Countless visitors have walked into the Pennsylvania State House in Philadelphia. There, it’s easy to imagine the founding fathers sitting in the Windsor chairs or standing around tables equipped with silver inkstands and quills. In this surprisingly small room, they hashed out the wording of the Declaration of Independence and the Constitution. Greats such as Thomas Jefferson, George Washington, John Adams, and John Hancock were among many who met and debated in what’s now referred to as Independence Hall.
Another notable figure who actually lived and worked a few blocks from the important American structure was Benjamin Franklin.
The Independence Hall Assembly Room in Philadelphia is a storehouse of history. (Deena Bouknight)
Tourists and Philadelphia natives alike flock downtown to the National Park Service’s 51-acre Independence National Historical Park primarily to view the centerpieces: the State House and Liberty Bell. They may not realize that Franklin Court is also part of the park and a short walk from those main attractions. This area, which features a museum, informative signs, and a conspicuous row of brick, colonial-style attached buildings, is what Franklin called his “neighborhood.”…