162-733: The Architectural Research Group (ARG) was an association of mostly young architects in Philadelphia , Pennsylvania , established in 1932 by Louis Kahn and Dominique Berninger "for the group study of Housing and Slum Clearance." Berninger acted as its president during the whole of the group's brief existence, 1932 to 1935. Until 1932, both founders were employed by the Philadelphia firm of Zantzinger, Borie & Medary , with Kahn working on their U.S. Department of Justice Building in Washington, D.C. Its members were interested in
324-706: A 19th-century incident with the Philadelphia Athletics ; after the Pirates signed second baseman Lou Bierbauer , the Athletics protested that Pittsburgh's actions were "piratical." The Pittsburgh Steelers and the Eagles both came into the NFL during the 1933 season. Between 1945 and 1970, the Eagles and Steelers played each other every year, and the two teams met in a one-game playoff in 1947 . However,
486-743: A 24-hour particle pollution rating of D in the American Lung Association 's 2017 State of the Air report, which analyzed data from 2013 to 2015. The city was ranked 22nd for ozone, 20th for short-term particle pollution, and 11th for year-round particle pollution. According to the same report, the city experienced a significant reduction in high ozone days since 2001—from nearly 50 days per year to fewer than 10—along with fewer days of high particle pollution since 2000—from about 19 days per year to about 3—and an approximate 30% reduction in annual levels of particle pollution since 2000. Five of
648-599: A WTT expansion franchise with King as their owner. The team first played its home matches at Cabrini College in Radnor Township, Pennsylvania and won WTT championships in 2001 (as an expansion team) and 2006. For the 2008 and 2009 seasons, home matches were played at a temporary stadium erected in the parking lot of the King of Prussia mall. From 2010 to 2016, the Freedoms played their home matches at The Pavilion on
810-495: A bachelor's degree or higher. 23.9% spoke a language other than English at home, the most common of which was Spanish (10.8%). 15.0% of the populations foreign born, roughly half of whom are naturalized U.S. citizens. 3.7% of the population are veterans. The median household income was $ 52,889 and 22.8% of the population lived in poverty. 49.5% of the population drove alone to work, while 23.2% used public transit, 8.2% carpooled, 7.9% walked, and 7.0% worked from home. The average commute
972-403: A budget of $ 371 million. The Philadelphia Parking Authority is responsible for ensuring adequate parking for city residents, businesses, and visitors. Philadelphia's architectural history dates back to colonial times and includes a wide range of styles. The earliest structures were constructed with logs , but brick structures were common by 1700. During the 18th century, the cityscape
1134-474: A city on the Delaware River to serve as a port and place for government. Hoping that Philadelphia would become more like an English rural town instead of a city, Penn laid out roads on a grid plan to keep houses and businesses spread far apart with areas for gardens and orchards . The city's inhabitants did not follow Penn's plans, however, and instead crowded the present-day Port of Philadelphia on
1296-624: A fire at Frankford Stadium led to the club disbanding after the 1931 season. Pro Football Hall of Famers Guy Chamberlin and William R. Lyman both played for the Yellow Jackets. The greater Philadelphia area has had four other football teams that played in the NFL or in leagues that attempted to compete with the NFL. The Pottsville Maroons , a member of the National Football League , played in nearby Pottsville during
1458-599: A great period of success. The team won a then- record 68 games and the championship in the 1966–1967 season, making it the only team besides the Boston Celtics to win an NBA championship in the 1960s. The franchise missed the playoffs for four consecutive seasons in the early 1970s, and the 1972–1973 Sixers hold the NBA record for most losses in one season, with 73. However, the team quickly bounced back after it acquired Julius Erving , and Erving and Moses Malone led
1620-497: A grid pattern between the Delaware and Schuylkill rivers that is aligned with their courses. The original city plan was designed to allow for easy travel and to keep residences separated by open space that would help prevent the spread of fire. In keeping with the idea of a "Greene Countrie Towne", and inspired by the many types of trees that grew in the region, Penn named many of the east–west streets for local trees. Penn planned
1782-716: A growth in its population in 2007, which continued with incremental annual increases through the present. A migration pattern has been established from New York City to Philadelphia by residents opting for a large city with relative proximity and a lower cost of living . Philadelphia's geographic center is about 40° 0′ 34″ north latitude and 75° 8′ 0″ west longitude. The 40th parallel north passes through neighborhoods in Northeast Philadelphia , North Philadelphia , and West Philadelphia including Fairmount Park . The city encompasses 142.71 square miles (369.62 km ), of which 134.18 square miles (347.52 km )
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#17327762232771944-599: A historically significant role in the development of cricket and extreme wrestling in the United States. Philadelphia has a long history of professional sports teams. Philadelphia is one of six cities that has won at least one championship in the NHL, NFL, MLB, and NBA. Philadelphia's combined total of 19 championships in these leagues ranks seventh among North American cities in total championships. The Eagles, Flyers, Phillies, and 76ers all play their home games in
2106-631: A joint effort between former mayors John F. Street and Michael Nutter . The zoning changes were intended to rectify incorrect zoning maps to facilitate future community development, as the city forecasts an additional 100,000 residents and 40,000 jobs will be added by 2035. The Philadelphia Housing Authority (PHA) is the largest landlord in Pennsylvania. Established in 1937, the PHA is the nation's fourth-largest housing authority, serving about 81,000 people with affordable housing, while employing 1,400 on
2268-610: A moderately sunny climate with an average of 2,498 hours of sunshine annually. The percentage of sunshine ranges from 47% in December to 61% in June, July, and August. The January daily average temperature is 33.7 °F (0.9 °C). The temperature frequently rises to 50 °F (10 °C) during thaws. July averages 78.7 °F (25.9 °C). Heat waves accompanied by high humidity and heat indices are frequent, with highs reaching or exceeding 90 °F (32 °C) on 30 days of
2430-629: A resurgence starting in 2001, though it did not make the playoffs until 2007. From 2007 to 2011, the Phillies made the playoffs for five straight seasons, winning the 2008 World Series over the Tampa Bay Rays and also appearing in the 2009 World Series . After an 11-year playoff drought, the Phillies reached the 2022 World Series , losing to the Houston Astros in six games. The Philadelphia Athletics were founded in 1901 as one of
2592-543: A row: the 1929–31 Athletics, 1947–49 Eagles, 1965–68 Sixers, 1976–78 Phillies, and 1984–87 Flyers. The Philadelphia Eagles , founded in 1933, are members of the East Division of the National Football Conference (NFC) in the National Football League (NFL). They have operated continuously since then, with the partial exception of the 1943 season , when the Eagles temporarily merged with
2754-456: A third consecutive Stanley Cup Finals in 1976 , defeated HC CSKA Moscow (the Soviet " Red Army team") in a famous exhibition game , and, in the 1979–80 season , set the record for the longest unbeaten streak in NHL history. The franchise experienced success even after the retirement of Hall of Famer Bobby Clarke , making Stanley Cup appearances in 1985 and 1987 . After a down period in
2916-815: A time, row houses built elsewhere in the United States were known as "Philadelphia rows". A variety of row houses are found throughout the city, from Federal-style continuous blocks in Old City and Society Hill to Victorian-style homes in North Philadelphia to twin row houses in West Philadelphia . While newer homes have been built recently, much of the housing dates to the 18th, 19th, and early 20th centuries, which has created problems such as urban decay and vacant lots. Some neighborhoods, including Northern Liberties and Society Hill, have been rehabilitated through gentrification . As of 2014 ,
3078-657: A town in Finland with a Swedish majority. In 1655, a Dutch military campaign led by New Netherland Director-General Peter Stuyvesant took control of the Swedish colony, ending its claim to independence. The Swedish and Finnish people settlers continued to have their own militia , religion, and court, and to enjoy substantial autonomy under the Dutch. An English fleet captured the New Netherland colony in 1664, though
