52 Weeks of FirstsThe first Philadelphia Thanksgiving Day Parade had Santa Claus climbing the Gimbels fire ladderThe parade was the brainchild of Ellis Gimbel, son of a Bavarian Jewish immigrant, who, in 1920, simply wanted to bring some Christmas cheer to children in Philadelphia.Elizabeth Wellington How an Edgar Allan Poe manuscript survived fires and trash heaps to end up in the Free Library’s rare books collectionElizabeth Wellington The country’s first film screening took place in Philadelphia 156 years agoElizabeth Wellington There would be no U.S. Navy without PhiladelphiaElizabeth Wellington A ‘firstival’ to honor the Delaware Valley’s Lenape people Elizabeth Wellington AdvertisementEastern State Penitentiary stands as a somber reminder of America’s brutal carceral system It is the country’s first penitentiary, which Charles Dickens called "dreadful." Today, it offers many programs about prison reform and its history. Elizabeth Wellington The first Ronald McDonald House, a space for care and comfort, was established in West Philadelphia What started as a collaboration by Children's Hospital of Philadelphia, the Eagles, and McDonald's is now a network of 400 houses in 62 countries, including three in the Philadelphia region. Elizabeth Wellington The United States got its name in Philadelphia’s Independence Hall In September 1776, more than a year after the Revolutionary War began, the Second Continental Congress named the country.Elizabeth Wellington Philadelphia’s Carpenters Hall is where the seeds for American independence were sownIt was the venue for the First Continental Congress, where colonists wanted to work out their issues with England. But before they could come to a compromise, war broke out. Elizabeth Wellington The Constitution turns 239 this month. It was signed in Philadelphia at Independence Hall.This week's firstival kicks off a week-long commemoration of delegates signing the U.S. Constitution. That includes First Amendment Day on Sept. 9 and Constitution Day on Sept. 17. Elizabeth Wellington The Slinky became a toy craze in 1945 and has sold millions of pieces. It all started in Philadelphia.On Nov. 27, 1945, the Jameses brought 400 Slinkies to Gimbels and they sold out in 90 minutes. A toy craze was born.Elizabeth Wellington A 19th century Philadelphia lamp maker took the world’s first selfie and turned the city into a hub of portrait photography Robert Cornelius did not just take the world's first selfie. He opened the world's second portrait studio in our city. Elizabeth Wellington Philadelphia, home of the first U.S. Mint, is where the country’s first and last pennies were madeIn 1793, the U.S. Mint pressed the first pennies. Three moves around the city and 232 years later, it stopped making copper cents.Elizabeth Wellington Philadelphia Historic District’s ‘firstivals’ have drawn super fans who have traveled from the nation’s first circus to its first zoo The 52 Weeks of Firsts series celebrates events that happened in the city before anywhere else. The zoo is part of a series showcasing the city's history and cultural significance. Brett Sholtis A 19th-century doctor and Philadelphia socialite wanted to build a zoo in his city. Even the Civil War couldn’t stop him.William Camac convinced the city and his friends to invest in America's first zoo. that opened July 1, 1874. 227,000 visitors arrived in its first eight months.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.Founded in 1805, PAFA hasn't had a perfect history, but has always been a progressive institution. It has helped define what it means to be an American artist. 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.Townball became Base Ball, then Baseball. It all goes back to North Philadelphia.Elizabeth Wellington Alexander Hamilton believed in Philadelphia’s prosperity and insisted the Federal Bank be headquartered in the cityThe city is home to America's first national bank, which was established in 1791. But the Federal Reserve story remained unwritten for more than 100 years.Elizabeth Wellington Parts of Fairmount Park were not only the site of America’s first paper mill, but also the country’s first company townRittenhouseTown, which thrived for more than a century, was the site of the paper mill that was the only source of paper in America for more than 40 years. Elizabeth Wellington See more storiesAdvertisement
The first Philadelphia Thanksgiving Day Parade had Santa Claus climbing the Gimbels fire ladderThe parade was the brainchild of Ellis Gimbel, son of a Bavarian Jewish immigrant, who, in 1920, simply wanted to bring some Christmas cheer to children in Philadelphia.Elizabeth Wellington
The first Philadelphia Thanksgiving Day Parade had Santa Claus climbing the Gimbels fire ladderThe parade was the brainchild of Ellis Gimbel, son of a Bavarian Jewish immigrant, who, in 1920, simply wanted to bring some Christmas cheer to children in Philadelphia.Elizabeth Wellington
How an Edgar Allan Poe manuscript survived fires and trash heaps to end up in the Free Library’s rare books collectionElizabeth Wellington
How an Edgar Allan Poe manuscript survived fires and trash heaps to end up in the Free Library’s rare books collectionElizabeth Wellington
Eastern State Penitentiary stands as a somber reminder of America’s brutal carceral system It is the country’s first penitentiary, which Charles Dickens called "dreadful." Today, it offers many programs about prison reform and its history. Elizabeth Wellington
Eastern State Penitentiary stands as a somber reminder of America’s brutal carceral system It is the country’s first penitentiary, which Charles Dickens called "dreadful." Today, it offers many programs about prison reform and its history. Elizabeth Wellington
The first Ronald McDonald House, a space for care and comfort, was established in West Philadelphia What started as a collaboration by Children's Hospital of Philadelphia, the Eagles, and McDonald's is now a network of 400 houses in 62 countries, including three in the Philadelphia region. Elizabeth Wellington
The first Ronald McDonald House, a space for care and comfort, was established in West Philadelphia What started as a collaboration by Children's Hospital of Philadelphia, the Eagles, and McDonald's is now a network of 400 houses in 62 countries, including three in the Philadelphia region. Elizabeth Wellington
