Pioneer Tunnel

Located northwest of the City of Brotherly Love is the Pioneer Tunnel. Visitors to the tunnel can tour a real Anthracite Coal mine and ride an old-fashioned narrow gauge steam train to experience what life was like for the many miners who came to Pennsylvania over the years. Guiding you through the tunnels are experienced […]

Elfreth’s Alley

When people think of the quaint, cobblestone-lined streets of the East Coast’s historic areas, they are usually thinking of Elfreth’s Alley. This residential corridor is still inhabited by Philadephians today, who are known for the pristine upkeep of their homes. Named for Jeremiah Elfreth, an 18th-century blacksmith who originally lived there, today the alley holds […]

Declaration House

Philadelphia has a long history of beautiful brick buildings, and the Declaration House is no different. Originally built in 1775 by a local bricklayer, several rooms were later rented out by Thomas Jefferson as he drafted the Declaration of Independence. Visitors can view the recreated room where this historical event took place, while the downstairs […]

Eastern State Penitentiary Historic Site

Eastern State Penitentiary was the world’s first true penitentiary, built in 1829. The jail transferred out its final prisoners in 1971 and has been run as a National Historic Landmark ever since. During its heyday, the unique wagon-wheel-shaped design of the building held high-profile criminals like Al ‘Scarface’ Capone. The penitentiary is rife with historical […]

Cliveden of the National Trust

Cliveden of the National Trust is one of the nation’s best-documented and least-altered colonial houses located about six miles from Philadelphia’s city center in Historic Germantown. Spanning four centuries, the revolutionaries, enslaved workers and residents of Cliveden’s stories can all be told in this 1767 building. As the scene of a Revolutionary War battle, this […]

Congress Hall

Congress Hall had its beginning as the Philadelphia County Courthouse, but was shortly thereafter converted to the meeting place of the United States Congress. During the time that Congress held session here, both the Bill of Rights and the United States Constitution were ratified within the walls. The National Park Service offers guided tours of […]

Carpenters’ Hall

This two-story, Georgian-style brick building in Old City was a crucial meeting place in the United States’ early history. The First Continental Congress met here, along with many semi-secret societies. For these reasons Carpenters’ Hall is a National Historic Landmark and worth checking out. The original purpose of the building was as a meeting place […]