Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

See also:Philadelphia in film and television. Not to be forgotten:. cities with teams from four major sports. The Spurs have advanced to the NBA Finals for the third time in franchise history, and currently are tied 2-2 in the series against the Eastern Conference champion Detroit Pistons. See also: U.S. In the postseason thus far, the Spurs have defeated the Denver Nuggets 4-1, the Seattle Supersonics 4-2 and the Phoenix Suns 4-1. The Wachovia Spectrum is now home to the Flyers' top farm team, the Phantoms and the Major League Indoor soccer team, the Kixx. With the acquisitions of Brent Barry from Seattle, Nazr Mohammed from New York, and veteran Glenn Robinson from free agency, alongside defensive specialist Bruce Bowen, international phenom Manu Ginobili, lightning quick Tony Parker, clutch shooter Robert Horry, and MVP candidate Tim Duncan, the Spurs finished the 2004-2005 season ranked number two in the Western Conference with a 59-23 record, finishing with the best record in the Southwest division.

The Sixers and Flyers share the Wachovia Center with the Soul and Wings. Duncan was named both the NBA Regular Season and Finals MVP for the season. "The Park," "The Zit," "The Vault" or in a Freudian error, "The Vet", from the Eagles' and Phillies' last home, Veterans Stadium). The Spurs won the series 4-2, giving them their second NBA Championship in franchise history. The Phillies now play in Citizens Bank Park (a.k.a. The series against the Nets marked the first time two former ABA teams would play each other for the NBA Championship. The Eagles now play at Lincoln Financial Field (informally known as "The Linc"). In the playoffs, the Spurs defeated the Suns, Lakers and Dallas Mavericks en route to facing the New Jersey Nets in the NBA Finals.

The Eagles, Phillies, Flyers and 76ers have each recently had a new stadium built for them. Mixing the inside presences of Duncan and Robinson with the newer outside threats, the Spurs earned a 60-22 record. The city's original NFL team was the Frankford Yellow Jackets (Frankford being a section of the city located in the northeastern part of town); the club disbanded during the 1931 football season, then re-emerged under the same ownership two years later as the Philadelphia Eagles. Second-year French star Tony Parker was now the starting point guard for the Spurs and the squad featured a variety of three-point shooters including Stephen Jackson, Danny Ferry, Bruce Bowen and Argentina product Manu Ginobili. In the past Philadelphia has also been home to the Philadelphia Athletics (MLB, now the Oakland Athletics), and the Philadelphia Warriors (NBA, now the Golden State Warriors). The Spurs had remade their team in an attempt to dethrone the three-time defending NBA Champion Los Angeles Lakers. The Philadelphia Barrage (Major League Lacrosse, lacrosse) plays at the stadium of Villanova University, which is located in Villanova. This version of the Spurs was very different from the team that had won the title a few years earlier.

Some locals half-jokingly attribute this to the Curse of Billy Penn. Entering the 2002-2003 season, the team knew it would be memorable for at least two reasons, as David Robinson announced that it would be his last in the NBA and the Spurs would begin play at their new arena (approved in 1999 by County voters), the SBC Center, named after telecommunications giant SBC whose corporate headquarters were located in San Antonio. Of late Philadelphia teams have been performing well, but frequently missing championships by failing during the crucial stages. The Spurs finished with 58-24 records for both the 2000-2001 and 2001-2002 seasons but found themselves suffering playoff ousters in both seasons from the eventual NBA Champion Los Angeles Lakers. Philadelphia sports fans have a reputation of being devoted to their teams in good times and bad. The longterm viability of the Spurs franchise in San Antonio was however achieved during the 1999-2000 season, as Bexar County voters approved increases on car rental and hotel taxes which would allow for the construction of a new arena to be constructed near Freeman Coliseum. Philadelphia has a long and proud history of professional sports teams. The Spurs were not able to capitalize on their success during the 1999-2000 season. Although they finished with an overall record of 53-29, the Spurs lost in the first round to the Suns primarily due to an injury to Duncan which kept him out of the playoff series.

The Free Library of Philadelphia. The victory by the Spurs was not only the first NBA title to be won by a former ABA team, but also was the first Finals appearance by a team from the ABA. Colleges and universities near Philadelphia include. Duncan was named the Finals MVP. All schools in the district are required to have a school uniform or a similar dress code. They faced the New York Knicks in the NBA Finals and won the series and the franchise's first World Title four games to one on the Knicks' home court of Madison Square Garden. All of Philadelphia is served by the School District of Philadelphia. The team was just as dominant in the playoffs, rolling through the Western Conference with a record of 11-1.