3240-591: Is 31 minutes. Sports in Philadelphia Philadelphia, Pennsylvania , has a long and rich tradition in professional , semi-professional, amateur , college , and high-school sports. Philadelphia is one of twelve cities that hosts teams in the "Big Four" major sports leagues in North America, and Philadelphia is one of just four cities in which one team from every league plays within city limits . These major sports teams are
3402-466: Is highly variable. Some winters have only light snow while others include major snowstorms. The normal seasonal snowfall averages 22.4 in (57 cm), with rare snowfalls in November or April, and rarely any sustained snow cover. Seasonal snowfall accumulation has ranged from trace amounts in 1972–73, to 78.7 inches (200 cm) in the winter of 2009–10. The city's heaviest single-storm snowfall
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#17327762232773564-492: Is home to five Fortune 500 corporate headquarters. Metropolitan Philadelphia ranks as one of the Big Five U.S. venture capital hubs, facilitated by its geographic proximity to both the entrepreneurial and financial ecosystems of New York City and to the federal regulatory environment of Washington, D.C. Greater Philadelphia is also a biotechnology hub. The Philadelphia Stock Exchange , owned by Nasdaq since 2008,
3726-665: Is land and 8.53 square miles (22.09 km ), or 6%, is water. Natural bodies of water include the Delaware and Schuylkill rivers, lakes in Franklin Delano Roosevelt Park , and Cobbs , Wissahickon , and Pennypack creeks. The largest artificial body of water is East Park Reservoir in Fairmount Park . The lowest point is sea level and the highest point is in Chestnut Hill , about 446 feet (136 m) above sea level on Summit Street near
3888-440: Is often ranked as the nation's best city for professional sports fans. The city has a culturally and philanthropically active LGBTQ+ community . Philadelphia also has played an immensely influential historic and ongoing role in the development and evolution of American music, especially R&B , soul , and rock . As of 2022 , the Philadelphia metropolitan area had a gross metropolitan product of US$ 518.5 billion and
4050-598: Is one of the largest contiguous urban park areas in the U.S. The two parks, along with the Colonial Revival , Georgian and Federal -style mansions in them, have been listed as one entity on the National Register of Historic Places since 1972. Within the Köppen climate classification , Philadelphia falls under the northern periphery of the humid subtropical climate zone (Köppen Cfa ). Within
4212-603: Is the Philadelphia Phillies . Founded in 1883, the team is the oldest continuous, one-name, one-city franchise in all of professional American sports. The Phillies compete in the National League East and have won the World Series twice, in 1980 and 2008 . The Phillies have won eight National League pennants and eleven NL East division titles . In 2007, the Phillies lost a game for
4374-602: Is the most populous city in the U.S. state of Pennsylvania and the sixth-most populous city in the United States , with a population of 1,603,797 in the 2020 census . The city is the urban core of the larger Delaware Valley , also known as the Philadelphia metropolitan area, the nation's eighth-largest metropolitan area and seventh-largest combined statistical area with 6.245 million residents and 7.366 million residents, respectively. Philadelphia has played an extensive role in United States history . The city
4536-433: Is the nation's oldest stock exchange and a global leader in options trading. 30th Street Station , the city's primary rail station, is the third-busiest Amtrak hub in the nation, and the city's multimodal transportation and logistics infrastructure also includes Philadelphia International Airport , a major transatlantic gateway and transcontinental hub; the rapidly-growing PhilaPort seaport ; and Interstate 95 ,
4698-456: The 2020 U.S. Census , there were 1,603,797 people residing in Philadelphia, representing a 1.2% increase from the 2019 census estimate. The racial composition of the city was 39.3% Black alone (42.0% Black alone or in combination), 36.3% White alone (41.9% White alone or in combination), 8.7% Asian alone, 0.4% American Indian and Alaska Native alone, 8.7% some other race, and 6.9% multiracial. 14.9% of residents were Hispanic or Latino. 34.8% had
4860-756: The American Basketball League , which had been started in 1961 by Abe Saperstein as an attempt to compete with the NBA, moved a franchise to region. Both the team (the Philadelphia Tapers ) and the league folded in December 1962. The Philadelphia Flyers were one of six teams that the National Hockey League (NHL) added as part of the 1967 NHL expansion , which ended the Original Six era. The Flyers play in
5022-788: The Battle of Brandywine in Chadds Ford Township , on September 11, 1777, during the Philadelphia campaign , the revolutionary capital of Philadelphia was defenseless and the city prepared for what was perceived to be an inevitable British attack. Because bells could easily be recast into munitions, the Liberty Bell , then known as the Pennsylvania State Bell, and bells from two Philadelphia churches, Christ Church and St. Peter's Church , were hastily taken down and transported by heavily guarded wagon train out of
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5184-624: The British Army , which was then the world's most powerful military force. Since the Declaration's July 4, 1776, adoption, its signing has been cited globally and repeatedly by various peoples of the world seeking independence and liberty. It also has been, since its adoption, the basis for annual celebration by Americans; in 1938, this celebration of the Declaration was formalized as Independence Day , one of only eleven designated U.S. federal holidays . After George Washington 's defeat at
5346-614: The Delaware River watershed , western Long Island , and the Lower Hudson Valley . Most Lenape were pushed out of the region during the 18th century by expanding European colonies, exacerbated by losses from intertribal conflicts. Lenape communities were weakened by newly introduced diseases, mainly smallpox , and conflict with Europeans. The Iroquois occasionally fought the Lenape. Surviving Lenape moved west into
5508-684: The Eastern Mediterranean during the Greek and Roman periods, including modern Alaşehir , mentioned as the site of an early Christian congregation in the Book of Revelation . As a Quaker , Penn had experienced religious persecution and wanted his colony to be a place where anyone could worship freely. This tolerance, which exceeded that of other colonies, led to better relations with the local native tribes and fostered Philadelphia's rapid growth into America's most important city. Penn planned
5670-583: The Great Migration from the South . By the 20th century, Philadelphia had an entrenched Republican political machine and a complacent population. In 1910, a general strike shut down the entire city. In 1917, following outrage over the election-year murder of a Philadelphia police officer, led to the shrinking of the City Council from two houses to just one. In July 1919, Philadelphia
5832-723: The Jefferson Street Grounds . The Boston Red Caps defeated the Philadelphia Athletics , 6–5, in the inaugural game of the National League . These Athletics (officially known as the Athletic Base Ball Club of Philadelphia) were formed in 1860, and played in the National Association of Base Ball Players (NABBP), then the National Association (NA), and finally the National League (NL; for only one year). The Athletics won
5994-615: The Liberty Bell , and hosting the Second Continental Congress during which the nation's 56 founders formed the Continental Army and elected George Washington as its commander in 1775, and unanimously adopted the Declaration of Independence on July 4, 1776. For nine months, from September 1777 to June 1778, the city fell under British occupation during the war's Philadelphia campaign . In 1787,
6156-763: The Los Angeles Lakers . The two teams met in the NBA Finals in 1980 , 1982 , 1983 , and 2001 . The Phillies have developed a rivalry with the Atlanta Braves . The teams met in the 1993 NLCS , and the two franchises are the most frequent winners of the NL East . The Philadelphia Soul are an Arena Football League (AFL) franchise founded in 2004. The team played in the Wells Fargo Center . The Soul won ArenaBowl XXII in 2008 before
6318-607: The Metropolitan Division and have won two championships: the 1974 and 1975 Stanley Cups . The Flyers were the first non- Original Six team to win the Stanley Cup since the Montreal Maroons won the cup in 1935. The Flyers have won eight conference championships and 16 division championships. The Flyers were particularly successful in the 1970s: the team won back-to-back Stanley Cups, appeared in
