Philadelphia

Philadelphia, Pennsylvania 

Philadelphia is a city and port that is part of Philadelphia County in southeast Pennsylvania, United States. It is located where the Delaware and Schuylkill rivers converge. 135 square miles in size (350 square km). Pop. (2010): 1,526 006; 2010: 4,008,994; 2010: 5,965,343; 2020: 1,603,797; 2020: 2,180,627; 2020: 6,245,051; Philadelphia Metro Division, 2,180,627; Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington Metro Area, 6,245,051 

Character of the City 

Philadelphia has been compared as both the overgrown and ill-mannered spinster of American cities and the elegant but somewhat jaded great woman. A more realistic perspective, however, reveals Philadelphia to be a very modern and vibrant city that has risen in gracious contrast to the profound serenity of an older city that has given the nation whose birth it served as a midwife gentle but firm intellectual, economic, and humanitarian direction. The biggest city in Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, exhibits many traits of a small town. The genteel Quaker tradition that the city's founder, William Penn, bequeathed upon it is reflected in numerous ways by its abundance of trees, parks, and other open spaces, as well as by its peaceful pace of life. There are respectful reminders of the colonial and revolutionary metropolis almost everywhere, as well as Benjamin Franklin, a Philadelphian by adoption who left his mark on countless still-existing institutions, both economic and cultural.

Philadelphia, however, is a major urban center with both national and international significance hidden behind this façade. The Declaration of Independence was signed there, as was the 1787 Constitutional Convention, and it served as the second national capital of the United States, cementing its place in history. The official grouping of Delaware River ports, which together makes up one of the biggest shipping hubs in the world, is dominated by the Port of Philadelphia and Camden, one of the largest freshwater ports in the world. Philadelphia's early prominence in the Industrial Revolution and in American business and finance in general is reflected in the enormous industrial output of the city and the surrounding metropolitan area. Philadelphia is a vital component of the dynamic fabric of modern social and economic life. It also serves as a quiet oasis that unites the past and current spirit of America. Philadelphia is located in the middle of the large urban community that stretches down the Eastern Seaboard. 

The People 

Despite having many of the traits of an ethnic and racial melting pot almost from the beginning, Philadelphia lacks the boiling hurly-burly that is pervasive in its enormous neighbor, New York City, located roughly 90 miles (150 km) to the northeast. Most Philadelphians do not frequent the streets, and the city has earned the moniker "city of homes" due to its longstanding culture of home orientation. The city of Philadelphia has more social and other clubs than any other in America according to Philadelphians' propensity for joining. Many of these are situated in ethnically diverse neighborhoods, while others cover the entire city and still others cater to the wealthy "Main Liners" who live in the opulent suburbs that developed along the Pennsylvania Railroad's main line in earlier centuries (now Amtrak). 

This movement has roots in Philadelphia's early years, influenced by the Quakers as well as other German pietist groups like the Mennonites that placed more emphasis on individual religious experience than formalized doctrine. These precepts' fundamental sobriety inspired a number of strict legislations that are still in place in both the city and state. However, these organizations worked hard to promote tolerance in all situations. Roman Catholics and Jews were among the few groups that were allowed to settle in Pennsylvania, and the Quakers were longtime pioneers in the fight for justice and the abolition of inhumanity in race and other human interactions. Philadelphia continues to have a large number of modest endowed charities with Quaker roots that help the destitute by giving them food or fuel, as well as one of the longest-standing and most effective municipal commissions on human relations.

Roman Catholics, initially Irish and German and later Italian, Polish, and Slavic joined the Protestant groups during the 1800s. Jewish immigrants from Eastern Europe eventually made up a sizable share of the city's population. Tensions between the old stock groups and the new arrivals were brought on by cultural disputes and competition for housing and employment. Philadelphia had a string of violent anti-Catholic nativist riots throughout the Jacksonian era. However, Catholics gradually gained recognition, and two Philadelphian Catholics—the native-born St. Katharine Drexel and the immigrant St. John Neumann—were canonized. When compared to other large cities at the time, Philadelphia had a comparatively low proportion of foreign-born residents, despite the fact that hundreds of thousands of immigrants arrived there in the late 19th and early 20th centuries. In Philadelphia, some immigrants from Ireland, Italy, Poland, and the Jewish community did find prospects for significant economic growth; for many, though, those dreams never came true, and the road to complete acceptance was sluggish.

One of the nation's historically most significant Black communities has its center in Philadelphia. Many Black leaders emerged from or centered their activities in Philadelphia during the early national and antebellum periods, and the city's free Black population actively participated in numerous campaigns to end slavery, aid runaway slaves, and improve the social and economic conditions of Black people in general. The American Anti-Slavery Society was established in the metropolis in 1833. However, numerous anti-black mob acts targeted the Black population in Philadelphia between 1829 and 1860. Philadelphia had the greatest Black population of any northern metropolis at the start of the 20th century. Throughout the first half of the 20th century, Blacks from the South who had moved to the city continued to increase its Black population. Overcrowded Black neighborhoods were created as a result of housing discrimination, but activists, like the Rev. Leon Sullivan, who is arguably better known for his work opposing apartheid in South Africa and the Sullivan Principles, battled to find solutions. Nearly 40% of all Philadelphians and well over 50% of students attending public schools were Black by the late 20th century. In contrast, roughly 95% of people in the suburbs were white. 

