West Chester KOA - June 29, 2009

Today, we went with a tour group from the Campground into Philadelphia. I was so very pleased not to be driving. Our tour guide was one of the Campground employees and was very knowledgeable. After arriving in the heart of the old area of Philadelphia, she gave us our tickets to Independence Hall and then turned us loose for almost 3 hours. We saw the Liberty Bell, read its story and then crossed the street to Independence Hall.



After a brief wait, we were escorted into Independence Hall. We first visited a very functional 18th Century Courtroom. Our Park Service Guide asked and answered a number of questions. After that, we were taken into the Chamber where the actual debate leading to the Declaration of Independence occurred. The Chamber was simply furnished and yet very elegant. Our Guide pointed out where many of the Founding Fathers sat during the debate. Afterwards we were taken upstairs to a restored formal entertainment area. I questioned the guide about damage to the building during the British occupancy of Philadelphia. She told us that they used the building as a headquarters but that as they were leaving Philadelphia, they did extensive damage. We see about 70% of the original woodwork and about 90% of the original brick. This was a most moving experience for me.



Immediately thereafter, we went next door to see the original chambers for the House of Representatives and the Senate. Again, a very moving experience.



From there Sue and I walked around the restored area and had lunch at Campos - claimed to be the original Philly Cheese Steak Restaurant. We met back up with our group to see Christ Church. Sue and I sat in President Washington's personal pew. The Church has roots back into the 1600's and it was from its pulpit on July 7, 1776 the Pastor read from the Anglican Prayer Book deleting all references to the King and substituting in its place reference to the new nation. This was an act of treason, yet the feelings in the City were so strong that many lined up behind the new identity.



A number of times today we were confronted with what the fight for independence cost our Founding Fathers. One of the most wealthy gave everything he had for the fight for independence. He eventually was broke and a debtor, inprisioned for failure to pay his bills. A group of citizens banded together and paid all of his debts. He was buried in Christ Church.



We learned much about William Penn and some about his Quaker beliefs. Pennsylvania welcomed all faiths into the Colony. He designed the master plan for the City with its north/south and east west streets and five major parks.



I think we drove around the downtown area so many times, I actually became somewhat disoriented. In the process, we visited the Betsy Ross house and had a wonderful tour of this very small but fitting tribute to a dynamic woman. As we headed out of the downtown area, we drove past the Museum of Art and saw the statue to Rocky Balboa at the foot of the Museum steps. For those of you who may not remember, he was a movie boxer from old Philadelphia about whom Sylvester Stallone has made 5 movies.



From there, we drove along the Schukill River to again visit Valley Forge. Since Sue and I had visited there yesterday, we had already seen most of the sites. Each Guides perspective is different and we learned new things about the Encampment today. We ended up heading back to the Campground a very different and beautiful way. Sue and I arrived back at the Silver Lady exhausted.



It ws a very profoundly emotional day for me. I found myself praying a number of times that God would have mercy on America and that we could yet achieve the leadership in the world that our Founding Fathers envisioned.