Philadelphia: Planning a City

Philadelphia: The Great Experiment (In Penn's Shadow)

Curious about Philadelphia's grid system? Learn about the Quaker roots of William Penn's plan to structure Philadelphia around a grid, and the successes and failures of that plan as the colony grew.

[PandoraKyss]

I can't deny that I find it hugely ironic that, if William Penn were to somehow come back and visit his city, he'd be horrified to see the rowhouses all tight together. His vision was of a 'green country town' with huge yards and green spaces around each house, all of which would have an unrealistic view of the river. He also hoped that settlers would buy property on both the Delaware and the Schuylkill Rivers, meeting in the middle where Broad Street is now. Instead, everyone hugged the Delaware. I also think it'd be hilarious to see William Penn's reaction to his own likeness in thirty-seven foot bronze perched high atop City Hall, dressed not in Quaker simplicity but English finery.

[MrButch-lsvl]

One minor correction: there were already European settlers in present-day Philly before William Penn. It was part of the colony of Nya Sverige, or New Sweden, and two generations of Swedes and Finns were already living there.

[davyjones]

Crazy to see how much the skyline has changed since this video.

[shana]

I strongly believe that Philadelphia is a lost city that will one day make a huge comeback. There’s just so much history there.

[jakob-philipwilson]

As a German and Eagles Fan.... ist so ... Wow beautiul

[adultcartoonsandcereal]

My Favorite Cities were designed by a Grid System, Row Streets, Philadelphia, New York City, Washington DC, Boston, Chicago, Pittsburgh, Seattle, Las Vegas, San Francisco, Los Angeles

[gilvogt]

I'd like to see Penn walk Kensington Ave. in reaction would be similar to the American Indian in the canoe...for those of us old enough to remember....

[davidwaynechoate]

Something is very not right when you look at the Art Museum, City Hall, and the Franklin Institute supposedly built all in a few decades. It would be easier to build a "Great Pyramid".

[lauriemoser]

The squares and layout also are aligned by Masonic and Astrology

[arnhay]

George and Alice Maris 1863
My ancestors

[jarr]

U mean to tell me these people in horse and carriages built those capital buildings, and the 1876 worlds fair buildings??
🤔🤔🤔
It’s funny how all the architecture of these buildings in the downtown areas of every major city in the USA all look like European style and Roman style all made of marble stone, sand stone, and limestone and hardly no wood at all.

These things were already here before it was even settled by these people mentioned here…

[sumitaryan]

I think you better learn world history grid pattern are more oldest the European cities and culture

[mariocisneros]

Orderly like many of our American cities, but why isnt New York City. It's a mess, because it wasn't planned and developed right

[bbrenddon]

Names entire colony after himself, thinks naming a street after themselves is egoism. Well there you go he was a narcissist