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43-554: The Centennial National Bank opened for business in January 1876, shortly before its permanent building was constructed the same year. Architect Frank Furness, who had just parted ways with business partner George Hewitt , received the commission due to personal connections with the directors. The bank obtained a monopoly over handling ticket receipts and currency exchanges for the Centennial Exposition, which opened on

86-773: A "salute to the union", is fired on Independence Day at noon by any capable military base. New York City has the largest fireworks display in the country sponsored by Macy's , with more than 22 tons of pyrotechnics exploded in 2009. It generally holds displays in the East River. Other major displays are in Seattle on Lake Union ; in San Diego over Mission Bay ; in Boston on the Charles River ; in Philadelphia over

129-503: A departure from earlier works which were in the British-influenced High Victorian Gothic style. Shortly after construction, the building was described in an architectural magazine: The building is of red pressed brick, with bands of black brick, and brown sandstone dressings, standing on the corner of 32nd Street, the angle is cut away to form the entrance: this is a sort of shallow porch which

172-419: A gable roof is a V-roof or butterfly roof . While a front-gabled or gable-fronted building faces the street with its gable, a side-gabled building faces it with its cullis (gutter), meaning the ridge is parallel to the street. The terms are used in architecture and city planning to determine a building in its urban situation. Front-gabled buildings are considered typical for German city streets in

215-423: A picnic or barbecue; many take advantage of the day off and, in some years, a long weekend to gather with family members or friends. Parades are often attended in many towns and cities, some being hours-long, with many floats and participants. Parades are often held in the mid-late morning (before get-togethers), with longer spectacles sometimes extending into the early afternoon. Fireworks displays typically occur in

258-582: A signatory of the Declaration of Independence, James Monroe , another Founding Father who was elected president, also died on July 4, 1831, making him the third President who died on the anniversary of independence. The only U.S. president to have been born on Independence Day was Calvin Coolidge , who was born on July 4, 1872. Independence Day is a national holiday marked by patriotic displays. Per 5 U.S.C.   § 6103 , Independence Day

301-501: A specific racial/ethnic group or sexual minority , (week) = week-long holidays, (month) = month-long holidays, (36) = Title 36 Observances and Ceremonies Gable A gable is the generally triangular portion of a wall between the edges of intersecting roof pitches . The shape of the gable and how it is detailed depends on the structural system used, which reflects climate, material availability, and aesthetic concerns. The term gable wall or gable end more commonly refers to

344-461: A typical element in Gothic architecture, especially in cathedral architecture . Wimpergs often had crockets or other decorative elements in the Gothic style. The intention behind the wimperg was the perception of increased height. The gable end roof is a poor design for hurricane or tornado -prone regions. Winds blowing against the gable end can exert tremendous pressure, both on the gable and on

387-498: Is a federal holiday, so all non-essential federal institutions (such as the postal service and federal courts ) are closed on that day. While the legal holiday remains on July 4, if that date happens to be on a Saturday or Sunday, then federal government employees will instead take the day off on the adjacent Friday or Monday, respectively. Other non-essential that are non-government related may also be closed that day. Families often celebrate Independence Day by hosting or attending

430-427: Is accustomed to seeing that the small size of the building is rendered much more apparent. The method for making the "brilliant glass tiles" referred was invented by Furness himself. Glass was painted on the inward side, backed by a layer of gold leaf and then a layer of tin foil to hold the gold in place. This created colorfully reflective glass often used to suggest nature, as in floral ornamentation. In addition to

473-559: Is carried up to height of the roof, finishing in a sort of crooked gable , the tympanum of the arch just under this gable been decorated with the same character of brilliant glass tiles, sparkling with gold and color, which were used in the front of the Academy of the Fine Arts. The windows, which have pointed segmental heads of brick with sandstone skewbacks, appear quite large, and are so much wider in proportion to their length than one

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516-466: Is typically one of the busiest United States travel periods of the year, as many people use what is often a three-day holiday weekend for extended vacation trips. The Philippines celebrates July 4 as its Republic Day to commemorate the day in 1946 when it ceased to be a U.S. territory and the United States officially recognized Philippine Independence . July 4 was intentionally chosen by

