Designating The Historical Society of Pennsylvania as the official historical society of Philadelphia.

WHEREAS,

The Historical Society of Pennsylvania (HSP) was founded in 1824 in anticipation of the fiftieth anniversary of the American Revolution. It has sought to preserve and explore the origins, diversity, and development of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, and the nation for over 175 years. HSP’s collections were substantially augmented through the addition of the Balch Institute for Ethnic Studies in 2002; and

WHEREAS,

HSP is the largest library of Pennsylvania history in existence, with nearly 20 million items in its collections; and

WHEREAS,

Since its creation, HSP has documented Philadelphia’s many important roles – as the place of our nation’s founding and its cultural and economic center through the nineteenth century, as a primary port of immigration, and as a key center of African American experiences; and

WHEREAS,

HSP holds records relating to the experiences of immigrants to our area dating from the seventeenth century to the present, reflecting the true ethnic diversity of the Philadelphia region and history’s

full

story, told by many voices; and

WHEREAS,

HSP holds more documentation of the built environment in the Philadelphia region prior to the Civil War than any other institution, and its comprehensive collection of insurance records makes it a crucial resource for anyone interested in researching a historic home or building; and

WHEREAS,

HSP continues to preserve our growing history by expanding our collections and documenting the experiences of Philadelphia’s ethnic communities; and

WHEREAS,

HSP’s programming involves collaboration with numerous area groups and institutions, including leadership in the Civil War History Consortium, the development of neighborhood history tours in the Philadelphia region, collaboration with the Mural Arts Program to create historical murals around the city, and sponsorship of a renewed National History Day contest for Philadelphia students; and

WHEREAS,

HSP’s collections are preeminent in colonial-era materials, second only to the Library of Congress in documenting the nation’s founding, third in comprehensive genealogical resources in the country, and unparalleled on the ethnic diversity and immigrant experiences (both early and recent) of the people of the United States; and

WHEREAS,

Some of the most important documentation relating to the history of our Commonwealth and of our nation’s founding is held at HSP - including the first draft of the U.S. Constitution, the original papers of William Penn and his family, and a copy of “The Star Spangled Banner” written in the hand of Francis Scott Key, its author; and

WHEREAS,

These tremendous historical resources make HSP an incomparable source for information about our region’s architectural, social, and cultural history; and

WHEREAS,

The resources in HSP’s collections serve as an invaluable resource for the more than 300 historic sites in the area, strengthening and building our region’s heritage infrastructure and interpretation; and

WHEREAS,

HSP provides a powerful resource to educators through special teacher workshops and by developing curriculum materials used across the state to teach about our region’s ethnic history; and

WHEREAS,

HSP has been and will continue to be a cornerstone in Philadelphia’s historical community, continuing to preserve and share our unique experiences and to support and partner with the many groups that help explore and understand the past; now therefore

RESOLVED, THAT THE COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF PHILADELPHIA,

Designates The Historical Society of Pennsylvania as the official historical society of Philadelphia.

End