WPLY 100.3FM had formerly been a purely Philadelphia-based alternative rock station, but its format was changed to hip hop in early 2005. Playing a shortened 50-game season, the Spurs ended up with a 37-13 record. In 2005, Philadelphia became the largest city in the United States without a modern rock-format radio station, in part because of the difficulty such a station has in gaining market share from WMMR and WYSP. The season was delayed over three months until resolution on a new labor agreement was reached in January 1999. Philadelphia is home to some of the country's most prominent radio stations, including two of the nation's leading rock stations, WMMR at 93.3FM and WYSP at 94.1FM. Both stations have been breakthrough stations for many contemporary rock bands, and both are widely known in the rock music community for their influence in impacting the country's rock music trends. Prior to the beginning of training camps however, the NBA owners led by commissioner David Stern locked out the players in order to force a new collective bargaining agreement with the NBA Players Association (NBAPA). Famed comedian Bill Cosby was born and raised in Philadelphia. With a healthy Robinson and Duncan and the additions of playoff veterans such as Mario Elie and Jerome Kersey, the Spurs looked forward to the 1998-1999 season.

Its cultural diversity is reflected in the music and musicians that have come from or through Philadelphia: the R&B styles of Jill Scott and Patti LaBelle, the jazz of Grover Washington Jr., Stan Getz, and Sun Ra, the rock of Pink, the rap of Will Smith, and the opera of Marian Anderson. While both Duncan and Robinson played low-post roles, the two seamlessly meshed on the court. Philadelphia has been home to many people of note, the most famous of whom is probably Ben Franklin, who along with the others in the Continental Congresses helped shape the city along with the country and the world. He was named First Team All-NBA while winning Rookie of the Year honors. The team ended up at 56-26 but once again lost to the Jazz in the Western Conference semifinals. For a list of famous past and present resident of Philadelphia, see: List of people from Philadelphia. Duncan quickly emerged as a force in the NBA during the 1997-1998 season, averaging 21.1 points and 11.9 rebounds per game as a power forward. The "Italian Market" section of South Philadelphia is home to an increasing number of Vietnamese residents. The Spurs used their pick to select Wake Forest University product and consensus All-American Tim Duncan.

Philadelphia has a large Italian American population along with Irish-Americans, Asian-Americans, African Americans, and growing numbers of Hispanic residents and émigrés from Russia and Asian countries. With the third-worst record in the league, the Spurs won the NBA's draft lottery which gave them the top pick in the 1997 draft. Distinctive Philadelphian dishes include:. Although the 1996-1997 season was not successful on the court for the Spurs, the offseason proved to be the opposite. The following railroads, almost all radiating from downtown, were built in the mid-19th century:. Hill only lasted 18 games that season, eventually being replaced by Gregg Popovich, who had once been an assistant for the Spurs during Larry Brown's coaching turn. Philadelphia was an early railroad hub. After an injury that limited Robinson to six games during the season, the Spurs wound up with a 20-62 record, the worst in franchise history.

Other planned freeways have been cancelled, such as an Interstate 695 running southwest from downtown and a freeway upgrade of Roosevelt Boulevard. Few observers could have predicted how far the Spurs would fall during the 1996-1997 season. Shortly after it was completed, though, it became one of the busiest corridors in the region. The Spurs finished the next season (1995-1996) under Hill at 59-23 and lost in the Western Conference Semifinals to the Jazz. The construction of 476 between 76 and 95 took much longer than expected due to community opposition and stubborn landowners. Throughout the season and particularly in the playoffs there appeared to be friction developing between Rodman and several Spurs' teammates, most notably Robinson, and Rodman was traded after the season to the Chicago Bulls. The stretch of 476 between 95 and the toll portion of 476 (running North from the Mid-County Interchange at Plymouth Meeting) is referred to locally as "The Blue Route," because regional planners drew a blue line right through Montgomery and Delaware Counties to suggest where a road ought to be built. The Spurs reached the Western Conference Finals, but lost to the eventual NBA Champion Houston Rockets.

