Independence National Historical Park
Why it's listed
Independence National Historical Park occupies 39.53 acres of downtown Philadelphia, the city that served as the nation's capital from 1790 to 1800. Its core is Independence Hall, where the Second Continental Congress signed the Declaration of Independence in 1776 and the Constitutional Convention met from May 25 to September 17, 1787. Congress Hall, built 1787-89, housed the House of Representatives and Senate during the capital years. The park also includes the reconstructed Graff House, where Thomas Jefferson drafted the Declaration in 1776, and City Tavern, where delegates to the Continental Congresses gathered. Most surviving buildings are red brick Georgian or Federal structures, and the restored sites hold a large collection of about 22,000 artifacts, including the Liberty Bell and portraits by Charles Willson Peale and Gilbert Stuart. Sites of federal executive offices from the 1790s are marked on the ground.
Machine-generated summary. This summary was generated by a language model from the official nomination document and has not been reviewed line by line by an editor. It may contain errors. Check the source document before relying on any detail. Source: nomination document (PDF) · catalog entry. Generated October 2026 (model claude-haiku-5-5, prompt v1.1-2026-10-29).
| Period of significance | 1774-1824 |
|---|---|
| Styles | Georgian and Federal period red brick buildings; marble classical designs at the First and Second Banks and Merchants' Exchange |
| Areas of significance | Historic - Non-Aboriginal, Economics, Politics/Government, Architecture, Black, Law, Social History, Religion, Invention |
| Acreage | 39.5 |
| Boundary source | NPS cultural-resource GIS polygon |
| Full listing page | Independence National Historical Park (property record) |
What listing means for this property
This is a historic district. Buildings within its boundary are either contributing (they add to the district's significance) or non-contributing. Owners of contributing income-producing buildings can claim the 20% federal rehabilitation tax credit; homeowners should look at state credits. National Register districts impose no design review by themselves; a local historic district ordinance, if one exists, does (the difference explained).
General information, not legal or tax advice. Rules change; confirm with your State Historic Preservation Office or a qualified adviser.