6480-557: The NBA and NHL . The 76ers have a long rivalry with the Boston Celtics and both currently compete in the Atlantic Division . The two franchises have met each other in the NBA playoffs more than any other pair of franchises. Sixers guard Andrew Toney earned the appellation "The Boston Strangler" for his clutch play against the Boston Celtics in the 1980s. The Flyers have met the Boston Bruins seven times in
6642-701: The New England Revolution both play in the MLS's Eastern Conference . Philadelphia and Washington, D.C. have teams in the same division in the NFL , NHL , MLB , and MLS . The Eagles and the Washington Commanders have a long history , having (almost always) competed in the same division since 1933. The Flyers and the Washington Capitals both play in the Metropolitan Division ; the rivals have met five times in
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6804-547: The New Jersey Devils (who play in the New York metropolitan area ). The New York Knicks and the 76ers are also divisional rivals, as both teams play in the Atlantic Division . The Phillies and Yankees play each other very rarely, but the teams met in the 1950 World Series and the 2009 World Series . The New York Jets and the Eagles have only played each other thirteen times, with the Eagles winning 12 out of
6966-501: The New York Sets , who were 15–29 in 1974, in a complicated deal on February 5, 1975. Upon announcing the trade, Butera said, "It's not an easy thing to let Billie Jean go. I feel like King Faisal giving away his oil wells." After King was traded, a group of investors that included Bob Mades, Paul Slater, Herbert S. Hoffman, Robert K. Kraft and Harold Bayne expressed interest in buying the original Boston Lobsters . However,
7128-466: The Northeast megalopolis , particularly New York City along with a long instate rivalry with Pittsburgh . Philadelphia teams also compete with teams from New York City and Pittsburgh for fans support among New Jersey and Pennsylvania residents. In addition to regional rivalries, teams from Philadelphia have a number of other rivalries with teams from other cities. As the two largest cities in
7290-468: The Philadelphia Arena . The franchise, which had moved from Pittsburgh, folded after its only season in Philadelphia, during which the club set a record for the lowest winning percentage and the longest losing streak in league history—records that stood for over forty years. The Quakers were one of several NHL teams that folded in the 1930s, leaving the NHL with just six teams between 1942 and
7452-475: The Philadelphia Field Club . Sports play a very significant role in the culture of the city and the Greater Philadelphia area . Philadelphia sports fans are considered to be some of the most knowledgeable fans in sports, and are known for their extreme passion for all of their teams. Philadelphia fans, particularly Phillies and Eagles fans, have a reputation for being the " Meanest Fans in America". Philadelphia's passionate and knowledgeable fans, combined with
7614-438: The Philadelphia Phillies of Major League Baseball (MLB), the Philadelphia Eagles of the National Football League (NFL), the Philadelphia 76ers of the National Basketball Association (NBA) and the Philadelphia Flyers of the National Hockey League (NHL). Each team has played in Philadelphia since at least the 1960s, and each team has won at least two championships. Since 2010, the Greater Philadelphia area also has been
7776-401: The Philadelphia Quakers of the NHL , have been more short-lived. Both of the major league teams that relocated (the Warriors and the Athletics) currently play in the San Francisco Bay Area . In 1980 , Philadelphia became the only North American city in which all four major sports teams played for their respective championships in one year (although the Phillies were the only team to win
7938-421: The Pittsburgh Steelers to become the Steagles . The Eagles have won three pre-Super Bowl era NFL championships : 1948 , 1949 , 1960 , five conference championships, and 16 division championships. They have made four Super Bowl appearances, losing in Super Bowl XV ( 1980 ), Super Bowl XXXIX ( 2004 ) and Super Bowl LVII ( 2022 ), and winning Super Bowl LII ( 2017 ). The franchise frequently finished at
8100-427: The Second Continental Congress , which adopted the Declaration of Independence in what was then called the Pennsylvania State House and was later renamed Independence Hall. Historian Joseph Ellis , in 2007, described the Declaration of Independence, written predominantly by Thomas Jefferson , as "the most potent and consequential words in American history," and its adoption represented a declaration of war against
8262-483: The South Philadelphia Sports Complex within the city. The Eagles currently play at Lincoln Financial Field (commonly referred to as "The Linc"), built in 2003. The Phillies play at Citizens Bank Park , which opened in 2004. The Flyers and 76ers share the Wells Fargo Center , opened in 1996. All three venues are within walking distance of NRG Station on SEPTA's Broad Street Line . The Philadelphia Union of Major League Soccer plays its home games at Subaru Park in
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#17327762232778424-424: The Trewartha climate classification , Philadelphia has a temperate maritime climate ( Do ) limited to the north by the continental climate ( Dc ). Summers are typically hot and muggy. Fall and spring are generally mild, and winter is moderately cold. The plant life hardiness zones are 7a and 7b, reflecting an average annual extreme minimum temperature between 0 and 10 °F (−18 and −12 °C). Snowfall
8586-536: The U.S. Constitution was ratified in Philadelphia at the Philadelphia Convention . Philadelphia remained the nation's largest city until 1790, and it served as the nation's first capital from May 10, 1775, until December 12, 1776, and on four subsequent occasions until 1800, when construction of the new national capital in Washington, D.C. was completed. Philadelphia maintains extensive contemporary influence in business and industry , culture , sports , and music . With 17 four-year universities and colleges in
8748-448: The world's 54th-largest urban park . Philadelphia is known for its arts, culture , cuisine , and colonial and Revolutionary-era history; in 2016, it attracted 42 million domestic tourists who spent $ 6.8 billion, representing $ 11 billion in economic impact to the city and its surrounding Pennsylvania counties. With five professional sports teams and one of the nation's most loyal and passionate fan bases, Philadelphia
8910-409: The 10,000th time in franchise history; according to the Elias Sports Bureau , no professional sports franchise in any sport has lost more games. For its first 30 years, the franchise often finished in the middle of the National League. Led by pitcher Grover Cleveland Alexander , the franchise appeared in the 1915 World Series and made strong finishes in 1916 and 1917. After trading Alexander in 1917,
9072-421: The 13 matchups. Philadelphia and Pittsburgh are the two major cities of Pennsylvania and the only two cities in the state with major professional sports franchises, and the teams of the two cities have had strong rivalries in the NHL , MLB , and NFL . Perhaps the strongest current rivalry is between the Philadelphia Flyers and the Pittsburgh Penguins , both of which play in the Metropolitan Division of
9234-403: The 1920s. In 1925, the Maroons were briefly suspended from the NFL for playing an unauthorized exhibition game at Philadelphia's Shibe Park . The team moved to Boston in 1929, but folded at the end of the season. The Philadelphia Quakers played one season in Philadelphia as part of the American Football League , a fledgling league intent on challenging the NFL as the premier football league in
9396-467: The 1929 season, but Bethlehem Steel FC folded in 1930 and the ASL collapsed in 1933. Bethlehem Steel F.C. won the US Open Cup five times, which remains a record (shared with Maccabi Los Angeles ). The club also won the American Cup six times. Hall of Fame Bethlehem Steel players include Jock Ferguson , Robert Millar , Harry Ratican , Tommy Fleming , and Archie Stark , whose international record of 70 goals in one season stood for 87 years before it
9558-401: The 1967 expansion that brought the NHL to Philadelphia and five other American cities. Len Peto attempted to bring the Montreal Maroons to Philadelphia in the 1940s, but the lack of both league support and a suitable arena prevented the Maroons from playing in Philadelphia. The Philadelphia Blazers played for one season in the World Hockey Association , a league that attempted to challenge
9720-399: The 1967 season, becoming the Oakland Athletics , and plans are now in place for the Athletics to relocate to Las Vegas in 2028. Philadelphia Athletics players such as Lefty Grove , Jimmie Foxx , and Al Simmons have been inducted into the Philadelphia Sports Hall of Fame , as has long-time manager and owner Connie Mack , who holds the record for most games managed, won, and lost. While
