52 Weeks of FirstsThe first complete dinosaur skeleton on view to the public made its debut at Philly’s Academy of Natural Sciences“Before then, people didn’t understand what dinosaurs really were, how they really looked,” said the Academy's curator of artifacts and senior fellow emeritus.Elizabeth Wellington 19th century Philadelphia was a finance and science hub. The Pennsylvania Academy of the Fine Arts made it a cultural touchstone.Elizabeth Wellington A group of Philadelphia men decided to get fit and started a ballclub in 1833. Here’s how they paved the way for the Phillies.Elizabeth Wellington Alexander Hamilton believed in Philadelphia’s prosperity and insisted the Federal Bank be headquartered in the cityElizabeth Wellington Parts of Fairmount Park were not only the site of America’s first paper mill, but also the country’s first company townElizabeth Wellington AdvertisementFour years before the 1969 Stonewall Riots, LGBTQ activists gathered at Independence HallPhiladelphia's Remembrance Marches predated Stonewall and were one of the earliest instances of queer people demanding equal rights in the workplace.Elizabeth Wellington Philadelphia is the birthplace of the nation. It’s also where the U.S. Army was founded. The Second Continental Congress authorized the the formation of the Continental Army in Independence Hall in 1775.Elizabeth Wellington Historians may be divided over whether Betsy Ross designed the first American flag. But there’s no denying her early feminism.She was one of the colonies' premier flag makers with clients who included George Washington. Her story does not end there. Elizabeth Wellington How a steam-powered canoe ride along the Schuylkill and Delaware River inspired the American boating industry In spite of George Washington throwing his support behind his competitors, John Fitch built a steamboat business that, despite going bankrupt, l remains a landmark first.Elizabeth Wellington Philadelphia’s 1876 World’s Fair set the stage for this year’s 250th shindigThe 1876 World's Fair set the stage for Philadelphia to earn the late 19th-century moniker of "Workshop of the World." Elizabeth Wellington Philadelphia gave America its first hospital and, therefore, all its hospital TV dramasWith Ben Franklin's approval, Thomas Bond spearheaded the opening of Pennsylvania Hospital. Its first building opened in 1756.Elizabeth Wellington A lot has been said about the Philadelphian who founded Mother’s Day. A historian now wants to set the record straightAnna Jarvis founded the holiday in honor of her own mother and is often remembered for the emotional spiral she underwent because of the commercialization of the day.Elizabeth Wellington Philadelphia birthed the country’s first piano and the world’s first sousaphone, which was made for a musician as popular as Taylor SwiftThe first American-made piano was built in what is now Northern Liberties. Then, 120 years later, the first sousaphone was constructed in a Washington Square shop for John Phillip Sousa.Elizabeth Wellington The U.S. Postal Service is among the many things we can thank Ben Franklin forAs Philadelphia's postmaster and then postmaster general of the colonies, Franklin turned mail delivery into a 24-hour operation and used it as a means to spread the word of the American Revolution.Elizabeth Wellington Yes, John Bartram founded America’s first botanical garden. He also created the first subscription box for gardeners.Considered America's first botanist, he dedicated his life to studying plants. He also started an extremely expensive seed subscription venture.Elizabeth Wellington Years before Market Street became a bustling shopping district, it was home to America’s first circusCenturies before Cirque du Soleil, it was in Philadelphians where John Bill Ricketts rode two horses at a time, rode them backward, and then stood up to juggle. Elizabeth Wellington No matter what Harvard claims, Penn’s Franklin Field is the oldest collegiate stadium being used for footballOn April 20, 1895, Franklin Field opened at 33rd and Spruce with the first Penn Relays. It wasn't just a a sports venue but a meeting place for Philadelphia's high society.Elizabeth Wellington The nation’s first medical school took shape in the nation’s birthplace, Philadelphia What started with two doctors wanting to provide quality medical knowledge has now led to Philadelphia being home to numerous medical innovations, including the first maternity ward.Elizabeth Wellington A 19th-century Philadelphia patent lawyer did, in fact, start the fire Meet Joshua Pusey, the father of the matchbook, who sued another Pa. man Charles Bowman, the father of the matchbook as we know it. Elizabeth Wellington Woman’s Medical College of Pennsylvania gave us pelvic exams, nursing schools, and Philadelphia’s first Black MDIn the spring of 1851, eight women were the first graduates of the school’s three-year program. Students paid $10 — roughly $417 in today’s money — per class. Elizabeth Wellington See more storiesAdvertisement
