Plaques and Statues in the Park

This plaque is located on the west side, exterior wall of Independence Hall. It reads, " THIS TABLET IS ERECTED BY THE PENNSYLVANIA SOCIETY OF SONS OF THE REVOLUTION AS A MEMORIAL TO THE SOLDIERS AND PATRIOTS OF THE REVOLUTION WHO SUFFERED IN THIS BUILDING AS PRISONERS OF WAR DURING THE OCCUPATION OF PHILADELPHIA BY THE BRITISH ARMY, 1777-1778. AND ALSO TO COMMEMORATE THE EVACUATION OF THE CITY BY THAT ARMY JUNE 19, 1778."

Independence  Nat'l Historical Park

 

This plaque is located on the east side of the statue of George Washington, in front of Independence Hall along Chestnut St, in between 5th and 6th Sts. To see this plaque up close, visitors must enter through the security entrance at 5th and Chestnut Sts.

Independence Nat'l Historical Park

 

This plaque is located next to the Lincoln plaque mentioned above and is in the same area as the Washington Statue.

Independence Nat'l Historical Park

Click here to watch the speech President Kennedy gave at Independence Hall, July 4th, 1962.

 

Located on the east side of the Chestnut St. entrance to Independence Hall and reads:

DECLARATION CHAMBER

HERE THE CONTINENTAL CONGRESS SAT FROM THE DATE IT CONVENED, MAY 10, 1775 UNTIL THE CLOSE OF THE REVOLUTION, EXCEPT WHEN IN 1776-7 IT SAT IN BALTIMORE, AND IN 1777-8 IN LANCASTER AND YORK, DUE TO THE TEMPORARY OCCUPATION OF PHILADELPHIA BY THE BRITISH ARMY.

HERE ON JUNE 16, 1775, GEORGE WASHINGTONACCEPTED HIS APPOINTMENT BY CONGRESS AS GENERSAL OF THE CONTINENTAL ARMY.

HERE, ON JULY 4, 1776, THE DECLARATION OF INDEPEDENCE WAS ADOPTED, AND ON JULY 9, 1778 THE ARTICLES OF CONFEDERATION AND PERPETUAL UNION BETWEEN THE STATES WERE ADOPTED AND SIGNED.

HERE, ON NOVEMBER 3, 1781, TWENTY-FOUR STANDARDS TAKEN AT THE SURRENDER OF YORKTOWN WERE LAID AT THE FEET OF CONGRESS AND HIS EXCELLENCY, THE AMBASSADOR OF FRANCE.

HERE, ON SEPTEMBER 17, 1787, THE CONSTITUTION OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA WAS ADOPTED AND SIGNED.

ERECTED BY THE SOCIETY OF THE DESCENDANTS OF THE SIGNERS, JULY 4, 1910

Independence Nat'l Historical Park

 

 

The second statue of Washington to stand on this site, it was cast by Roman Bronze Works of New York City after a mould was cast of the first statute by Samuel A. Murray in 1910. The original statue of Washington on the site was created by J.A. Bailly in 1860. Made of Italian marble, it stood on a Richmond granite base by William Struthers. The statue was a copy of Jean Houdon's statue of Washington, which was commissioned for the city of Richmond, VA by Thomas Jefferson. Bailly's statue was presented by the First School District of Pennsylvania to the City of Philadelphia on July 4th, 1869. In 1910, the deteriorated original was moved to Conversation Hall, on the second floor of Philadelphia's City Hall. The statue is currently covered in order to protect it while restorations are made on the tower of Independence Hall.

 

Washington Square, Tomb of the Unknown Revolutionary Soldiers

Independence National Historical Park

This statue of George Washington sits on top of the memorial to the unkown soldiers buried in Washington Square. The memorial reads: "FREEDOM IS A LIGHT FOR WHICH MANY MEN HAVE DIED IN DARKNESS." On the observers left it reads, : IN UNMARKED GRAVES WITHIN THIS SQUARE LIE THOUSANDS OF UNKOWN SOLDIERS OF WASHINGTON'S ARMY WHO DIED OF WOUNDS AND SICKNESS DURING THE REVOLUTIONARY WAR." To the observers right it reads: " THE INDEPENDENCE AND LIBERTY YOU POSSESS ARE THE WORK OF JOINT COUNCILS AND JOINT EFFORTS OF COMMON DANGERS, SUFFERINGS AND SUCESS - WASHINGTON'S FAREWELL ADDRESS, SEPTEMBER 17, 1796."

 

This marble plaque is in "People's Plaza," a popular location for protests and other demonstrations on Independence Mall. Located between 5th and 6th Sts, on Market St.

Independence National Historical Park

 

Robert Morris, Financier of the Revolution, 1734 - 1806. This statue is located behind the Second Bank of the U.S. in between Walnut and Chestnut Sts. between 4th and 5th Sts.

Independence Nat'l Historical Park

 

The Signer, located in the Signer's Garden at the corner of 5th and Chestnut Sts.