Opened in the early 1990s, the Northeast Extension (276 & 476) connects highways south of Philly International Airport to ones north of the city. Elliott returned to the team after an uneventful season with the Pistons and the team finished with the best record at 62-20 while David Robinson was named the NBA's Most Valuable Player. The Tacony-Palmyra Bridge connects PA 73 with NJ 73, and is maintained by the Burlington County Bridge Commission. Lucas was replaced by former Pacers coach Bob Hill for the 1994-1995 season which would turn out to be the Spurs' most successful season to date. The Delaware River Port Authority operates three bridges in Philadelphia over the Delaware River to New Jersey: the Walt Whitman Bridge (I-76), the Benjamin Franklin Bridge (I-676 and US 30), and the Betsy Ross Bridge (NJ 90). Prior to the season the Spurs traded fan-favorite Elliott to the Detroit Pistons in return for rebounding star Dennis Rodman. Plans to extend the highway west into the suburbs were killed by community opposition. The following season, the Spurs first in the newly built Alamodome, Lucas led the Spurs to a 55-27 record but the team suffered a loss in the first round of the playoffs to the Utah Jazz which led to the immediate firing of Lucas as head coach.

The Woodhaven Expressway (PA 63), serving the neighborhood of Northeast Philadelphia, runs between Interstate 95 and Roosevelt Boulevard (US 1). The 1992-1993 season also marked the last that the Spurs would play in Hemisfair Arena. In recent years, it has become a traffic bottleneck and includes the #2 and #3 worst intersections in the country about a mile from each other, according to a study by State Farm Insurance. His coaching propelled the team to a 39-22 finish over the rest of the regular season and the team reached the Western Conference semifinals, losing to the Phoenix Suns. The boulevard was built for the Lincoln Highway as part of the City Beautiful movement. The Lucas era started out successfully. Roosevelt Boulevard and the Roosevelt Expressway (US 1) connects Northeast Philadelphia with Center City. It was Lucas' first NBA coaching assignment although he had gained recognition in league circles for his success in helping NBA players rehab from drug abuse.

A link between I-95 and I-76, it runs beneath street level through Center City, and connects to the Ben Franklin Bridge at its east end. After Rex Hughes filled the coaching shoes for one game, NBA veteran John Lucas was named head coach. Interstate 676, the Vine Street Expressway, was completed in 1991 after years of planning. The Tarkanian experiment proved a flop, as the coach was fired 20 games into the 1992-1993 season with the Spurs record at 9-11. It meets the Pennsylvania Turnpike at King of Prussia and provides access to Harrisburg and points west. McCombs made national headlines during the summer of 1992 with the hiring of former UNLV head coach Jerry Tarkanian. The city is also served by Interstate 76 (the Schuylkill Expressway), which runs along the Schuylkill River. The team became a perennial playoff presence although were never able to advance further then the second round of the NBA Playoffs under Brown's tutelage. Late in the 1991-1992 season, McCombs fired Brown and replaced him with Bob Bass who finished the season as interim head coach.

Interstate 95 runs through the city along the Delaware River, providing transportation from Florida to Maine. The Spurs began the 1990's with great optimism. Philadelphia International Airport provides domestic and international scheduled air service, while Northeast Philadelphia Airport serves general and corporate aviation. Robinson had one of the most successful rookie seasons for a center in NBA history, finishing the season as Rookie of the Year while averaging 24.3 points and 12.0 rebounds. Two airports, Philadelphia International Airport and Northeast Philadelphia Airport, reside within the city limits (Philadelphia International also lies in the city limits of Tinicum Township, Delaware County). The Spurs eventually lost in the Western Conference semifinals after losing a seven-game series to the eventual Western Conference champion Portland Trail Blazers. PATCO provides subway service to Camden, Collingswood, Haddonfield, Cherry Hill, Ashland, and Lindenwold, New Jersey, from stations on Locust Street between 16th and 15th, 13th and 12th, and 10th and 9th Streets, and on Market Street at 8th Street. Led by Robinson along with the newly added Terry Cummings and 1989 draftee Sean Elliott, the Spurs achieved the biggest one-season turnaround in NBA History, finishing with a record of 56-26.