9882-458: The 1971 playoffs, when the current Washington franchise was based in Baltimore . Philadelphia teams have rivalries with teams from outside of the Northeast . There is a passionate NFC East rivalry between the Eagles and the Cowboys, with a number of stories and memorable events surrounding the rivalry. There was also a rivalry (stemming from the NFL) between the Soul and the Dallas Desperados . The 76ers enjoy an interconference rivalry with
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#173277622327710044-490: The 1980s. Historic areas such as Old City and Society Hill were renovated during the reformist mayoral era of the 1950s through the 1980s, making both areas among the most desirable Center City neighborhoods. Immigrants from around the world began to enter the U.S. through Philadelphia as their gateway, leading to a reversal of the city's population decline between 1950 and 2000, during which it lost about 25 percent of its residents. Philadelphia eventually began experiencing
10206-531: The 2 square miles (5.2 km ) of Center City to the roughly 134 square miles (350 km ) of Philadelphia County . In the latter half of the 19th century and leading into the 20th century, immigrants from Russia, Eastern Europe, and Italy, and African Americans from the southern U.S. settled in the city. Philadelphia was represented by the Washington Grays in the American Civil War . The African-American population of Philadelphia increased from 31,699 to 219,559 between 1880 and 1930, largely stemming from
10368-577: The 2019 season because Goodman Stadium no longer meets league stadium requirements. Steel FC was renamed Union II in advance of the 2020 season, and went on hiatus for the 2021 season. Union II returned the next year as one of the inaugural teams of MLS Next Pro , an MLS-operated third-level league made up mainly of MLS reserve sides. The Union have also reached the U.S. Open Cup final three times, in 2014 , 2015 and 2018 , losing two games at home (in extra time in 2014 to Seattle Sounders FC and after penalties in 2015 to Sporting Kansas City ) and once on
10530-442: The 2023–24 school year. These six schools, along with Delaware State University and the University of Delaware , all represent the Greater Philadelphia area in NCAA Division I , while several other area schools field teams in other divisions of the NCAA . Temple fields the lone Division I FBS football team in the region, though many Philadelphia fans root for other programs, such as the Penn State Nittany Lions . In addition to
10692-438: The AAFBA and the NAFBL . For the inaugural 1921–1922 season of the professional American Soccer League , Bethlehem Steel F.C. moved to Philadelphia and competed as the Philadelphia Field Club . The team won the first American Soccer League championship, but moved back to Bethlehem and reverted to its original name. Three other franchises also competed as the Philadelphia Field Club, giving Philadelphia continuous representation in
10854-415: The ASL between 1921 and 1929 (although the second incarnation of Philadelphia Field Club changed its name to the Philadelphia Celtic for one season). During the 1924–1925 season, Fleisher Yarn joined the ASL, giving Philadelphia two teams. Excluding the first incarnation of the Philadelphia Field Club, the Philadelphia ASL teams experienced little success. The ASL was one of the most popular sports leagues in
11016-516: The Athletics played in Philadelphia, they frequently played the Phillies in exhibition games known as the City Series . However, the teams never met in the World Series, and did not play each other in the regular season until 2003 (after the introduction of interleague play ). Before the integration of Major League Baseball following World War II, Philadelphia was the home of numerous Negro league teams playing in various leagues. The Philadelphia Pythians played from 1867 to 1887, and were one of
11178-433: The Cherry Hill Arena in Cherry Hill, New Jersey , and then relocated to San Diego before the start of the 1974–75 season. The Philadelphia Union is a Major League Soccer (MLS) team that plays in the Eastern Conference . The franchise began play in 2010. The Union play at Subaru Park , a soccer-specific stadium located in Chester, Pennsylvania . The Sons of Ben is an independent supporters group that helped bring
11340-400: The Delaware River and subdivided and resold their lots. Before Penn left Philadelphia for the final time, he issued the Charter of 1701 establishing it as a city. Though poor at first, Philadelphia became an important trading center with tolerable living conditions by the 1750s. Benjamin Franklin , a leading citizen, helped improve city services and founded new ones that were among the first in
11502-491: The Eagles hired Doug Pederson , a former offensive coordinator under Reid. The Eagles defeated the New England Patriots in Super Bowl LII . Nick Sirianni was named head coach in 2021 and lead the Eagles to a berth in Super Bowl LVII . In 1994, defensive end Reggie White , running back Steve Van Buren , and two-way players Chuck Bednarik and Pete Pihos were named to the National Football League 75th Anniversary All-Time Team . The city's first professional football team
11664-709: The Eastern Division championship series. Although King performed well in the WTT Finals, WTT Playoffs MVP Andrew Pattison was dominant for the Denver Racquets , and that proved too much to overcome, as the Freedoms were swept in two straight matches. Following the 1974 season, WTT owners concluded it would be in all their interests to have a successful franchise in New York City, and they pressured Freedoms co-owner, Dick Butera, to trade King to
11826-410: The Freedoms that he attended home matches wearing the team's uniform and sat on the bench with the players. He recorded the song in the summer of 1974, and it was released on February 24, 1975. WTT's inaugural season was 1974, and the Freedoms were one of the charter franchises. Teams had the opportunity to sign players to contracts prior to the draft held by the new 16-team league, and King signed with
11988-554: The Freedoms. She served as the team's player-coach, making her the first female head coach of a professional sports team that included male players, since WTT was a co-ed league. The Freedoms finished with WTT's best regular-season record at 39–5 in the league's inaugural season. King was the league's MVP. The Freedoms defeated the Cleveland Nets in the Eastern Division semifinals and the Pittsburgh Triangles in
12150-727: The Fury both played at Veterans Stadium, though the Atoms played their final season in Philadelphia at Franklin Field. The NASL folded in 1984, leaving the United States without a top-level soccer league until Major League Soccer (MLS) began play in 1996. Philadelphia is one of eleven U.S. cities which will host matches during the 2026 FIFA World Cup . Two teams named the Philadelphia Freedoms played in World TeamTennis ,
12312-459: The Lobsters franchise had already been contracted by WTT. With Freedoms owners Dick and Ken Butera far less enthusiastic about their team after trading King, the two sides struck a deal, and the Freedoms were sold on March 27, 1975, and moved to Boston . In order to claim the name and intellectual property of the original Lobsters, the new ownership group was required to settle some of the debts of
12474-472: The NBA named the 1967 and 1983 championship-winning teams two of the ten greatest teams in NBA history. The Philadelphia Warriors played in Philadelphia from 1946 to 1962 before moving to San Francisco and becoming the Golden State Warriors . The Philadelphia Warriors won two championships and three conference titles during that time. The team won its first championship in 1946–47 ,
12636-707: The NFL in the fall. In 2022, the Philadelphia Stars name and iconography were resurrected with a team in the new USFL (although all games were played in Birmingham, Alabama ). In 2023, that league merged with the XFL to form the United Football League , which announced that the Stars franchise would not be folded into the new league. The city's sole existing Major League Baseball (MLB) team
12798-574: The NFL. The Bell played its home games in JFK Stadium , and they employed the first African-American head coach in modern professional football history (retired Hall of Fame safety Willie Wood ). The Philadelphia Stars were a football team in the USFL , a league that attempted to compete with the NFL for three seasons in the 1980s. The Stars, playing at Veterans Stadium, won the league championship in their second season in Philadelphia in 1983−84, but
12960-539: The NHL playoffs, including a stretch where they met four out of five years, one of those meetings being the 1974 Stanley Cup Finals . The Philadelphia Phillies and the Boston Red Sox are interleague rivals , and the two franchises met in the 1915 World Series . The Eagles and the New England Patriots rarely play, but the teams met in both Super Bowl XXXIX and Super Bowl LII . The Union and