The first complete dinosaur skeleton on view to the public made its debut at Philly’s Academy of Natural Sciences“Before then, people didn’t understand what dinosaurs really were, how they really looked,” said the Academy's curator of artifacts and senior fellow emeritus.Elizabeth Wellington
The first complete dinosaur skeleton on view to the public made its debut at Philly’s Academy of Natural Sciences“Before then, people didn’t understand what dinosaurs really were, how they really looked,” said the Academy's curator of artifacts and senior fellow emeritus.Elizabeth Wellington
19th century Philadelphia was a finance and science hub. The Pennsylvania Academy of the Fine Arts made it a cultural touchstone.Elizabeth Wellington
19th century Philadelphia was a finance and science hub. The Pennsylvania Academy of the Fine Arts made it a cultural touchstone.Elizabeth Wellington
A group of Philadelphia men decided to get fit and started a ballclub in 1833. Here’s how they paved the way for the Phillies.Elizabeth Wellington
A group of Philadelphia men decided to get fit and started a ballclub in 1833. Here’s how they paved the way for the Phillies.Elizabeth Wellington
Alexander Hamilton believed in Philadelphia’s prosperity and insisted the Federal Bank be headquartered in the cityElizabeth Wellington
Alexander Hamilton believed in Philadelphia’s prosperity and insisted the Federal Bank be headquartered in the cityElizabeth Wellington
Parts of Fairmount Park were not only the site of America’s first paper mill, but also the country’s first company townElizabeth Wellington
Parts of Fairmount Park were not only the site of America’s first paper mill, but also the country’s first company townElizabeth Wellington
Four years before the 1969 Stonewall Riots, LGBTQ activists gathered at Independence HallPhiladelphia's Remembrance Marches predated Stonewall and were one of the earliest instances of queer people demanding equal rights in the workplace.Elizabeth Wellington
Four years before the 1969 Stonewall Riots, LGBTQ activists gathered at Independence HallPhiladelphia's Remembrance Marches predated Stonewall and were one of the earliest instances of queer people demanding equal rights in the workplace.Elizabeth Wellington
Philadelphia is the birthplace of the nation. It’s also where the U.S. Army was founded. The Second Continental Congress authorized the the formation of the Continental Army in Independence Hall in 1775.Elizabeth Wellington
Philadelphia is the birthplace of the nation. It’s also where the U.S. Army was founded. The Second Continental Congress authorized the the formation of the Continental Army in Independence Hall in 1775.Elizabeth Wellington
Historians may be divided over whether Betsy Ross designed the first American flag. But there’s no denying her early feminism.She was one of the colonies' premier flag makers with clients who included George Washington. Her story does not end there. Elizabeth Wellington
Historians may be divided over whether Betsy Ross designed the first American flag. But there’s no denying her early feminism.She was one of the colonies' premier flag makers with clients who included George Washington. Her story does not end there. Elizabeth Wellington
How a steam-powered canoe ride along the Schuylkill and Delaware River inspired the American boating industry In spite of George Washington throwing his support behind his competitors, John Fitch built a steamboat business that, despite going bankrupt, l remains a landmark first.Elizabeth Wellington
How a steam-powered canoe ride along the Schuylkill and Delaware River inspired the American boating industry In spite of George Washington throwing his support behind his competitors, John Fitch built a steamboat business that, despite going bankrupt, l remains a landmark first.Elizabeth Wellington
Philadelphia’s 1876 World’s Fair set the stage for this year’s 250th shindigThe 1876 World's Fair set the stage for Philadelphia to earn the late 19th-century moniker of "Workshop of the World." Elizabeth Wellington
Philadelphia’s 1876 World’s Fair set the stage for this year’s 250th shindigThe 1876 World's Fair set the stage for Philadelphia to earn the late 19th-century moniker of "Workshop of the World." Elizabeth Wellington
Philadelphia gave America its first hospital and, therefore, all its hospital TV dramasWith Ben Franklin's approval, Thomas Bond spearheaded the opening of Pennsylvania Hospital. Its first building opened in 1756.Elizabeth Wellington
Philadelphia gave America its first hospital and, therefore, all its hospital TV dramasWith Ben Franklin's approval, Thomas Bond spearheaded the opening of Pennsylvania Hospital. Its first building opened in 1756.Elizabeth Wellington
A lot has been said about the Philadelphian who founded Mother’s Day. A historian now wants to set the record straightAnna Jarvis founded the holiday in honor of her own mother and is often remembered for the emotional spiral she underwent because of the commercialization of the day.Elizabeth Wellington