Amtrak's 30th Street Station is a major railroad facility which offers access to Amtrak, SEPTA, and NJ Transit rail lines. As the 1980's ended, the 1989-1990 season proved to be the rebirth of the Spurs franchise. Philadelphia lies directly on Amtrak's Northeast Corridor. Additionally, the 1988-1989 season featured the debut of Larry Brown as the Spurs head coach who moved to San Antonio after winning the NCAA National Championship with the University of Kansas in 1988. Philadelphia is served by the Southeastern Pennsylvania Transportation Authority, or SEPTA. SEPTA runs buses, trains, subways, trolleys, and trackless trolleys around Philadelphia and into the suburbs. It was the first season of full ownership for Red McCombs, who was an original investor in the team and helped solidify local ownership for the team. Out of the total population, 31.3% of those under the age of 18 and 16.9% of those 65 and older are living below the poverty line. Although the 1988-1989 season was the worst in Spurs history at 21-61, it was notable for several reasons.

22.9% of the population and 18.4% of families are below the poverty line. Although drafted in 1987, the Spurs would have to wait until the 1989-1990 season to see Robinson actually play due to a two-year commitment he had to serve with the United States Navy. The per capita income for the city is $16,509. The Spurs used this selection on United States Naval Academy standout David Robinson. Males have a median income of $34,199 versus $28,477 for females. The lone bright spot during this period was the Spurs' being awarded the top pick in the 1987 NBA draft through NBA Draft Lottery. The median income for a household in the city is $30,746, and the median income for a family is $37,036. The next four seasons were a dark time in Spurs' history, with the team having a combined record of 115-215 from 1985-1986 till 1988-1989. The losing seasons and dwindling attendance caused the Spurs to often be mentioned as a potential candidate for relocation to another city.

For every 100 females age 18 and over, there are 81.8 males. After the 1984-1985 season, Gervin, who arguably had been the Spurs' biggest star, was traded to the Chicago Bulls in what effectively signaled the end of the era that began when the Spurs first moved to San Antonio. For every 100 females there are 86.8 males. Despite their regular season success, the Spurs were unable to win any NBA championships, losing in the Western Conference playoffs to the Houston Rockets in 1981 and the Los Angeles Lakers in 1982 and 1983. The median age is 34 years. For the first few seasons of the decade, the Spurs continued their success of the 1970's with records of 52-30 in 1980-1981, 48-34 in 1981-1982, and 53-29 in 1982-1983. In the city the population is spread out with 25.3% under the age of 18, 11.1% from 18 to 24, 29.3% from 25 to 44, 20.3% from 45 to 64, and 14.1% who are 65 years of age or older. The decade of the 1980's marked both highs, then lows, and an eventual high.

The average household size is 2.48 and the average family size is 3.22. The Spurs would go on to capture 5 division titles in their first 7 years in the NBA and became a perennial playoff participant. 33.8% of all households are made up of individuals and 11.9% have someone living alone who is 65 years of age or older. Although there was some initial skepticism in league circles regarding the potential success and talent levels of the incoming ABA teams, the Spurs would prove worthy of NBA inclusion during the 1975-1976 season with a record of 44-38, good for a tie for fourth place overall in the Eastern Conference. Of the 590,071 households, 27.6% have children under the age of 18 living with them, 32.1% are married couples living together, 22.3% have a female householder with no husband present, and 40.3% are non-families. The NBA however decided to admit four ABA teams into the league, with the Spurs being one of them along with the Denver Nuggets, Indiana Pacers and the New York Nets. The ethnic makeup of the city is 43.2% Black, 13.6% Irish, 9.2% Italian, 8.1% German, 6.4% Puerto Rican, and 4.3% Polish. Even though playoff success would elude the team in the ABA, the Spurs had suddenly found themselves among the top teams in the ABA. In 1976, the ABA folded, threatening the future of San Antonio's sole professional sports franchise.

8.50% of the population are Hispanic or Latino of any race. The early Spurs were led by ABA veteran James Silas and bolstered by the acquisition in early-1974 of future NBA Hall-of-Famer George Gervin from the Virginia Squires. The racial makeup of the city is 45.02% White, 43.22% African American, 0.27% Native American, 4.46% Asian, 0.05% Pacific Islander, 4.77% from other races, and 2.21% from two or more races. The team quickly made themselves at home at San Antonio's HemisFair Arena playing to increasingly large and raucous crowds. There are 661,958 housing units at an average density of 1,891.9/km² (4,900.1/mi²). The team's primary colors were changed from the red, white, and blue of the Chapparrals to the now familiar silver and black motif of the Spurs. The population density is 4,337.3/km² (11,233.6/mi²). The team was acquired by a group of 36 San Antonio businessmen, led by Angelo Drossos and Red McCombs who actually leased the team from the original Dallas ownership group, relocated the team to San Antonio, Texas and renamed them the Spurs.