559-461: The Bicentennial ," and was reported in 1986 to be "a dingy maze of Drexel University administrative offices" for which Drexel was trying to find renovation funding. The plan was to turn it into a museum. Instead, after a renovation, it was rededicated in 2002 as the "Paul Peck Alumni Center," to house the university's alumni relations center, meeting spaces, and an art gallery showing pieces from

602-464: The COVID-19 pandemic forced cancellations of shows. Some local or regional firework sales are limited or prohibited because of dry weather or other specific concerns. On these occasions the public may be prohibited from purchasing or discharging fireworks, but professional displays (such as those at sports events) may still take place. A salute of one gun for each state in the United States, called

645-689: The Fourth of July to celebrate the 100-year anniversary of American independence, and operated a branch on the fairgrounds. It continued to operate as the only national bank in West Philadelphia for decades, and the building remained in use as a bank branch until it was vacated by the First Pennsylvania Bank between 1965 and 1971. Drexel University purchased the building c.  1976 , using it primarily as office space and later to house university's alumni center. The bank

688-505: The Gothic period, while later Renaissance buildings, influenced by Italian architecture, are often side-gabled. In America, front-gabled houses, such as the gablefront house , were popular between the early 19th century and 1920. A Wimperg , in German and Dutch , is a Gothic ornamental gable with tracery over windows or portals , which were often accompanied by pinnacles . It was

731-879: The Philadelphia Museum of Art ; in San Francisco over the San Francisco Bay ; and on the National Mall in Washington, D.C. During the annual Windsor–Detroit International Freedom Festival , Detroit, Michigan , hosts one of the largest fireworks displays in North America, over the Detroit River , to celebrate Independence Day in conjunction with Windsor, Ontario 's celebration of Canada Day . The first week of July

774-462: The War of 1812 . Firework shows are held in many states, and many fireworks are sold for personal use or as an alternative to a public show. Safety concerns have led some states to ban fireworks or limit the sizes and types allowed. In addition, local and regional conditions may dictate whether the sale or use of fireworks in an area will be allowed; for example, the global supply chain crisis following

817-571: The slave trade , finally approving it two days later on July 4. A day earlier, John Adams wrote to his wife Abigail : The second day of July 1776, will be the most memorable epoch in the history of America. I am apt to believe that it will be celebrated by succeeding generations as the great anniversary festival. It ought to be commemorated as the day of deliverance, by solemn acts of devotion to God Almighty. It ought to be solemnized with pomp and parade, with shows, games, sports, guns, bells, bonfires, and illuminations, from one end of this continent to

860-567: The Declaration of Independence in isolation over 17 days between June 11, 1776, and June 28, 1776, from the second floor he was renting in a three-story private home at 700 Market Street in Philadelphia , now known as the Declaration House, and within walking distance of Independence Hall . Congress debated and revised the wording of the Declaration, removing Jefferson's vigorous denunciation of King George III for importing

903-409: The Declaration was signed nearly a month after its adoption, on August 2, 1776, and not on July 4 as is commonly believed. By remarkable coincidence, Thomas Jefferson and John Adams, the only two signatories of the Declaration of Independence later to serve as presidents of the United States , both died on the same day: July 4, 1826, which was the 50th anniversary of the Declaration. Although not

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946-486: The English city of Gloucester , its cathedral rang bells in 2019 and 2020 for the anthem " The Star-Spangled Banner " every July 4 for its links to the anthem , commemorating its status as the birthplace of John Stafford Smith , who composed the tune on which the anthem is based. (federal) = federal holidays, (abbreviation) = state/territorial holidays, (religious) = religious holidays, (cultural) = holiday related to

