A Walking Tour of Philadelphia's Center City

There is no better way to see America than on foot. And there is no better way to appreciate what you are looking at than with a walking tour. Whether you are preparing for a road trip or just out to look at your own town in a new way, a downloadable walking tour from walkthetown.com is ready to explore when you are.

Each walking tour describes historical and architectural landmarks and provides pictures to help out when those pesky street addresses are missing. Every tour also includes a quick primer on identifying architectural styles seen on American streets.

When William Penn founded Philadelphia in 1682 he saw a city that would one day stretch from the Delaware River to the Schuylkill River. He had surveyor Thomas Holme lay out a plan for the city to match that far-reaching vision. For the next 100 years the city still clustered only six blocks from the Delaware River.

By the early nineteenth century, development had reached Center Square (now site of City Hall) and continued westward to the Schuylkill and beyond into West Philadelphia. Things were happening so rapidly that the Consolidation of 1854 recognized this fact by enlarging the city boundaries to match those of Philadelphia County.

The city's banks and businesses and small manufacturers marched westward as the city grew. By 1900 Center City claimed not only Philadelphia's government and moneyed interests but its railroads and great retail emporiums. Center City today continues to be the pulsing heart of the city with America's most formidable historical area to the east and majestic residential neighborhoods to the west.

Our walking tour will begin at one of America's most magnificent buildings recently restored...