As of the census² of 2000, there are 1,517,550 people, 590,071 households, and 352,272 families residing in the city. After missing the playoffs for the first time in their existence in 1972-1973, the team was put up for sale. For a more extensive list of Philadelphia neighborhoods, see List of Philadelphia neighborhoods. In fact, during the 1970-1971 season, the name "Dallas" was dropped in favor of "Texas" and an attempt was made to make the team a regional one, playing games in Fort Worth, Texas as well as Lubbock, Texas but this proved a failure and the team returned full-time to Dallas in time for the 1971-1972 season. These include Andorra, Roxborough, Northern Liberties, Old City, Bustleton, Oxford Circle, Somerton, Manayunk, Center City, Queen Village, Kensington, Frankford, University City, Strawberry Mansion, Chestnut Hill, Fishtown, Port Richmond, Germantown, Mount Airy, Wynnefield, Chinatown, Fox Chase, South Philly, Society Hill, the Museum District and many others. The team suffered from poor attendance and general disinterest in Dallas. Many of these neighborhoods coincide with the borough and townships that made up Philadelphia County before their absorbtion by the city. The San Antonio Spurs started out as the Dallas Chaparrals of the original version of the American Basketball Association (ABA) in 1967.

Like every big city, Philadelphia has many neighborhoods, each of which has its own identity. The San Antonio Spurs are a National Basketball Association team based in San Antonio, Texas. Bodies of water include the Schuylkill River, Cobbs Creek, Wissahickon Creek, and Pennypack Creek. 50 - David Robinson. The total area is 5.29% water. 44 - George Gervin. 349.9 km² (135.1 mi²) of it is land and 19.6 km² (7.6 mi²) of it is water. 32 - Sean Elliott.

According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of 369.4 km² (142.6 mi²). 13 - James Silas. Philadelphia is located at 39°59'53" North, 75°8'41" West (39.998012, -75.144793)¹. 00 - Johnny Moore. The city is also a national center of law due to the University of Pennsylvania's prestigious law school. Chuck "The Rifleman" Person. Because of the large presence of the federal government, the city has a large contingent of law firms including the head quarters of Morgan, Lewis & Bockius, LLP-- a world-wide firm and federal contractor. Malik Rose.

The east-coast operations of the United States Mint are based near the historic district, and the Federal Reserve Bank's Philadelphia division is based there as well. Terry Cummings. The Federal government plays a large role in Philadelphia as well. Steve Kerr. The list of major companies in Philadelphia includes Aramark, GlaxoSmithKline, Sunoco, Comcast, and Pep Boys. Avery "The Little General" Johnson. Philadelphia has its own stock exchange. Sean "Ninja" Elliott.

Philadelphia's economy is heavily based upon manufacturing, refining, food, and financial services. Willie Anderson. Judges for all of the above courts are elected at large. Alvin Robertson. Also, the Superior Court of Pennsylvania and the Commonwealth Court of Pennsylvania sit in Philadelphia several times a year. Johnny Moore. Pennsylvania's three appellate courts also sit in Philadelphia. The Supreme Court of Pennsylvania, which is the court of last resort in the state, regularly hears arguments in Philadelphia City Hall. Artis "The A-Train" Gilmore.

Traffic Court is a court of special jurisdiction which hears violations of traffic laws. James "Captain Late" Silas. The Philadelphia Municipal Court handles matters of limited jurisdiction as well as landlord-tenant disputes, appeals from traffic court, conducts preliminary examinations for felony-level offenses, and the like. David "The Admiral" Robinson. It is funded and operated largely by City resources and employees. Moses Malone - 2001. The Philadelphia County Court of Common Pleas, also known as the Court of Common Pleas for the First Judicial District of Pennsylvania, is the trial court of general jurisdiction for Philadelphia. George "The Iceman" Gervin - 1996.

Verna. G-#11 Mike Wilks (Rice). The current council president is Anna C. G-#14 Beno Udrih (Slovenia). Philadelphia has seven council members at large, and ten council members from districts. F-#3 Glenn Robinson (Purdue). The legislative branch of Philadelphia is the Philadelphia City Council. C-#8 Radoslav "Rasho" Nesterovic (Slovenia).

