Philadelphia History - Philadelphia sits in one of Americas thirteen original colonies. The original inhabitants of the land were the Delaware Indian tribe, for whom the surrounding Delaware valley is now named. It was originally a land grant given to William Penn, in the year of 1681. The cities original plan is a grid design that you can still see in some of the oldest parts of the city.

It is one of the oldest states in this nation and it has been a home to many interesting historical moment and historical figures. You can find a wealth of history in Philadelphia. This town was the first capital of the United States of America. Many people may also know it is home to the famous liberty bell. It was also home to Dr. Benjamin Franklin and his famous colonial newspaper.

Dr. Franklin is also buried in this city, and you can visit his grave along with the largest number of veterans from the revolutionary and civil wars. There are plenty of other Philadelphia tourism sites to visit. Other early Americans of note who lived in Philadelphia are Thomas Jefferson, and Betsy Ross. It is also home to the American Philosophical Society, one of the nation’s oldest societies of learned people. The town boasts several of the countries oldest homes and has the distinction of being the original home of noted naturalist John James Audubon. Later on it the 19th century Philadelphia again becomes important because of the large deposits of natural coal found in the area. This was a boom to the economy and Philadelphia tourism and helped the city to grow, both in size and importance.

Philadelphia is currently the home of many sports teams and is continuing to grow as a shipping and industry hub. It is now currently the fifth largest city in the country. When you visit Philadelphia be sure to leave plenty of time to visit the historical tourism sites.