The Economy 

Industry 

Although many of Philadelphia's businesses date back to the 1700s, the city's economy has seen significant change. Textile mills, an old and once-dominant industry, faced fierce competition from the South and from abroad. World War II boosted industry, but later saw a collapse; thousands of jobs were lost in the 1960s. However, nonmanufacturing and service sectors continue to add jobs and now control the economy. In the latter half of the 20th century, high-tech sectors like communications, computer software, and online shopping gained significance. The processing of food, publishing, and printing are important sectors of the modern economy. Chemicals, industrial equipment, fabricated metal items, electronics, vehicles, scientific instruments, textiles, paper products, rubber and plastic goods, and primary metals are all manufactured. There has been a noticeable decline in the movement of people and businesses out of the city and towards the suburbs. The Valley Forge region, best recognized as a historical landmark related to the Revolutionary War, has developed into a hub for commercial and industrial facilities. The Philadelphia Industrial Development Corporation is mostly sponsoring this relocation.

Before the founding of the country, the navy yard, which at its height employed tens of thousands of people, was one of the economic pillars of Philadelphia and most of eastern Pennsylvania. In the late 18th century, shipbuilding began to play a significant role in the economy. During the Revolutionary War, the Continental Congress ordered five ships from Philadelphia. An act of Congress passed in 1799 authorized the opening of a naval shipyard, and the Philadelphia Naval Shipyard soon rose to prominence as one of the navy's primary manufacturing facilities. There, more than 50 new ships were constructed during World War II, while hundreds more were repaired. Over the ensuing decades, shipbuilding persisted, but as the demands of the navy evolved, the yard's responsibilities progressively shifted to repair and overhaul. The Defense Base Closure Commission advised in 1991 that the shipyard be shut down, and in 1995, the yard received its final commission. In 1996, the yard was closed. Even before it shut down, efforts were made to keep the yard open, and in 1997 an agreement was negotiated with a significant Norwegian shipyard. In 2000, shipbuilding resumed, and the first vessel constructed at the brand-new Kvaener Philadelphia Shipyard was finished in March 2003. 

Education 

The public school system in Philadelphia is a separate governmental entity that is governed by an educational board that is chosen by the mayor based on suggestions made by a selection committee of city residents. Numerous Roman Catholic and Quaker Friends schools are among the many private institutions of education that are well-represented in the city. The privately endowed University of Pennsylvania, founded in 1740, opened the country's first medical school (1765), and was the first designated "university" in the United States. The city and its environs have one of the highest concentrations of educational institutions in the nation (1779). As "the people's college," Temple University (1884) is renowned for its work in the humanities and social sciences. LaSalle University and St. Joseph's University are two examples of the numerous Roman Catholic colleges and universities. The top university for technology and engineering in the area is Drexel University, which also has one of the biggest cooperative education programs in the nation. The suburbs are home to universities founded as liberal arts colleges, including Villanova University (1842), Swarthmore (1864), and Bryn Mawr (1885). With a number of general schools and specialized schools for pharmacy, podiatry, optometry, and osteopathic medicine, Philadelphia is also a hub for medical education. The oldest art school in the United States is Pennsylvania Academy of the Fine Arts (1805), while one of the top music schools is the Curtis Institute of Music (1924). 

Cultural Life 

The characteristics previously mentioned—its small-town feel, parks, and tree-lined downtown squares and streets, as well as its numerous memorials to the American past (which served as focal points for the centennial and bicentennial celebrations of 1876 and 1976), as well as its bustling riverside, factories, and diverse business institutions—make up a large portion of Philadelphia's essence. Other elements also play a role in helping to comprehend Philadelphia's culture, which can be broadly construed to include the way of life of its residents. In addition to Fairmount Park, Philadelphia contains Pennypack Park, a semi-wilderness area with bridle routes, bird-watching trails, and a lot of deer and other wildlife, located in the northeast. There are more than 100 more parks spread out over the city.

Philadelphians have long enjoyed sports, whether passively or actively. However, like the city itself, professional teams have always been the target of amusing derision that is acceptable among locals but not among visitors. Devoted sports enthusiasts cheer on teams in all of the major professional leagues, including the 76ers (basketball), Flyers, Eagles, and Phillies (gridiron football) (hockey). New baseball, hockey, football, and basketball stadiums were erected throughout the 1990s and 2000s construction boom. The annual Army-Navy football game, one of college football's greatest traditions, is played in Philadelphia. Fox hunting has ancient Quaker roots in the countryside nearby. Boathouse Row, one of Philadelphia's most iconic locations, is located on the Schuylkill, a significant rowing venue for collegiate and other individuals and crews. There are still traces of the once-vibrant cricket craze in Germantown.