See also: List of mayors of Philadelphia. F/C-#34 Tony Massenburg (Maryland). He was re-elected by a larger majority in 2003. F/C-#4 Sean Marks (California). The incumbent is former Philadelphia City Council President John Street (D), who was first elected in 1999. F-#43 Linton Johnson III (Tulane). The city is headed by an elected mayor who is limited to two consecutive four-year terms, but can run for the position again after an intervening term. F/C-#5 Robert Horry (Alabama).

From a governmental perspective, Philadelphia County is a legal nullity, as all county functions were assumed by the city in 1952, which has been coterminous with the county since 1854. G-#23 Devin Brown (Texas-San Antonio). Prior to that, the city of Philadelphia consisted only of those areas between South Street, Vine Street, the Delaware River, and the Schuylkill River. G-#17 Brent Barry (Oregon State). The city limits have been coterminous with Philadelphia County since 1854. PG-#9 Tony Parker (France). The term "Downtown" refers to South Philadelphia. SG-#20 Emanuel "Manu" Ginobili (Argentina).

The Central Business District is known as Center City, and is the third largest of its kind in America. C-#2 Nazr Mohammed (Kentucky). David Rittenhouse was a clockmaker and friend of the American Revolution. SF-#12 Bruce Bowen (Cal State-Fullerton). William Rittenhouse's original paper mill site is known as Rittenhousetown, and is a delightful rural setting in Fairmount Park. PF-#21 Tim Duncan (Wake Forest). Rittenhouse Square is named after David Rittenhouse, a descendent of the first paper-maker in Philadelphia, the German immigrant William Rittenhouse.

Since the completion of One Liberty Place, no Philadelphia sporting team has won a world championship event in its discipline, a phenomenon locally - and increasingly nationally - known as the "Curse of Billy Penn." There is also a Masonic Temple located only across the street from the City Hall, a legacy of the Founding Fathers and signers of the Declaration of Independence, many of whom were Freemasons. One Liberty Place is the tallest building not only in Philadelphia but in the entire state of Pennsylvania, however in 2005 construction began on the Comcast Center which, when completed in 2007, will be 30 feet taller than One Liberty Place. Since then, seven other skyscrapers have been completed exceeding the statue, including One Liberty Place's little sister, Two Liberty Place. However in March of 1987, One Liberty Place broke the gentlemen's agreement not to exceed the height of the statue of William Penn on the top of the City Hall.

City Hall is the tallest masonry building in the world; and through the late 1980s, City Hall used to be locally known as the tallest building in Philadelphia. Both are the same distance south of City Hall. The eastern edge of Rittenhouse Square is on 18th St., four blocks west of City Hall, while the western edge of Washington Square is between 7th and 8th, about six and a half blocks east of City Hall. He also planned five public parks, one at the intersection of High and Broad Streets in the very center of the city (now occupied by the City Hall) and four others (now called Washington Square, Rittenhouse Square, Logan Square and Franklin Square) surrounding it.

The east-west streets, many of them named for trees, e.g., Chestnut, Walnut, Locust, and Spruce (These are laid out in increasing Hardness from the Soft-wood Pine in the South to the Hard-wood Chestnut in the North) parallel the main thoroughfare named High Street by Penn, but called Market Street since at least the early 18th century (six blocks south of the latter is South Street, noted in recent decades for its raucous night life and the subject of the 1963 hit single by The Orlons of the same name). The numbered streets then resume, continuing in the original plan to 28th at the Schuylkill River. The north-south streets are numbered sequentially from Front (instead of First), along the Delaware River, to 13th, followed by the main north-south thoroughfare, Broad Street (instead of 14th). Penn's surveyor, Thomas Holme, laid out the city in a strict grid, with all streets running either north-south or east-west.

In 1926, the city held the Sesquicentennial Exposition, but Philadelphia was not the central focus of the Bicentennial observances that took place nationwide in the United States in 1976 (New York City held this distinction, as thousands of "tall ships" gathered in New York Harbor on July 4, 1976, the 200th anniversary of the signing of the Declaration of Independence). Memorial Hall and the expansive mall in front of it are remnants of this fair. In 1876 Philadelphia hosted the World's Fair known as the Centennial Exposition. The Pennsylvania Railroad, once America's largest railroad by revenue and traffic volume and at one time the largest public corporation in the world, was headquartered on Broad Street, as was its merger successor, the Penn Central.

