Philadelphia isn’t just the birthplace of American democracy; it’s the blueprint for the nation’s character. From the intellectual rigor of Benjamin Franklin to William Penn’s radical ideals of religious tolerance, this city has always been about bold ideas and action. The meticulous urban planning, groundbreaking cultural institutions, and the gritty industrial past make Philly an undeniable force. Even when it lost its national capital status, it didn’t sulk-it adapted, cementing itself as the "City of Firsts." Philly is the living embodiment of American resilience and progress, where history isn’t just preserved-it’s celebrated and built upon every day.
Hi, thanks for watching my take on Philly--I loved making it and am excited to share it with you! What stories/topics should I cover in a longer on-the-ground episode of the city? Or what other cities/places/stories do you hope to see a video like this on?
Grew up in Reading about an hour northeast, so Philly was the first big city I knew. Dad took us down to see all the sports teams. I saw some of the great acts of the 60s at the Spectrum, the Zepp, Who, Airplane, Doors, Santana. Seeing the world’s largest pipe organ playing at Wanamakers at Christmas was unforgettable. Philly had a lot to do with inventing the department store. Took my daughter there in recent years to walk downtown. The murals are impressive. It’s rated one of the most walkable cities. And I love the South Philly Market with its Italian culture. Where they invented the cheesesteak! Another Philly first. Since then I lived in DC, LA, Portland and Seattle, my home today. But I’ll never forget Philly.
Stil first thing that comers to mind when someone mentions Philadelphia: In West Philadelphia born and raised On the playground was where I spent most of my days Chillin' out, maxin', relaxin', all cool And all shootin' some b-ball outside of the school When a couple of guys who were up to no good Started making trouble in my neighborhood I got in one little fight and my mom got scared She said, "You're movin' with your auntie and uncle in Bel-Air"
You should do a video on Erie, PA at some point. The city has a strong history with the Erie Indians, the French and Indian Wars, the fleet for the Battle of Lake Erie was built there, and a strong history of manufacturing; just to name a few things.
everyone who watches this needs to look into the stadium planned to be built where chinatown is. a 5th stadium nobody needs to destroy an entire districts culture. nobody knows why people are allowing this to happen. also all the art schools closed. so if by public art you mean artists need to sell to the public instead of galleries then sure.
Americas first city is arguably Santo Domingo, Havana or Cartagena, these had hudresds of thousands of people living in them when jamestown was just a small village in comparison.. Also one could argue that Tenochticlan in what is now Mexico city had a million people, larger than any European city at the time, altho the new world was not know as America by then so that's probably not accurate.
