia City Archives