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'Philadelphia Liberty Trail': Illuminating for both visitors and residents

A travel guide should be easily organized, so readers can quickly find what they're looking for. It should be written in a friendly tone, and provide background and supplemental information that might not be readily available at historic sites. And it should offer guidance on where to turn for present-day comforts.

Cover of the new book by Larissa and Michael Milne "Philadelphia Liberty Trail: Trace the Path of America's Heritage"
Cover of the new book by Larissa and Michael Milne "Philadelphia Liberty Trail: Trace the Path of America's Heritage"Read more

A travel guide should be easily organized, so readers can quickly find what they're looking for. It should be written in a friendly tone, and provide background and supplemental information that might not be readily available at historic sites. And it should offer guidance on where to turn for present-day comforts.

A new book by Larissa and Michael Milne - Philadelphia Liberty Trail: Trace the Path of America's Heritage - does all of that.

The authors' names might sound familiar. They're the couple who quit their jobs and sold their home and belongings to travel the globe in 2011, which they chronicled in a series of articles in Inquirer Travel called "A Year in the World." Since returning Stateside, they've continued contributing articles. They also won the prestigious Lowell Thomas Travel Journalism Silver Award for their blog at www.changesinlongitude.com.

Now, for their first book, they have turned their attention to the City of Brotherly Love.

I met the Milnes before their year-long journey and edited their stories. I count them as friends.

That aside, I read their book with a critical eye - and was taken aback to find a misstep in the introduction. In writing about historic sites still operating, they erred in omitting the word "Episcopal" from Mother Bethel African Methodist Episcopal Church. The name is correct in the rest of the book, but as a member of that denomination, I found it jarring.

That said, Philadelphia Liberty Trail is simply wonderful, and a great read. To wit: "You have to admit, it takes a strong degree of confidence for a nation to embrace something that's broken as one of its most popular symbols. But that's the case with the cracked, but beloved, Liberty Bell."

What we now call Independence Hall was not always a revered building. During the Revolutionary War, British troops used it as a makeshift hospital and holding cell for prisoners. By 1816, the state of Pennsylvania wanted to sell the building for new development, but the city stepped in and purchased it.

"When Lafayette toured America in 1824," the Milnes write, "a renewed interest in the Revolution blossomed, resulting in the first use of the phrase 'Independence Hall' to refer to the State House and the renaming of the park it fronted 'Independence Square.' " They go on to explain that in the mid-19th century, the site was used for hearings to return fugitive slaves to captivity. It was, they lament, "perhaps the lowest moment for Independence Hall."

Throughout the book are "Side Trips" and "Pit Stops." As the Milnes take us along the four-mile Liberty Trail, they show us what we're passing. For instance, after leaving Philosophical Hall on Independence Square - where we find out how many innovations attributed to Benjamin Franklin actually came to be - two side trips are recommended, to Library Hall and Declaration House. The pit stop is Lore's Chocolates and Espresso Bar on South Seventh Street - a personal favorite. Other pit stops may be a spot to rest your feet, or grab a bite to eat.

A highlight for parents is the kid-centric information. The authors note please-touch areas of historic sites, such as the Betsy Ross House's ground-floor storeroom and kitchen, and the "Conversations" gallery at the African American Museum.

Philadelphia Liberty Trail is filled with history lessons. I learned that the first bank robbery in the United States occurred at Carpenters Hall, and that the first "America's dumbest criminal" committed the act. (How dumb was he? After robbing the Bank of Pennsylvania of $162,821, he returned to the bank to deposit large sums of money.)

I also now know that both the river on Philadelphia's eastern border and the state that neighbors us were named for Sir Thomas West, the 12th Baron De La Warr and governor of the English colony at Jamestown in 1610.

And how about that Ben Franklin? Did you know that he never officially wed? Deborah, his partner of 44 years (1730-74), was his common-law wife. As the Milnes point out, Philadelphia was a revolutionary town from its inception.

Their book goes beyond the four-mile Philadelphia Liberty Trail, and beyond the scope of the typical travel guide. It provides general travel information, including places to stay, places to eat, and tours to take. And it has a list of books to inspire young historians.

This is a must-read for Philadelphia visitors and natives alike.

2015 Philadelphia Inquirer Travel & Culinary Expo

Larissa and Michael Milne will be at the 2015 Philadelphia Inquirer Travel & Culinary Expo on Feb. 21 and 22 at the Valley Forge Casino Resort in King of Prussia. They will appear on the main stage at 1 p.m. Feb. 22.

Information: www.phillytravelshow.com

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