989-638: The Gem of the Ocean "; " God Bless America "; " America the Beautiful "; " My Country, 'Tis of Thee "; " This Land Is Your Land "; " Stars and Stripes Forever "; " Yankee Doodle "; " God Bless the U.S.A. " and " Dixie " (in southern states); " Lift Every Voice and Sing "; and occasionally (but has nominally fallen out of favor), " Hail Columbia ". Some of the lyrics recall images of the Revolutionary War or

1032-855: The Second Continental Congress declared that the Thirteen Colonies were no longer subject (and subordinate) to the monarch of Britain , King George III , and were now united, free, and independent states. The Congress voted to approve independence by passing the Lee Resolution on July 2 and adopted the Declaration of Independence two days later, on July 4. Independence Day is commonly associated with fireworks , parades , barbecues , carnivals , fairs , picnics , concerts , baseball games , family reunions , political speeches , and ceremonies, in addition to various other public and private events celebrating

1075-692: The United States because it corresponds to its Independence Day, and this day was observed in the Philippines as Independence Day until 1962. In 1964, the name of the July 4 holiday was changed to Republic Day. Rebild National Park in Denmark is said to hold the largest July 4 celebrations outside of the United States. While not an Independence Day celebration by any means, the city of Trois-Rivières , Quebec , Canada celebrates its founding every July 4, having been founded on July 4, 1634. Trois-Rivières

1118-588: The United States independent from Great Britain's rule. After voting for independence, Congress turned its attention to the Declaration of Independence , a statement explaining this decision, which had been prepared by the Committee of Five , which asked Thomas Jefferson to author its first draft. While Jefferson consulted extensively with the other four members of the Committee of Five, he largely wrote

1161-584: The academy and the Centennial National, Furness used them in his Brazilian Court at the Centennial Exhibition, but not thereafter. Similar attempts at ornamental glass making were being carried on during the mid-1870s by John LaFarge and Louis Tiffany . Its interior was modified in 1893 and again in 1899, when Philadelphia architect Frank Miles Day built a rear addition that followed Furness's style. In 1956 its single floor

1204-513: The bank's headquarters building. (Furness likely also knew bank co-founder Samuel Shipley .) He had worked previously on one of his most successful bank designs, the Guarantee Trust and Safe Deposit Company , with his partner George Hewitt. However, the partnership dissolved in the fall of 1875, leaving the firm without a mechanical engineer. The Centennial Bank was the first major project Furness took on afterward. Strategically located at

1247-613: The best pieces of architecture in West Philadelphia." Fourth of July Independence Day , known colloquially as the Fourth of July , is a federal holiday in the United States which commemorates the ratification of the Declaration of Independence by the Second Continental Congress on July 4, 1776, establishing the United States of America . The Founding Father delegates of

1290-566: The celebration. The highest ever were in Salem, Massachusetts , with pyramids composed of as many as forty tiers of barrels. These made some of the tallest bonfires ever recorded. The custom flourished in the 19th and 20th centuries and is still practiced in some New England and northeastern towns. Independence Day fireworks are often accompanied by patriotic songs, such as " The Star-Spangled Banner " (the American national anthem ); " Columbia,

1333-547: The corner of 32nd and Market streets, a building on the site would terminate the line of sight along the diagonal Lancaster Avenue, which led to the Exhibition grounds in West Fairmount Park . This is reflected in the entrance Furness designed, which cuts the corner to face Lancaster. Market Street also intersected with Woodland Avenue here, though both Woodland and Lancaster are no longer city streets. The site

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1376-426: The entire wall, including the gable and the wall below it. Some types of roof do not have a gable (for example hip roofs do not). One common type of roof with gables, the ' gable roof ', is named after its prominent gables. A parapet made of a series of curves ( Dutch gable ) or horizontal steps ( crow-stepped gable ) may hide the diagonal lines of the roof. Gable ends of more recent buildings are often treated in

1419-747: The evening, at such places as parks, harbors, off of boats, sporting venues, fairgrounds, public shorelines, or town squares. Decorations (e.g., streamers, balloons, and clothing) are generally colored red, white, and blue, the colors of the American flag , and many homes and businesses will decorate their properties with miniature American flags. The night before the Fourth was once the focal point of celebrations, marked by raucous gatherings, often incorporating bonfires as their highlight. In New England , towns competed to build towering pyramids, assembled from barrels and casks. They were lit at nightfall to usher in