The United States got its name in Philadelphia’s Independence Hall In September 1776, more than a year after the Revolutionary War began, the Second Continental Congress named the country.Elizabeth Wellington
The United States got its name in Philadelphia’s Independence Hall In September 1776, more than a year after the Revolutionary War began, the Second Continental Congress named the country.Elizabeth Wellington
Philadelphia’s Carpenters Hall is where the seeds for American independence were sownIt was the venue for the First Continental Congress, where colonists wanted to work out their issues with England. But before they could come to a compromise, war broke out. Elizabeth Wellington
Philadelphia’s Carpenters Hall is where the seeds for American independence were sownIt was the venue for the First Continental Congress, where colonists wanted to work out their issues with England. But before they could come to a compromise, war broke out. Elizabeth Wellington
The Constitution turns 239 this month. It was signed in Philadelphia at Independence Hall.This week's firstival kicks off a week-long commemoration of delegates signing the U.S. Constitution. That includes First Amendment Day on Sept. 9 and Constitution Day on Sept. 17. Elizabeth Wellington
The Constitution turns 239 this month. It was signed in Philadelphia at Independence Hall.This week's firstival kicks off a week-long commemoration of delegates signing the U.S. Constitution. That includes First Amendment Day on Sept. 9 and Constitution Day on Sept. 17. Elizabeth Wellington
The Slinky became a toy craze in 1945 and has sold millions of pieces. It all started in Philadelphia.On Nov. 27, 1945, the Jameses brought 400 Slinkies to Gimbels and they sold out in 90 minutes. A toy craze was born.Elizabeth Wellington
The Slinky became a toy craze in 1945 and has sold millions of pieces. It all started in Philadelphia.On Nov. 27, 1945, the Jameses brought 400 Slinkies to Gimbels and they sold out in 90 minutes. A toy craze was born.Elizabeth Wellington
A 19th century Philadelphia lamp maker took the world’s first selfie and turned the city into a hub of portrait photography Robert Cornelius did not just take the world's first selfie. He opened the world's second portrait studio in our city. Elizabeth Wellington
A 19th century Philadelphia lamp maker took the world’s first selfie and turned the city into a hub of portrait photography Robert Cornelius did not just take the world's first selfie. He opened the world's second portrait studio in our city. Elizabeth Wellington
Philadelphia, home of the first U.S. Mint, is where the country’s first and last pennies were madeIn 1793, the U.S. Mint pressed the first pennies. Three moves around the city and 232 years later, it stopped making copper cents.Elizabeth Wellington
Philadelphia, home of the first U.S. Mint, is where the country’s first and last pennies were madeIn 1793, the U.S. Mint pressed the first pennies. Three moves around the city and 232 years later, it stopped making copper cents.Elizabeth Wellington
Philadelphia Historic District’s ‘firstivals’ have drawn super fans who have traveled from the nation’s first circus to its first zoo The 52 Weeks of Firsts series celebrates events that happened in the city before anywhere else. The zoo is part of a series showcasing the city's history and cultural significance. Brett Sholtis
Philadelphia Historic District’s ‘firstivals’ have drawn super fans who have traveled from the nation’s first circus to its first zoo The 52 Weeks of Firsts series celebrates events that happened in the city before anywhere else. The zoo is part of a series showcasing the city's history and cultural significance. Brett Sholtis
A 19th-century doctor and Philadelphia socialite wanted to build a zoo in his city. Even the Civil War couldn’t stop him.William Camac convinced the city and his friends to invest in America's first zoo. that opened July 1, 1874. 227,000 visitors arrived in its first eight months.Elizabeth Wellington
A 19th-century doctor and Philadelphia socialite wanted to build a zoo in his city. Even the Civil War couldn’t stop him.William Camac convinced the city and his friends to invest in America's first zoo. that opened July 1, 1874. 227,000 visitors arrived in its first eight months.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
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.Founded in 1805, PAFA hasn't had a perfect history, but has always been a progressive institution. It has helped define what it means to be an American artist. Elizabeth Wellington
19th century Philadelphia was a finance and science hub. The Pennsylvania Academy of the Fine Arts made it a cultural touchstone.Founded in 1805, PAFA hasn't had a perfect history, but has always been a progressive institution. It has helped define what it means to be an American artist. 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.Townball became Base Ball, then Baseball. It all goes back to North Philadelphia.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.Townball became Base Ball, then Baseball. It all goes back to North Philadelphia.Elizabeth Wellington
Alexander Hamilton believed in Philadelphia’s prosperity and insisted the Federal Bank be headquartered in the cityThe city is home to America's first national bank, which was established in 1791. But the Federal Reserve story remained unwritten for more than 100 years.Elizabeth Wellington
Alexander Hamilton believed in Philadelphia’s prosperity and insisted the Federal Bank be headquartered in the cityThe city is home to America's first national bank, which was established in 1791. But the Federal Reserve story remained unwritten for more than 100 years.Elizabeth Wellington
Parts of Fairmount Park were not only the site of America’s first paper mill, but also the country’s first company townRittenhouseTown, which thrived for more than a century, was the site of the paper mill that was the only source of paper in America for more than 40 years. Elizabeth Wellington
Parts of Fairmount Park were not only the site of America’s first paper mill, but also the country’s first company townRittenhouseTown, which thrived for more than a century, was the site of the paper mill that was the only source of paper in America for more than 40 years. Elizabeth Wellington