13122-489: The NHL playoffs. The Washington Nationals franchise (including their predecessor, the Montreal Expos ) and the Phillies have competed in the NL East since 1969. The Union have developed an intraconference rivalry with D.C. United . The Washington Wizards and the 76ers also both play in the NBA's Eastern Conference , and the two teams met in the NBA playoffs five times , most recently in 2021. They also met in
13284-881: The NHL's supremacy, using a rink constructed in Convention Hall at the Civic Center (later used by the Philadelphia Firebirds of the North American Hockey League and the American Hockey League). After the 1972–73 season, the Blazers moved to Vancouver and then Calgary , but the franchise folded in 1977. Another World Hockey Association franchise, the Jersey Knights , moved in November 1973 to
13446-522: The NHL. The rivalry is generally considered to be one of the fiercest in the NHL. Although not major rivals since the 1994 MLB divisional realignment, the Pittsburgh Pirates and Phillies had historically been heated rivals in the National League , and frequently competed for the National League East division title. The Phillies and Pirates still play regularly, but are no longer in the same division. The Pirates earned their name from
13608-644: The NPSL's lone season. After one season, both leagues merged to form the FIFA -backed, major professional North American Soccer League (NASL). The Spartans did not make the jump to the NASL, but two different franchises later represented Philadelphia. The Philadelphia Atoms played from 1973 to 1976, winning the Soccer Bowl in their inaugural 1973 season . Philadelphia goalkeeper and Pennsylvania native Bob Rigby became
13770-1057: The Philadelphia Eagles in the NFC East , the Brooklyn Nets and the Philadelphia 76ers in the NBA 's Atlantic Division , the New York Rangers and the Philadelphia Flyers , along with the New York Islanders and the Philadelphia Flyers in the National Hockey League 's Metropolitan Division , and the Philadelphia Union and the New York Red Bulls in Major League Soccer 's Eastern Conference . The Flyers also have an intense rivalry with
13932-582: The Philadelphia Warriors. The Warriors franchise moved to San Francisco in 1962 and became the Golden State Warriors . The Warriors and Sixers/Nationals have met in the playoffs ten times , most recently in the 1967 NBA Finals . Philadelphia went one season without an NBA franchise before the Syracuse Nationals moved to Philadelphia and became the Philadelphia 76ers . In the lone season that Philadelphia lacked an NBA franchise,
14094-641: The Phillies to six playoff appearances in eight years. The Phillies won their first World Series in 1980 , defeating the Kansas City Royals in six games. The Phillies also appeared in the 1983 World Series , but lost to the Baltimore Orioles . The franchise had just one winning season between 1987 and 2000, although the 1993 Phillies appeared in the 1993 World Series , losing to the Toronto Blue Jays . The franchise experienced
14256-684: The Quakers folded after just one season of existence. The Philadelphia Bell was a franchise of the World Football League , which operated from 1974 to 1975 and attempted to challenge the NFL's dominance. The league was founded by Gary Davidson , who had also led the founding of World Hockey Association and the American Basketball Association, but the WFL folded after only two years and no teams were absorbed into
14418-794: The Second Continental Congress adopted the Articles of Confederation on November 15, 1777, and the city later served as the meeting place for the Constitutional Convention , which ratified the Constitution in Independence Hall in Philadelphia on September 17, 1787. Philadelphia served as capital of the United States for much of the colonial and early post-colonial periods, including for a decade, from 1790 to 1800, while Washington, D.C. ,
14580-678: The Sixers have the third most wins in NBA history. The franchise began in 1946, as the Syracuse Nationals in the National Basketball League (NBL). In 1949, the Nationals were one of seven NBL teams that merged with the BAA to form the NBA. The franchise won its first championship in 1955 , as the Nationals. After moving to Philadelphia in 1963 and being renamed the 76ers, the franchise acquired Wilt Chamberlain and experienced
14742-492: The Sixers to a championship in 1983 . The franchise continued to experience success until the early 1990s, when it traded Charles Barkley . The Sixers missed the playoffs for seven straight seasons until the emergence of Allen Iverson , who led the team to the 2001 Finals . The team hovered around .500 for most of the 2000s decade, and missed the playoffs from 2013 to 2017. However, the team has since made six consecutive playoff appearances with star center Joel Embiid . In 1996,
14904-429: The Sixers, Eagles, Phillies, and Flyers collectively have an 0–8 record in such games since 1977. In 2011, the Phillies became the first team in the city's major professional sports history to finish the regular season in first place in five consecutive seasons. Two other teams finished first during four consecutive seasons: the 1973–77 Flyers and the 2001–04 Eagles. Five other teams finished first for three seasons in
15066-482: The Stars, two of the longest lasting Negro League franchises, were both led by local postal official Ed Bolden . Hilldale was defeated in the inaugural Negro World Series of 1924 but won the following year in 1925 , while the Stars won the Negro National League championship in 1934. The first game in the history of Major League Baseball was played in Philadelphia, on Saturday, April 22, 1876, at
15228-645: The Steelers moved to the American Football Conference as part of the 1970 AFL-NFL Merger , and the Eagles and Steelers only play each other every four years. There is also a spirited rivalry between Pittsburgh and Philadelphia at both the University of Pittsburgh and Penn State University , as there are many students from both cities at both state-related schools. Philadelphia and Boston have historically had strong rivalries in
15390-630: The Union to the Philadelphia area and continues to support the Union. The Union's top affiliate is Philadelphia Union II . Originally known as Bethlehem Steel FC as a tribute to the early 20th century soccer powerhouse, the team began play in 2015 in the second-level United Soccer League, now known as the USL Championship . Steel FC played its first four seasons at Goodman Stadium in Bethlehem, Pennsylvania , but moved to Subaru Park for at least
15552-603: The United States for much of the nation's history, New York and Philadelphia have a historical rivalry that has continued in the world of sports. There are intra-division rivalries among teams from New York City and Philadelphia in each of the five major leagues, as seen in the rivalries between the New York Mets and the Philadelphia Phillies in the National League East , the New York Giants and
15714-522: The United States after Midtown Manhattan in New York City. Philadelphia's neighborhoods are divided into six large sections that surround Center City: North Philadelphia , Northeast Philadelphia , South Philadelphia , Southwest Philadelphia , West Philadelphia , and Northwest Philadelphia . The city's geographic boundaries have been largely unchanged since these neighborhoods were consolidated in 1854. However, each of these large areas contains numerous neighborhoods, some of whose boundaries derive from
15876-472: The boroughs, townships, and other communities that constituted Pennsylvania County before their inclusion within the city. The City Planning Commission , tasked with guiding growth and development of the city, has divided the city into 18 planning districts as part of the Philadelphia2035 physical development plan. Much of the city's 1980 zoning code was overhauled from 2007 to 2012 as part of
16038-482: The bottom of the standings in the 1930s, but improved in the 1940s, and became the only NFL team to win back to back championships by shutout (in 1948 and 1949). Though the franchise was average for much of the 1950s, the 1960 championship-winning Eagles were the only team to defeat the Vince Lombardi -coached Packers in a playoff game. The Eagles did not experience much success in the 1960s and early 1970s, but
16200-480: The campus of Villanova University . In 2017, the Freedoms home court moved to Hagan Arena on the campus of Saint Joseph's University , returning to play within the City of Philadelphia for the first time since 1974. The timeline includes Philadelphia franchises that played in major professional sports leagues after 1900. Baseball Football Basketball Hockey Soccer The following Philadelphia players won
16362-456: The championship). The Flyers' run to the 2010 Stanley Cup Finals made the city of Philadelphia the first North American city to have all four of its major professional sports league teams play in the league championship finals at least once since 2000, although the Phillies and the Eagles are the only teams to have won a championship since 2000. Philadelphia has had an odd trend of losing championship games during presidential inauguration years;