An early railroad center, Philadelphia was the original home of the Baldwin Locomotive Works, the world's largest builder of steam locomotives (which relocated to nearby Eddystone, Pennsylvania). Philadelphia served as the temporary capital for a decade, until 1800, when the Capitol building in the new Federal city of Washington, DC was opened. In exchange for locating a permanent capital on the banks of the Potomac River, the congressmen agreed to support Hamilton's financial proposals. In 1790, the seat of the United States Government was moved from Federal Hall in New York to Congress Hall in Philadelphia as the result of a compromise between a number of Southern congressmen and United States Secretary of the Treasury Alexander Hamilton.

For a time in the 18th century, Philadelphia was the largest city in the Americas north of Mexico City, and was the fourth largest city under Crown rule (after London, Bristol, and Dublin). The Declaration of Independence and US Constitution were signed in the city's Independence Hall. Philadelphia was a major center of the independence movement during the American Revolutionary War. Penn also required lots of alleyways and open spaces in hopes of controlling fires and disease (which were then common problems in London).

This was intended to allow the city's population to leave the city easily. During early immigration by Quakers and others, when immigrants purchased land in the city, they also received farm land outside of the city. Penn hoped that the city, as the capital of his new colony founded on principles of freedom and religious tolerance, would be a model of this philosophy. The city's name means "city of brotherly love" in ancient Greek.

Philadelphia is a planned city founded and developed by William Penn, a Quaker. In 1700, the group built the Gloria Dei Church, also known as Old Swedes. A congregation was formed in 1646 on Tinicum Island by Swedish missionary Johannes Campanius. In 1669, Swedish colonists became the first Europeans to settle the area (see New Sweden), calling it Wicoca.

Before Europeans arrived, the Delaware (Lenape) Indian town of Shackamaxon was located where Philadelphia now stands. At that time, it eclipsed Boston and New York City in political and social importance, with Benjamin Franklin playing an extraordinary role in Philadelphia's rise.
. During part of the 18th century, the city was the second capital and then-most populous city of the United States. It has played a critical role in American history and the birth of American independence and democracy.

Philadelphia is one of the oldest cities in the United States. Philadelphia is the central city for the Delaware Valley metropolitan area. The Philadelphia metropolitan area is the fourth largest nationally, with some 5.7 million people. However, later estimates showed that Philadelphia's population loss and Phoenix's population growth had both slowed, leaving the rankings unchanged for the present.

A July 1, 2002 census estimate showed the population dropping modestly to 1,492,231, with Phoenix, Arizona surpassing the city proper as the 5th largest city in the United States. Philadelphia (sometimes referred to as "Philly" or "the City of Brotherly Love") is the fifth most populous city in the United States and the most populous city in the state of Pennsylvania, occupying all of Philadelphia County.⁶ As of the 2000 census, the population was 1,517,550. Indoor soccer: Philadelphia Kixx (Major Indoor Soccer League). Indoor lacrosse: Philadelphia Wings (National Lacrosse League).

Arena football: Philadelphia Soul (Arena Football League). hockey: Philadelphia Flyers (National Hockey League), Philadelphia Phantoms (American Hockey League). Basketball: Philadelphia 76ers (National Basketball Association). Baseball: Philadelphia Phillies (Major League Baseball).

football: Philadelphia Eagles (National Football League). Delaware County Community College, Marple Township. West Chester University of Pennsylvania, West Chester. University of Delaware, located just outside Pennsylvania in Newark, Delaware.

Widener University, Chester. Swarthmore College, Swarthmore. Villanova University, Villanova. Neumann College, Aston.

Haverford College, Haverford. Rosemont College, Bryn Mawr. Davids. Eastern University, located in St.

Bryn Mawr College, located in Bryn Mawr. Arcadia University, located in Glenside, Pennsylvania. Manor College, located in Jenkintown, Pennsylvania. Bryn Athyn College of the New Church, located in Bryn Athyn, Pennsylvania.

Temple University's Tyler School of Art, located in Elkin's Park, Pennsylvania. Temple University, located in Ambler, Pennsylvania. Pennsylvania State University, located in Abington, Pennsylvania and Media, Pennsylvania. Montgomery County Community College, located in Blue Bell, Pennsylvania.

University of Pennsylvania. University of the Sciences in Philadelphia. University of the Arts. Thomas Jefferson University.

Temple University. Saint Joseph's University. Philadelphia University. Philadelphia Community College.