Philadelphia once referred to as the "Athens of America" and continues to have a prominent position in the country's artistic accomplishment. The Philadelphia Orchestra, one of the best orchestras in the world and one of the first to broadcast and record, once called the Academy of Music home. The Academy of Music, which first opened its doors in 1857, is the nation's oldest major opera house still in use for its original purpose. The Kimmel Center, which opened in 2001, is presently the venue where the orchestra plays. There are two venues in Fairmount Park: the Mann Music Center, which hosts classical, popular, and dance performances, and the Robin Hood Dell, which features popular music. 

The greatest actors from Europe and the United States performed on Philadelphia's theatres until well after the Revolution. The oldest theatre still in operation in the English-speaking world is the Walnut Street Theatre, which first opened its doors in 1809. The Playhouse in the Park was the first theater of its sort to be owned and run by the city when it originally opened in 1952.

Philadelphia was a leader in creating many types of museums. In the 1800s, Charles Willson Peale's museum was located in Independence Hall; today, the Philadelphia Museum of Art is in charge of the city's art galleries. One of the greatest museums in the world, it is home to magnificent collections of South and East Asian art as well as Western art from the Middle Ages to the Modern Era, including many Impressionist and Post-Impressionist pieces. The largest collection of sculptures by Auguste Rodin outside of Paris is housed in the Rodin Museum, among others. The Historical Society of Pennsylvania's collection of more than 10,000 objects and 800 paintings, including works by Benjamin West, John Singleton Copley, Gilbert Stuart, the four Peales, and other early American painters, is housed at the Atwater Kent Museum, the city's history museum. Although Thomas Eakins acquired prominence for his work outside of his American contemporaries, the output of visual artists in Philadelphia and the surrounding area has generally been conservative. Mary Cassatt was one of the few women in the Impressionist school in the late 19th century, and Andrew Wyeth received widespread critical recognition. Three generations of sculptors, including Alexander Stirling Calder, the inventor of the mobile, came from the Calder family.

Other museums include the Museum of Archaeology and Anthropology, a significant component of the University of Pennsylvania, the Franklin Institute Science Museum, which is full of wonderful things that move and can be moved, and the Academy of Natural Sciences, the oldest institution of its kind in the United States. The 1976-founded Mummers Museum, the African American Museum, and the Independence Seaport Museum in Penn's Landing are among of Philadelphia's more recent museums. Additionally, the city is home to numerous little museums that are situated in renovated structures.

The Philadelphia Zoo is one of the most well-liked attractions in the city. The nation's first zoo, which opened its doors in 1874, draws huge people all year round to witness its 1,600 animals, which represent 400 different species. It has long been a pioneer in research and features unique outdoor exhibits for wolves, bears, and species found on the African plains. 

Population 

Philadelphia is a city in Pennsylvania's Delaware and Philadelphia counties. It serves as Philadelphia County's county seat as well. It is the largest city in Pennsylvania and the sixth-largest city in the US as of 2020, with a population of 1,619,355. Philadelphia's population has grown by 0.97% from the most recent census, which showed a population of 1,603,797 in 2020, and is now rising at a pace of 0.48% yearly. Philadelphia, which spans more than 143 miles, has a population density of 12,060 people per square mile.

Philadelphia has a poverty rate of 23.07% and a $68,379 average household income. The median monthly cost of rent in recent years has been, and the median value of a home is. Philadelphia's average age is 34.4 years, 32.9 years for men and 35.9 years for women. Philadelphia is the largest city in Pennsylvania, the second-largest on the East Coast of the US, and the fifth-most populous city in the US. With a population of 1,526,006 as of the most recent official census in 2010, it is also the state's first combined city-county.

The 1.556 million population estimate for Philadelphia is a significant rise from the 2010 census. The population of the city has been increasing for seven years, and it is currently the second-fastest growing county in the area. 

When you take into account the metropolitan region, this enormous population becomes even more significant. The Delaware Valley, home to more than 6 million people and the sixth-largest metro area in the country, is centered in Philadelphia. With a total population of 4 million, the five counties that make up the Philadelphia metro area are divided. 

Top 2 News Websites 

#1 PhillyVoice 

On this website, you may get the most recent news, sports, business, entertainment, and other information about Philadelphia. 

#2 NBC10 Philadelphia 

For in-depth local reporting, breaking news, weather updates, and more, turn to NBC10 Philadelphia. Learn about the most recent news, weather, traffic, entertainment, and health in Philadelphia. NBC Philadelphia is a wholly owned subsidiary of NBC Universal and mostly covers Philadelphia.

Current City Mayor