16524-587: The city for its outlying railroad commuting towns and newer housing. The resulting reduction in Philadelphia's tax base and the resources of local government caused the city to struggle through a long period of adjustment, and it approached bankruptcy by the late 1980s. In 1985, the MOVE Bombing of the Cobbs Creek neighborhood by city helicopters occurred, killing 11 and destroying 61 homes. Revitalization and gentrification of neighborhoods began in
16686-532: The city's 17th century founding through the present, Philadelphia has been the birthplace or home to an extensive number of prominent and influential Americans . Prior to the arrival of Europeans in the early 17th century, the Philadelphia area was home to the Lenape Indians in the village of Shackamaxon . They were also called the Delaware Indians, and their historical territory was along
16848-456: The city's director of public safety, but political pressure still prevented long-term success in fighting crime and corruption. In 1940, non-Hispanic whites constituted 86.8% of the city's population. In 1950, the population peaked at more than two million residents, then began to decline with the restructuring of industry that led to the loss of many middle-class union jobs. In addition, suburbanization enticed many affluent residents to depart
17010-399: The city's tallest building. The Comcast Technology Center was completed in 2018, reaching a height of 1,121 ft (342 m), as the tallest building in the United States outside of Manhattan and Chicago. For much of Philadelphia's history, the typical home has been the row house . The row house was introduced to the United States via Philadelphia in the early 19th century and, for
17172-519: The city's total park space, including municipal, state, and federal parks in the city, amounts to 11,211 acres (17.5 sq mi). Philadelphia's largest park is Fairmount Park , which includes the Philadelphia Zoo and encompasses 2,052 acres (3.2 sq mi) of the total parkland. Fairmount Park's adjacent Wissahickon Valley Park contains 2,042 acres (3.2 sq mi). Fairmount Park, when combined with Wissahickon Valley Park,
17334-403: The city, Philadelphia is one of the nation's leading centers for higher education and academic research . The city is a national cultural center, hosting more outdoor sculptures and murals than any other city in the nation. Fairmount Park , when combined with adjacent Wissahickon Valley Park in the same watershed , is 2,052 acres (830 ha), representing one of the nation's largest and
17496-694: The city. The Liberty Bell was taken to Zion German Reformed Church in Northampton Town, which is present-day Allentown , where it was hidden under the church's floor boards for nine months from September 1777 until the British Army's departure from Philadelphia in June 1778. Two Revolutionary War battles, the Siege of Fort Mifflin , fought between September 26 and November 16, 1777, and the Battle of Germantown , fought on October 4, 1777, took place within Philadelphia's city limits. In Philadelphia,
17658-608: The colonies made it a natural center for America's revolutionaries . By the 1750s, Philadelphia surpassed Boston as the largest city and busiest port in British America , and the second-largest city in the entire British Empire after London . In 1774, as resentment of British colonial practices and support for independence was burgeoning in the colonies, Philadelphia hosted the First Continental Congress . From 1775 to 1781, Philadelphia hosted
17820-473: The colony. Penn made a treaty of friendship with Lenape chief Tammany under an elm tree at Shackamaxon , in what is now the city's Fishtown neighborhood. Penn named the city Philadelphia, which is Greek for "brotherly love", derived from the Ancient Greek terms φίλος phílos (beloved, dear) and ἀδελφός adelphós (brother, brotherly). There were a number of cities named Philadelphia in
17982-645: The country before it dissolved due to the onset of the Great Depression and disagreements with the United States Football Association and FIFA . After returning to Bethlehem, Bethlehem Steel F.C. won a second ASL championship in 1927, and then played in the Eastern Professional Soccer League from 1928 to 1929, winning the league championship in both seasons. The EPSL and ASL merged after
18144-402: The country, and the first Black Episcopal Church . The free Black community also established many schools for its children with the help of Quakers . Large-scale construction projects for new roads, canals , and railroads made Philadelphia the first major industrial city in the United States. Throughout the 19th century, Philadelphia hosted a variety of industries and businesses; the largest
18306-690: The country. The team took its name from the Union Quakers of Philadelphia , a local club which had been denied entry into the American Professional Football Association (as the NFL was known before 1922). The AFL Quakers won the league championship in 1926, giving Philadelphia two football championships in one year, as the Frankford Yellow Jackets won the 1926 NFL title. However, both the AFL and
18468-490: The creation of five public parks in the city which were renamed in 1824. Centre Square was renamed Penn Square ; Northeast Square was renamed Franklin Square ; Southeast Square was renamed Washington Square ; Southwest Square was renamed Rittenhouse Square ; and Northwest Square was renamed Logan Circle/Square . Center City had an estimated 183,240 residents as of 2015 , making it the second-most populated downtown area in
18630-598: The early 1990s, Hart Trophy -winner Eric Lindros helped lead the team to the 1997 Stanley Cup Finals and a string of playoff appearances. The team made another Finals appearance in 2010 , but lost in six games to the Chicago Blackhawks . As of 2016, the Flyers have accrued the second-highest points percentage of all NHL franchises, behind only the Montreal Canadiens . The 1970s Flyers earned
18792-469: The eight charter franchises of the American League . Like several other MLB teams, the Athletics relocated in the 1950s , moving to Kansas City after the 1954 season. The Philadelphia Athletics won the World Series in 1910 , 1911 , 1913 , 1929 , and 1930 . The team won the American League pennant nine times while in Philadelphia, including a 1902 pennant victory that occurred before
18954-620: The first modern International Style skyscraper in the United States, the PSFS Building , designed by George Howe and William Lescaze . The 548 ft (167 m) City Hall remained the tallest building in the city until 1987 when One Liberty Place was completed. Numerous glass and granite skyscrapers were built in Center City beginning in the late 1980s. In 2007, the Comcast Center surpassed One Liberty Place to become
19116-420: The first official World's fair in the U.S. Immigrants, mostly from Ireland and Germany, settled in Philadelphia and the surrounding districts. These immigrants were largely responsible for the first general strike in North America in 1835, in which workers in the city won the ten-hour workday. The city was a destination for thousands of Irish immigrants fleeing the Great Famine in the 1840s; housing for them
19278-434: The first prominent Philadelphia baseball club, the history of baseball in Philadelphia extends to even before the Athletics, as Philadelphians were playing town ball by the 1820s. The Philadelphia 76ers (commonly referred to as the Sixers) represent Philadelphia in the NBA . The franchise, which plays in the Atlantic Division , has won three NBA championships, nine conference titles, and five division titles. As of 2014,
19440-415: The first soccer player to be featured on the cover of Sports Illustrated following the club's championship. The Atoms folded after the 1976 season, having been bought by Mexican owners whose plans to move the team to San Antonio were not approved by the league. The Philadelphia Fury played from 1978 to 1980, but were bought by Molson Brewery and moved to Montreal to become the Manic . The Atoms and
19602-424: The former team. Once they accomplished this, the Freedoms were renamed as the Boston Lobsters . As a consequence, "Philadelphia Freedom" was never paid at a home match of the original Philadelphia Freedoms. King went on the win two WTT championships in New York in 1976 and 1977. The team changed its name to New York Apples after the 1976 season. Billie Jean King and the Freedoms returned in 2001, when they became
19764-462: The franchise had one of the worst stretches in professional sports history, as it managed just one winning season between 1918 and 1948. The "Whiz Kid" Phillies, led by pitcher Robin Roberts , reached the 1950 World Series , but the team was swept by the New York Yankees . The team finished towards the middle of the pack for much of the 1950s and 1960s. After a down period in the early 1970s, third baseman Mike Schmidt and pitcher Steve Carlton led