Philadelphia College of Osteopathic Medicine. Pennsylvania Academy of the Fine Arts. La Salle University. Holy Family University.

Drexel University. Curtis Institute of Music. Chestnut Hill College. The Art Institute of Philadelphia.

The Resturant School. Moore College of Art. Masterman high school. Central High School.

Philadelphia Auto Show. Philadelphia Flower Show. The Wing Bowl, a chicken wing eating competition. Patrick's Day Parade.

Philadelphia St. The Greek Picnic, a reunion and celebration of African-American college fraternities. The Mummers Parade, held every New Year's Day on Broad Street. For a traditional Philadelphia cheesesteak - Tony Luke's, Pat's Steaks, Geno's Steaks or Jim's Steaks (though cheesteaks can be found at most any corner pizza shop).

South Street. SEPTA Museum. Rittenhouse Square. Reading Terminal Market.

Philadelphia Zoo. Penn's Landing. One Liberty Place. LOVE Park.

Italian market. Gloria Dei National Historic Site, built in 1700, it is the oldest church in the state. Fairmount Park. Elfreth's Alley.

Eastern State Penitentiary. Philadelphia City Hall. Betsy Ross House. 30th Street Station.

University of Pennsylvania Museum of Archaeology and Anthropology. Rosenbach Foundation & Rosenbach Museum. Rodin Museum (largest collection of Auguste Rodin's works outside France). Please Touch Museum.

Philadelphia Museum of Art. National Constitution Center. Mütter Museum of the College of Physicians of Philadelphia (museum of medical and pathological oddities and curiosities). Liberty Bell & Independence Hall.

Franklin Institute. Fort Mifflin. Fairmount Waterworks and its interpretive center. Edgar Allan Poe House.

Barnes Foundation. Atwater-Kent Municipal Museum. Unlike soft pretzels of other cities, which are the same shape as hard pretzels, Philadelphia soft pretzels have a long, thin block-like shape. Soft pretzel -- thick, doughy pretzels, generally salted, often served with mustard.

Polish ice -- A much looser, creamier form of Italian Ice, usually coming only in chocolate and vanilla. Irish ice -- Irish ice is a creamier, thicker form of water ice. Italian ice (Water Ice)-- a frozen dessert, similar to a slushie except stiffer. Scrapple -- corn meal mush cooked up with every part (scrap) of the pig from the Pennsylvania Dutch country of Lancaster County.

Hoagies -- a sandwich made with cold cuts on an Italian roll, a localised variant of the submarine sandwich. Cheesesteaks, a kind of humble culinary masterpiece, made of cheese (usually either Cheez Wiz(tm), provolone or American) and slices of fried ribeye steak on a hoagie (Italian) roll, sometimes combined with onions or mushrooms - recent innovations include a chicken and a vegetarian variant. 1854: West Chester and Philadelphia Railroad[11] (http://courses.wcupa.edu/jones/his480/notes/rr-1.htm). 1850: relocation of Philadelphia and Columbia Railroad (later Pennsylvania Railroad main line)[10] (http://www.railsandtrails.com/PRR/BOD1948/history.html).

1839: Camden and Woodbury Railroad[9] (http://www.earlpleasants.com/search_1.asp). 1837: Philadelphia, Wilmington and Baltimore Railroad[8] (http://broadway.pennsyrr.com/Rail/Prr/Corphist/pb_w.html). 1835?: Philadelphia and Reading Railroad[7] (http://www.ushistory.org/philadelphia/special/railroad.htm). 1835: Southwark Railroad (only in downtown)[6] (http://broadway.pennsyrr.com/Rail/Prr/Corphist/pb_w.html).

1834: Camden and Amboy Railroad[5] (http://broadway.pennsyrr.com/Rail/Prr/Corphist/urrnj.html). 1834: Philadelphia and Trenton Railroad[4] (http://homepages.rootsweb.com/~wdstock/railroad.htm). 1834: Philadelphia and Columbia Railroad (later Pennsylvania Railroad main line)[3] (http://www.columbiahistoric.com/RAILROAD.HTM). 1834: Delaware and Schuylkill Railroad (only in downtown)[2] (http://www.ushistory.org/philadelphia/special/railroad.htm).

1832: Philadelphia, Germantown and Norristown Railroad[1] (http://www.ushistory.org/philadelphia/special/railroad.htm).