Our adventure takes us to Philadelphia, I named our trip, Fall Retirement Trip 2021. Our good friends the Scite’s are with us celebrating Missy and Debbie’s retirement. Greg and I are just here for the adventure.
The drive on I95 through Washington, D.C., Baltimore, MD, and then to Philadelphia which had us on the road at 5 AM. Our first stop in Philadelphia was the Liberty Bell. The Liberty Bell became an iconic symbol of Independence for our young nation.
The Liberty Bell was made in 1751, weighing 2080 lbs, height is 4 feet, and is made from metals of copper, lead, zinc, arsenic, gold, and silver. Because the metal was too brittle, it cracked during a test strike and had to be recast twice. On July 8, 1776, the bell was rung to celebrate the first public reading of the Declaration of Independence.
In 1846, when the city decided to repair the bell prior to George Washington’s birthday holiday (February 23), metal workers widened the thin crack to prevent its farther spread and restore the tone of the bell. The wide “crack” in the Liberty Bell is the repair job! The repair failed, causing a second crack running up the bell. The crack silenced the bell forever. Today the bell rests in the museum with thousands of visitors annually. Now a worldwide symbol, the bell’s message of liberty remains just as relevant and powerful today, as it did hundreds of years ago.
Next, we went to the Betsy Ross house. Betsy was credited with making the first flag for our nation. Making a flag was a very dangerous job, if the British caught her she would be charged with treason and imprisoned. Betsy was credited for making the first flag at this house which she didn’t own and lived in from 1776-1779.
Betsy is buried just outside of the house.
Next, about 3-4 blocks is the gravesite of Benjamin Franklin.
Just down the street from there is a statue of his bust with the head formed from 80,000 melted pennies and below the neck 1,000 melted keys.
Elfreth’s Alley in Philadelphia is the oldest street in America. There are 32 houses on the street which were built between 1703 and 1836. The houses are small but have stood tall over time. Today the street is well traveled with tourists.
It was now time for lunch. You probably guessed it, Philly Cheesesteaks.
After lunch, our next stop was the Rocky Balboa statue. Missy and I had to run the steps leading up to the art museum. Our endurance would never make us boxers, but we both felt like champions!
We then found the Benjamin Franklin Museum. It’s location is at the site of his home. One of the leading figures of early American history, Benjamin Franklin (1706-1790) was a statesman, author, publisher, scientist, inventor, and diplomat. Franklin signed both the Declaration of Independence and the U.S. Constitution. He was the first Post Master of the United States Postal Service.
Franklin became the owner and publisher of a colonial newspaper, the Pennsylvania Gazette, which proved popular and to which he contributed much of the content, often using pseudonyms. Franklin achieved fame and further financial success with “Poor Richard’s Almanack,” which he published every year from 1733 to 1758. The almanac became known for its witty sayings, which often had to do with the importance of diligence and frugality, such as “Early to bed and early to rise, makes a man healthy, wealthy and wise.”
Our last stop of the day was Independence Hall where the Declaration of Independence and the U.S. Constitution were debated and adopted by our forefathers.
This concludes our adventure in Philadelphia. Off to our next adventure.
OtterTales 
Very interesting and read some things I didn’t know.
Thanks
My son
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