19926-421: The franchise made four straight playoff appearances starting in 1978, including a Super Bowl appearance in 1980. After another down period, the franchise made the playoffs in six of nine seasons between 1988 and 1996. Andy Reid was hired as head coach in 1999, and across 14 seasons he led the franchise to nine playoff appearances and a run to Super Bowl XXXIX . After Chip Kelly 's three-year tenure as head coach,
20088-443: The franchise moved to Baltimore for the league's final season. The team was coached by Jim Mora , who went on to a successful coaching career in the NFL, and among its players were future NFL Pro Bowlers Sam Mills and Sean Landeta (who later played for the Philadelphia Eagles). Unlike the NFL, the league played in the spring and summer, but it folded after a failed antitrust lawsuit and an aborted attempt to directly compete with
20250-424: The home of the Philadelphia Union of Major League Soccer (MLS), making the Philadelphia market one of only nine cities that hosts a team in the five major sports leagues. Prior to the 1980s, Philadelphia was home to several other notable professional franchises, including the Philadelphia Athletics , the Frankford Yellow Jackets , the Philadelphia Warriors , the Philadelphia Quakers , Philadelphia Atoms , and
20412-470: The ideas of the European avantgarde and a populist social agenda. Uncommissioned, most of the ARG's significant project output was left unbuilt, including Kahn's public housing scheme submitted to the Public Works Administration. However, Kahn soon took a job with the Philadelphia City Planning Commission , while Berninger continued his practice with Carswell, Berninger & Bower . Philadelphia Philadelphia , colloquially referred to as Philly ,
20574-408: The inaugural National Association title, making the franchise the winner of arguably the first title in major league history. After the end of the 1876 season, the franchise folded, having been expelled from the National League for refusing to make a late-season road trip. Three other franchises would later use the name "Athletics", including the now–Oakland Athletics. Though the 1860–76 Athletics were
20736-553: The inaugural season of the Basketball Association of America (BAA). Following the merger between the BAA and the National Basketball League that formed the NBA , the Philadelphia Warriors won their second title in 1956 . While a member of the Philadelphia Warriors, Wilt Chamberlain set several NBA records ; scoring 100 points in a game against the New York Knicks is perhaps his most well-known achievement. The Philadelphia Sports Hall of Fame has inducted Paul Arizin , Neil Johnston , Joe Fulks , and other people associated with
20898-429: The intersection of Germantown Avenue and Bethlehem Pike at: 40.07815 N, 75.20747 W. Philadelphia is located on the Atlantic Seaboard Fall Line that separates the Atlantic Plain from the Piedmont . The Schuylkill River's rapids at East Falls were inundated by completion of the dam at Fairmount Water Works . The city is the seat of its own county . The city is bordered by six adjacent counties: Montgomery to
21060-551: The last occurrence of such a temperature being July 21, 2019. The lowest officially recorded temperature was −11 °F (−24 °C) on February 9, 1934. Temperatures at or below 0 °F (−18 °C) are rare, with the last such occurrence being January 19, 1994 . The record low maximum is 5 °F (−15 °C) on February 10, 1899, and December 30, 1880. The record high minimum is 83 °F (28 °C) on July 23, 2011, and July 24, 2010. See or edit raw graph data . Philadelphia County received an ozone grade of F and
21222-487: The late 1970s and continues into the 21st century with much of the development occurring in the Center City and University City neighborhoods. But this expanded a shortage of affordable housing in the city. After many manufacturers and businesses left Philadelphia or shut down, the city started attracting service businesses and began to market itself more aggressively as a tourist destination. Contemporary glass-and-granite skyscrapers were built in Center City beginning in
21384-404: The league formally disbanded in 2009. The Soul returned in 2010 after the AFL restarted its operations as a new entity. The Soul won four conference championships and four division championships. The Soul won back-to-back championships in 2017 (ArenaBowl XXIX) and 2018 (ArenaBowl XXX), making it a total of three ArenaBowl Championships. The Soul disbanded in 2019 when the AFL folded again. In 2024,
21546-440: The major professional and college sports, numerous semi-pro, amateur, community, and high school teams play in Philadelphia. The city hosts numerous sporting events, such as the Penn Relays and the Collegiate Rugby Championship , and Philadelphia has been the most frequent host of the annual Army–Navy football game . Philadelphia has also been the home of several renowned athletes and sports figures . Philly furthermore has played
21708-582: The nation, including a fire company , library , and hospital . A number of philosophical societies were formed, which were centers of the city's intellectual life, including the Philadelphia Society for Promoting Agriculture (1785), the Pennsylvania Society for the Encouragement of Manufactures and the Useful Arts (1787), the Academy of Natural Sciences (1812), and the Franklin Institute (1824). These societies developed and financed new industries that attracted skilled and knowledgeable immigrants from Europe. Philadelphia's importance and central location in
21870-425: The nickname "Broad Street Bullies" for their aggressive style of play, and the nickname is still applied to the franchise. Flyers enforcer Dave Schultz holds the record for most penalty minutes in a season, with 472. Philadelphia has had only brief experiences with top-level hockey aside from the Flyers. The Philadelphia Quakers were a National Hockey League team that played only one full season, 1930–31, at
22032-449: The northwest; Bucks to the north and northeast; Burlington County, New Jersey to the east; Camden County, New Jersey to the southeast; Gloucester County, New Jersey to the south; and Delaware County to the southwest. Philadelphia was created in the 17th century, following the plan by William Penn 's surveyor Thomas Holme . Center City is structured with long, straight streets running nearly due east–west and north–south, forming
22194-522: The number and extensive history and tradition of the city's teams have many times led the city to be described as the nation's best sports city. The Greater Philadelphia area hosts several college sports teams. The Philadelphia Big 5 is an informal association of college basketball schools in Philadelphia, historically consisting of La Salle University , the University of Pennsylvania , Saint Joseph's University , Temple University , and Villanova University and also including Drexel University as of
22356-409: The original Philadelphia Freedoms , for which the Elton John song was written and a second Philadelphia Freedoms team from 2001 until the league folded in 2021. Elton John and Freedoms star Billie Jean King were good friends, and John and his songwriting partner, Bernie Taupin , wrote the song for the team to be used as a team anthem at home matches in the Spectrum . John was such a big fan of
22518-407: The regular season most valuable player award of the NFL ( AP ), MLB , NHL , NBA , or MLS . Note that MLB confers an MVP award to one player in the American League and one player in the National League . Philadelphia has hosted the following all-star games and drafts , including the first NFL Draft: Future Philadelphia has rivalries with three of the four other major cities in
22680-453: The road (in 2018 away to the Houston Dynamo ). In 2020 , the Union won the Supporters' Shield , given to the team in MLS with the best regular season record, the first major trophy in the team's history. The original Bethlehem Steel F.C. was one of the most successful early American soccer clubs; the club was sponsored by the Bethlehem Steel and played from 1907 to 1930. The club won league championships in two semi-professional leagues,
22842-446: The satellite city of Chester , about 13 miles (21 km) southwest of Philadelphia. Philadelphia has also been home to relocated and defunct franchises. The Philadelphia Athletics (now the Oakland Athletics ) of the MLB , the Philadelphia Warriors (now the Golden State Warriors ) of the NBA , and the Frankford Yellow Jackets of the NFL each played in Philadelphia for over a decade. Other former Philadelphia teams, such as
23004-570: The second half of the 19th century. His contemporaries included John McArthur Jr. , Addison Hutton , Wilson Eyre , the Wilson Brothers , and Horace Trumbauer . In 1871, construction began on the Second Empire -style Philadelphia City Hall . The Philadelphia Historical Commission was created in 1955 to preserve the cultural and architectural history of the city. The commission maintains the Philadelphia Register of Historic Places , adding historic buildings, structures, sites, objects and districts as it sees fit. In 1932, Philadelphia became home to
