The Philadelphia Zoo, located in the Centennial District of Philadelphia on the west bank of the Schuylkill River, is the first true zoo in the United States. It was chartered by the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania on March 21, 1859, but its opening was delayed by the Civil War until July 1, 1874. The zoo opened with 1,000 animals and an admission price of 25 cents. For a brief time, the zoo also housed animals brought to U.S. from safaris by the Smithsonian Institution, which had not yet built its National Zoo.
The gate above the zoo's entrance
William Camac photograph by W. Curtis Taylor, Philadelphia Centennial Portrait Gallery Representative Men of Philadelphia
Victorian gateway by Frank Furness
The Solitude, a mansion built by John Penn in 1785
Philadelphia, commonly referred to as Philly, is the most populous city in the U.S. state of Pennsylvania. Philadelphia is the nation's sixth-most populous city, with a population of 1,603,797 in the 2020 census and is the urban core of the larger Delaware Valley, the nation's seventh-largest and one of the world's largest metropolitan regions consisting of 6.245 million residents in the metropolitan statistical area and 7.366 million residents in its combined statistical area. Philadelphia is known for its extensive contributions to United States history, especially the American Revolution, and served as the nation's capital until 1800. It maintains contemporary influence in business and industry, culture, sports, and music.
Image: Philadelphia skyline from South Street Bridge January 2020 (rotate 2 degrees perspective correction crop 4 1)
Image: Independence National Historical Park INDE0004 b
Image: Locust Walk by Wharton
Image: Elfreth's Alley 2