Inspired by George Clymer, Philadelphia merchant, statesman, and signer of both the Declaration of Independence and the Constitution of the United States, “The Signer” commemorates the spirit and deeds of all who devoted their lives to the cause of American freedom.
Presented by the Independence Hall Association, Arthur C. Kaufmann, Chairman, in celebration of Philadelphia’s Tercentenary. January, 1982

 

This plaque is located on the entrance to the signers garden, 5th & Chestnut Sts.

 

This plaque is located at the main entrance to the Second Bank of the U.S. It reads:
                          OLD CUSTOM HOUSE
A NOTABLE EXAMPLE OF GREEK REVIVAL ARCHITECTURE, THIS BUILDING FOLLOWS IN MANY REGARDS LATROBE'S DESIGN OF 1818. IT WAS ERECTED 1819-1824 BY HIS PUPIL STRICKLAND, AS THE FIRST MODERN ADAPTATIONS OF THE PARTHENON AT ATHENS. IT WAS THE CENTER OF THE BITTER FINANCIAL AND POLITICAL STRUGGLE IN WHICH THE BANK'S HEAD, NICHOLAS BIDDLE AND HIS ALLY HENRY CLAY, CONTENDED WITH PRESIDENT JACKSON FOR CONTROL OF THE NATIONS MONETARY SYSTEM. JACKSON PREVENTED THE RECHARTERING OF THE BANK IN 1836 AND FROM 1845 TO 1934 ITS FORMER HOME SERVED AS THE PHILADELPHIA CUSTOM HOUSE.

Independence Nat'l Historical Park

 

This statue of William Penn is located in a lesser known area of the park called "Welcome Park." Its located just north of Walnut St. on 2nd and is across from the City Tavern. The park is named after the ship "Welcome" which William Penn, the founder of the state, arrived on in the 1680's. The park is also the former location of Penn's "Slate Roof House."

Independence Nat'l Historical Park

 

This plaque is located in front of the Bishop William White residence on 3rd and Walnut Sts.

 

This plaque is located in an area of the park known as Washington Square. It reads:
Bicentennial Moon Tree. Sycamore planted May 6, 1975 from seed carried to the moon by astronaut Stuart A. Roosa on Apollo XIV Feb. 1971. National Aeronautics and Space Administration. Forest Service USDA. PA Horticultural Society. Honor Earth's green world of trees.

Independence National Historical Park

 

This plaque is located at the main entrance to New Hall Military Museum in Carpenter's Court between 4th and 3rd Sts. at Chestnut St.

Independence Nat'l Historical Park

 

This plaque is located in Washington Square, near the entrance at 6th and Walnut Sts.

 

Located in the 18th Century Garden, this plaque can be found along one of the walkways. Enter from the North side of Walnut St. just  East of 4th St.

 

This plaque can be found at the site of Benjamin Franklin's grave, located on the corner of 6th and Arch Sts., directly across from the U.S. Mint.

 

This bronze statue of John Barry (1745-1803) in Independence Square was sculpted by Samuel Murray (1869-1941), the artist who produced the statue of George Washington in front of Independence Hall. The statue was commissioned by the Friendly Sons of St. Patrick of Philadelphia, who then donated the statue to the City. The piece was modeled by Murray, probably in Philadelphia, in 1906. It was cast by the Roman Bronze Works of Brooklyn, NY. The pedestal was built by the Harrison Granite Co. of Barre, VT. A crowd of 15,000 witnessed the unveiling of the statue on March 16, 1907. A number of details are known about Samuel Murray's execution of the sculpture of John Barry. Murray generally worked from life or used photographs or earlier portraits. In both cases, he first modeled a nude figure to establish the anatomy correctly. Before modeling John Barry, Murray studied Gilbert Stuart's painting of Barry and had a friend pose in Barry's own Revolutionary War uniform. George Washington (ca. 1910; north of Independence Hall), Dr. Joseph· Leidy (1907; Academy of Natural Sciences), and-Rev. Corby (1910; Gettysburg battlefield) are other sculptures by Murray.

A few changes were made to the piece shortly after it was dedicated. In 1912, a bronze tablet was added to the north side of the pedestal, as the inscription cut in the stone was illegible from a distance. In 1913, Samuel Murray repaired a finger on the vandalized statue. In 1915, a change in the grading of the base of the statue was approved by the Art Commission. Samuel Murray studied under and assisted Thomas Eakins. Eakins and Murray shared a studio from 1892 to 1900, where they sculpted many of the same subjects and assisted each other with their work. They spent almost every day together for 30 years. Murray spent his life in the Philadelphia area; many of his outdoor sculptures are located here. He taught modeling and lectured on anatomy at what is now known as the Moore College of Art. Murray's subjects varied; he sculpted portrait~ of friends and relatives, primarily for their collections, as well as doctors and jurists for public exhibition. Murray exhibited at the Paris, Buffalo, and St. Louis Expositions.