23166-437: The second incarnation of the Negro National League : the Philadelphia Stars played from 1934 to 1948, while the Bacharach Giants played in the league in 1934. In 2020, Major League Baseball retroactively extended major league recognition to seven negro leagues, making the Giants, the Tigers, the Hilldale Club, the Bacharach Giants, and the Stars major league franchises for part or all of their existences. The Hilldale Club and
23328-425: The situation did not change substantially until 1682, when the area was included in William Penn 's charter for Pennsylvania. In 1681, in partial repayment of a debt, Charles II of England granted Penn a charter for what would become the Pennsylvania colony . Despite the royal charter, Penn bought the land from the local Lenape in an effort to establish good terms with the Native Americans and ensure peace for
23490-467: The spine of the north–south highway system along the U.S. East Coast . Philadelphia is a city of many firsts, including the nation's first library (1731), hospital (1751), medical school (1765), national capital (1774), university (by some accounts) (1779), central bank (1781), stock exchange (1790), zoo (1874), and business school (1881). Philadelphia contains 67 National Historic Landmarks , including Independence Hall . From
23652-499: The start of the modern World Series . The Athletics declined after their victory in the 1930 World Series, and usually finished below .500 in the 1930s, 1940s, and 1950s. Having played 53 seasons in Philadelphia, the Athletics are the sixth-longest tenured team in major North American professional sports to relocate, behind four other baseball teams (the Braves , Giants , Dodgers , and Senators ) and one football team (the Chargers ). The Athletics would later relocate to Oakland after
23814-493: The surrounding Delaware Valley in the early 17th century. The first settlements were founded by Dutch colonists , who built Fort Nassau on the Delaware River in 1623 in what is now Brooklawn, New Jersey . The Dutch considered the entire Delaware River valley to be part of their New Netherland colony. In 1638, Swedish settlers led by renegade Dutch established the colony of New Sweden at Fort Christina , located in present-day Wilmington, Delaware , and quickly spread out in
23976-522: The ten largest combined statistical areas (CSAs) were ranked higher for ozone: Los Angeles (1st), New York City (9th), Houston (12th), Dallas (13th), and San Jose, California (18th). Many smaller CSAs were also ranked higher for ozone, including Sacramento (8th), Las Vegas (10th), Denver (11th), El Paso (16th), and Salt Lake City (20th). Only two of those same ten CSAs, San Jose and Los Angeles, were ranked higher than Philadelphia for both year-round and short-term particle pollution. As of
24138-425: The top early black baseball clubs. Shortly after the end of the Civil War , the Pythians tried to join the National League but were denied membership. The Philadelphia Giants were a Negro league team that played from 1902 to 1911. The Hilldale Club played as an independent and in several leagues from 1910 to 1932. The Philadelphia Tigers played in the Eastern Colored League in 1928. Two franchises played in
24300-432: The upper Ohio River basin. Following the American Revolutionary War and subsequent formation of an independent United States, the Lenape began moving further west. In the 1860s, the United States government sent most remaining Lenape in the eastern United States to the Indian Territory in present-day Oklahoma and surrounding territories as part of the Indian removal policy. Europeans first entered Philadelphia and
24462-402: The valley. In 1644, New Sweden supported the Susquehannocks in their war against Maryland colonists. In 1648, the Dutch built Fort Beversreede on the west bank of the Delaware, south of the Schuylkill River near the present-day Eastwick section of Philadelphia, to reassert their dominion over the area. The Swedes responded by building Fort Nya Korsholm , or New Korsholm , named after
24624-491: The year. The average window for freezing temperatures is November 6 to April 2, allowing a growing season of 217 days. Early fall and late winter are generally dry, with February having the lowest average precipitation at 2.75 inches (70 mm). The dewpoint in the summer averages between 59.1 and 64.5 °F (15 and 18 °C). The highest recorded temperature was 106 °F (41 °C) on August 7, 1918. Temperatures at or above 100 °F (38 °C) are not common, with
24786-486: Was 30.7 in (78 cm), which occurred in January 1996. Precipitation is generally spread throughout the year, with eight to eleven wet days per month, at an average annual rate of 44.1 inches (1,120 mm), but historically ranging from 29.31 in (744 mm) in 1922 to 64.33 in (1,634 mm) in 2011. The most rain recorded in one day occurred on July 28, 2013, when 8.02 in (204 mm) fell at Philadelphia International Airport . Philadelphia has
24948-413: Was being constructed and prepared to serve as the new national capital. In 1793, the largest yellow fever epidemic in U.S. history killed approximately 4,000 to 5,000 people in Philadelphia, or about ten percent of the city's population at the time. The capital of the United States was moved to Washington, D.C. in 1800 upon completion of the White House and U.S. Capitol buildings. The state capital
25110-542: Was broken by Lionel Messi in 2012. In 2013, the Philadelphia Union unveiled a third uniform that pays homage to Bethlehem Steel F.C. Following the collapse of the ASL, soccer in the United States declined in popularity and the country lacked a major professional soccer league. In 1967, two major soccer leagues, the National Professional Soccer League (NPSL) and the United Soccer Association (USA), both began play. The Philadelphia Spartans , owned by Pittsburgh Steelers owner Art Rooney , played at Temple Stadium for
25272-410: Was developed south of South Street and later occupied by succeeding immigrants. They established a network of Catholic churches and schools and dominated the Catholic clergy for decades. Anti- Irish , anti-Catholic nativist riots erupted in Philadelphia in 1844. The rise in population of the surrounding districts helped lead to the Act of Consolidation of 1854 , which extended the city limits from
25434-427: Was dominated by Georgian architecture , including Independence Hall and Christ Church . In the first decades of the 19th century, Federal and Greek Revival architecture were the dominant styles produced by Philadelphia architects such as Benjamin Latrobe , William Strickland , John Haviland , John Notman , Thomas Walter , and Samuel Sloan . Frank Furness is considered Philadelphia's greatest architect of
25596-433: Was founded in 1682 by William Penn , an English Quaker and advocate of religious freedom , and served as the capital of the Pennsylvania Colony during the British colonial era . The city went on to play a historic and vital role during the American Revolution and Revolutionary War , serving as the central meeting place for the nation's founding fathers , hosting the First Continental Congress in 1774, preserving
25758-439: Was moved from Philadelphia to Lancaster in 1799, then ultimately to Harrisburg in 1812. Philadelphia remained the nation's largest city until the late 18th century. It also was the nation's financial and cultural center until ultimately being eclipsed in total population by New York City in 1790. In 1816, the city's free Black community founded the African Methodist Episcopal Church , the first independent Black denomination in
25920-406: Was one of more than 36 industrial cities nationally to suffer a race riot during Red Summer in post- World War I unrest as recent immigrants competed with Blacks for jobs. In the 1920s, the public flouting of Prohibition laws, organized crime , mob violence, and corrupt police involvement in illegal activities led to the appointment of Brig. Gen. Smedley Butler of the U.S. Marine Corps as
26082-407: Was the Frankford Yellow Jackets . Originally a community athletic-association team in the Frankford neighborhood of Northeast Philadelphia dating back to 1899, the club became one of the early NFL clubs in 1924. The Yellow Jackets won the NFL championship in 1926. Its home field was Frankford Stadium (also called Yellow Jacket Field). Financial troubles brought on by the Great Depression and
26244-414: Was the textile industry . Major corporations in the 19th and early 20th centuries included the Baldwin Locomotive Works , William Cramp & Sons Shipbuilding Company , and the Pennsylvania Railroad . Established in 1870, the Philadelphia Conveyancers' Association was chartered by the state in 1871. Along with the U.S. Centennial in 1876, the city's industry was celebrated in the Centennial Exposition ,
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