1462-551: The history, government, and traditions of the United States. Independence Day is the national day of the United States. During the American Revolution , the legal separation of the thirteen colonies from Great Britain in 1776 actually occurred on July 2, when the Second Continental Congress voted to approve a resolution of independence that had been proposed in June by Richard Henry Lee of Virginia declaring

1505-649: The other, from this time forward forever more. Adams's prediction was off by two days. From the outset, Americans celebrated independence on July 4, the date shown on the much-publicized Declaration of Independence, rather than on July 2, the date the resolution of independence was approved in a closed session of Congress. Historians have long disputed whether members of Congress signed the Declaration of Independence on July 4, even though Thomas Jefferson, John Adams, and Benjamin Franklin all later wrote that they had signed it on that day. Most historians have concluded that

1548-517: The same way as the Classic pediment form. But unlike Classical structures, which operate through trabeation , the gable ends of many buildings are actually bearing-wall structures. Gable style is also used in the design of fabric structures , with varying degree sloped roofs, dependent on how much snowfall is expected. Sharp gable roofs are a characteristic of the Gothic and classical Greek styles of architecture. The opposite or inverted form of

1591-459: The university art collection. Drexel used the bank in 2012 to host an exhibit of Frank Furness' commercial architecture. The Centennial National Bank's Venetian Gothic design by Frank Furness is considered, "a good example of his developing style," with the exterior retaining its original character though it has been altered. The design is a step in Furness' development of an independent style,

1634-895: Was also the site of the final battle of the American Revolutionary War that was fought on Quebec soil in June 1776, the Battle of Trois-Rivières , which was also a part of the Continental Army's failed American Invasion of Quebec . Following a defeat at the hands of the British, the Continental Army retreated to Fort Saint-Jean in Saint-Jean-sur-Richelieu , Quebec, and then to Fort Ticonderoga in Ticonderoga , New York, before permanently ceasing their invasion of Quebec in July 1776. In

1677-514: Was chartered on January 19, 1876, to finance Philadelphia's coming-out on the world stage, the Centennial Exposition. The Exposition was the first World's Fair held in North America and its opening day, July 4, coincided with the 100-year of American independence. Its first president was Clarence Howard Clark, Sr. , a financier and West Philadelphia resident and developer. Clark hired Frank Furness, whom he had met in Unitarian circles, to design

1720-611: Was directed by some of Philadelphia's "best known and most reputable business men. In 1956, the building came to be occupied by the First Pennsylvania Banking and Trust Company as its "Centennial Branch." First Pennsylvania was still listed as the owner in 1965 but by 1971, the building stood vacant and was controlled by the Philadelphia Redevelopment Authority . The building was acquired by Drexel University around "the time of

1763-567: Was listed on the Philadelphia Register of Historic Places on January 4, 1966, and then on the National Register of Historic Places on March 11, 1971. The National Register nomination cited the building's architectural and commercial significance, calling it "a significant work of architecture, one of the major surviving works of Frank Furness, one of the major examples of Victorian architecture in Philadelphia and one of

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1806-468: Was perfectly positioned to attract fair-goers' business, as Furness anticipated. By April 1876, construction was complete and the building was in operation. During the Centennial Exposition, a branch operated on the fairgrounds and handled the collection and accounting of ticket revenues, as well as currency exchange. By 1900, the bank remained the only national bank in West Philadelphia, posted profits of $ 274,392 (equivalent to $ 10,049,333 in 2023), and

1849-585: Was split in two, and the exterior was simplified, as designed by architect Bud Ross. The building was renovated in 2000-02 (under Voith & Mactavish Architects) to make it an alumni center for Drexel University, at a cost of $ 4 million, equivalent to $ 7,077,101 in 2023. The bank was included in the Historic American Buildings Survey in 1965, as part of the National Park Service 's Mission 66 program. It

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