Independence Square

The independence square is the center of the historical district. It consists of the four major buildings shown below. Independence Hall contains two wings in addition to the main structure. On the eve of the American Revolution, Philadelphia citizens gathered here to stage mass protests against British policies. As protests turned to war, soldiers drilled and drums echoed, disturbing the deliberations of the Continental Congress in the State House. The most important of those deliberations was the declaration of independence, which was read in the square on July 8, 1776.

The scene was quite different when the Congress met in 1787. The sounds of war had faded, and the yard had become a peaceful garden with winding walkways, grassy mounds, and a rich variety of trees that provided a tranquil place for the founding of a new government.