A lot has been said about the Philadelphian who founded Mother’s Day. A historian now wants to set the record straightAnna Jarvis founded the holiday in honor of her own mother and is often remembered for the emotional spiral she underwent because of the commercialization of the day.Elizabeth Wellington
Philadelphia birthed the country’s first piano and the world’s first sousaphone, which was made for a musician as popular as Taylor SwiftThe first American-made piano was built in what is now Northern Liberties. Then, 120 years later, the first sousaphone was constructed in a Washington Square shop for John Phillip Sousa.Elizabeth Wellington
Philadelphia birthed the country’s first piano and the world’s first sousaphone, which was made for a musician as popular as Taylor SwiftThe first American-made piano was built in what is now Northern Liberties. Then, 120 years later, the first sousaphone was constructed in a Washington Square shop for John Phillip Sousa.Elizabeth Wellington
The U.S. Postal Service is among the many things we can thank Ben Franklin forAs Philadelphia's postmaster and then postmaster general of the colonies, Franklin turned mail delivery into a 24-hour operation and used it as a means to spread the word of the American Revolution.Elizabeth Wellington
The U.S. Postal Service is among the many things we can thank Ben Franklin forAs Philadelphia's postmaster and then postmaster general of the colonies, Franklin turned mail delivery into a 24-hour operation and used it as a means to spread the word of the American Revolution.Elizabeth Wellington
Yes, John Bartram founded America’s first botanical garden. He also created the first subscription box for gardeners.Considered America's first botanist, he dedicated his life to studying plants. He also started an extremely expensive seed subscription venture.Elizabeth Wellington
Yes, John Bartram founded America’s first botanical garden. He also created the first subscription box for gardeners.Considered America's first botanist, he dedicated his life to studying plants. He also started an extremely expensive seed subscription venture.Elizabeth Wellington
Years before Market Street became a bustling shopping district, it was home to America’s first circusCenturies before Cirque du Soleil, it was in Philadelphians where John Bill Ricketts rode two horses at a time, rode them backward, and then stood up to juggle. Elizabeth Wellington
Years before Market Street became a bustling shopping district, it was home to America’s first circusCenturies before Cirque du Soleil, it was in Philadelphians where John Bill Ricketts rode two horses at a time, rode them backward, and then stood up to juggle. Elizabeth Wellington
No matter what Harvard claims, Penn’s Franklin Field is the oldest collegiate stadium being used for footballOn April 20, 1895, Franklin Field opened at 33rd and Spruce with the first Penn Relays. It wasn't just a a sports venue but a meeting place for Philadelphia's high society.Elizabeth Wellington
No matter what Harvard claims, Penn’s Franklin Field is the oldest collegiate stadium being used for footballOn April 20, 1895, Franklin Field opened at 33rd and Spruce with the first Penn Relays. It wasn't just a a sports venue but a meeting place for Philadelphia's high society.Elizabeth Wellington
The nation’s first medical school took shape in the nation’s birthplace, Philadelphia What started with two doctors wanting to provide quality medical knowledge has now led to Philadelphia being home to numerous medical innovations, including the first maternity ward.Elizabeth Wellington
The nation’s first medical school took shape in the nation’s birthplace, Philadelphia What started with two doctors wanting to provide quality medical knowledge has now led to Philadelphia being home to numerous medical innovations, including the first maternity ward.Elizabeth Wellington
A 19th-century Philadelphia patent lawyer did, in fact, start the fire Meet Joshua Pusey, the father of the matchbook, who sued another Pa. man Charles Bowman, the father of the matchbook as we know it. Elizabeth Wellington
A 19th-century Philadelphia patent lawyer did, in fact, start the fire Meet Joshua Pusey, the father of the matchbook, who sued another Pa. man Charles Bowman, the father of the matchbook as we know it. Elizabeth Wellington
Woman’s Medical College of Pennsylvania gave us pelvic exams, nursing schools, and Philadelphia’s first Black MDIn the spring of 1851, eight women were the first graduates of the school’s three-year program. Students paid $10 — roughly $417 in today’s money — per class. Elizabeth Wellington
Woman’s Medical College of Pennsylvania gave us pelvic exams, nursing schools, and Philadelphia’s first Black MDIn the spring of 1851, eight women were the first graduates of the school’s three-year program. Students paid $10 — roughly $417 in today’s money — per class. Elizabeth Wellington
