Timeline of Philadelphia

17th-18th centuries

1682 – Philadelphia founded as capital of the English Crown Province of Pennsylvania by William Penn.

1685 – Quaker meeting house built

1689 – William Penn Charter School founded.

1691 – Appointment of first mayor, Humphrey Morrey, by Penn.

1700 – Swedish Lutheran Gloria Dei Church consecrated.

1710 – Town Hall built.

1711 – Trinity Church built.

1719 – American Weekly Mercury newspaper begins publication.

1722 – James Logan becomes mayor.

1728

Pennsylvania Gazette newspaper begins publication.

Printer Benjamin Franklin in business.

1731 – Library Company of Philadelphia established

1735 – Pennsylvania State House built.

1736 – Union Fire Company formed

1740 – Kahal Kadosh Mikveh Israel founded.

1742

The Pennsylvania Journal newspaper begins publication.

October: Philadelphia Election Riot.

1743 – Philosophical Society founded.

1744 – Christ Church built.

1745 – New Market built.

1749 – Academy of Philadelphia founded.

1751

Street lighting begins.

Pennsylvania Hospital founded.

1753 – Bell hung in tower of State House.

1755 – College of Philadelphia chartered.

1757 – Amicable Library Co. founded.

1766 – American Society for Promoting Useful Knowledge established.

1767

January 6: Pennsylvania Chronicle newspaper begins publication.

November: Dickinson's Letters from a Farmer in Pennsylvania begin publication.

New Circulating Library in business.

1769 – American Philosophical Society formed.

1771

Carpenters' Hall in use.

Pennsylvania Packet newspaper begins publication.

Friendly Sons of Saint Patrick founded.

1773 – Walnut Street Jail in operation.

1774

First Troop Philadelphia City Cavalry organized.

September 5: First Continental Congress of the United Colonies begins meeting in Carpenters' Hall.

1775

April 14: Pennsylvania Abolition Society founded.

May 10: Second Continental Congress of the thirteen colonies begins.

July 6: Second Continental Congress issues Declaration of the Causes and Necessity of Taking Up Arms.

Samuel Powel becomes mayor.

The United States Marine Corps founded in Tun Tavern.

1776

January 10: Thomas Paine's Common Sense published.

July 4: United States Declaration of Independence signed in the Pennsylvania State House.

1781 – The Religious Society of Free Quakers founded.

1783 – June 20: Pennsylvania Mutiny of 1783.

1784

Charles Willson Peale's Philadelphia Museum founded.

Dock Street laid out.

1785 – Philadelphia Society for Promoting Agriculture instituted.

1786

Labor strike by printers.

Philadelphia Dispensary established.

1787

May–September: U.S. Constitutional Convention held.

College of Physicians, Free African Society, and Philadelphia Society for Alleviating the Miseries of Public Prisons founded.

1789 – Pennsylvania Abolition Society for the Abolition of Slavery incorporated.

1790

November: George Washington moves into President's House on High Street.

December: United States capital relocates to Philadelphia from New York City.

Philadelphia Stock Exchange founded.

General Advertiser newspaper begins publication.

Population: 28,522.

1791

City Hall building constructed; U.S. Supreme Court convenes.

University of Pennsylvania established.

1792

Philadelphia Medical Society incorporated.

Philadelphia Mint building constructed.

1793 – Yellow Fever Epidemic.

1794

Mother Bethel African Methodist Episcopal Church, Society for the Information and Assistance of Emigrants, and Byberry Library established.

1798 – Bank of the United States opens.

1800s-1840s

1800 – United States capital relocates from Philadelphia to Washington, D.C.

1801

Chamber of Commerce established.

St. Augustine Church built.

The Port Folio magazine begins publication.

1805

Pennsylvania Academy of the Fine Arts founded.

Arch Street Friends Meeting House built.

1806 - U.S. Supreme Court decides Commonwealth v. Pullis, criminalizing labor strikes.

1807 – First African Presbyterian Church founded.

1809 – First African Baptist Church founded.

1810

Columbian Garden opens on Market Street.

Population: 53,722.

1811 – Girard Bank founded.

1812

Colossus Bridge built near city.

Pennsylvania's capital moved to Harrisburg.

1813 – Analectic Magazine begins publication.

1814 – Athenaeum of Philadelphia founded.

1816 – African Methodist Episcopal Church (denomination) and Philadelphia Saving Fund Society founded.

1817 – Academy of Natural Sciences incorporated.

1820 – Apprentices' Library Company founded.

1821 – Mercantile Library Company and Philadelphia College of Pharmacy established.

1822

Chestnut Street Theatre built.

Volunteer Corps of Light Infantry and Southwark Library established.

1824

Historical Society of Pennsylvania and Franklin Institute and American Sunday School Union established.

1826 – The Casket magazine begins publication.

1827 – Pennsylvania Horticultural Society established.

1828 – Register of Pennsylvania begins publication.

1829

Pennsylvania Inquirer newspaper begins publication.

Eastern State Penitentiary built.

1830 – Population: 80,462.

1831

June: Convention of the People of Colour held.

Baldwin Locomotive Works and Philadelphia Glee Association established.

1834 – Philadelphia and Columbia Railroad and Merchants' Exchange Building constructed.

1835 – June: 1835 Philadelphia general strike.

1836 – Public Ledger newspaper begins publication.

1837

Institute for Colored Youth founded.

Ladies' Garland magazine and Burton's Gentleman's Magazine begin publication.

1842

Lombard Street Riot.

Augustinian College of Vilanova founded near city.

1844 – May–July: Philadelphia Nativist Riots.

1845 – American Literary Union organized.

1848

Philadelphia School of Design for Women founded.

Girard College opens.

St. Augustine Church rebuilt.

1850s-1890s

1850 – Population: 121,376.

1852 – AME Christian Recorder newspaper begins publication.[2]

1854

October: National Women's Rights Convention held.

City expands to encompass all of Philadelphia County, including: Aramingo Borough, Belmont District, Blockley Township, Bridesburg Borough, Bristol Township, Byberry Township, Delaware Township, Frankford Borough, Germantown Borough, Germantown Township, Kensington District, Kingsessing Township, Lower Dublin Township, Manayunk Borough, Moreland Township, Moyamensing District, Northern Liberties District, Northern Liberties Township, Oxford Township, Passyunk Township, Penn District, Penn Township, Philadelphia City, Roxborough Township, Richmond District, Southwark District, Spring Garden District, West Philadelphia Borough, and Whitehall Borough.

YMCA Philadelphia and Western Library Association of Philadelphia founded.

1855 – Girard Avenue Bridge built.

1856 – June: Republican National Convention held.

1857

Academy of Music building constructed.

Library & Reading Room Assoc. founded.

1858 – Mütter Museum established.

1860

June 9: Japanese embassy arrives.

Philadelphia Sketch Club organized.

Population: 565,529.

1862

Photographic Society of Philadelphia and Union League of Philadelphia founded.

William Cramp & Sons shipbuilders in business.

1864

Pennsylvania Equal Rights League headquartered in city.

Philadelphia Photographer magazine begins publication.

Cathedral Basilica of Saints Peter and Paul built.

June: Sanitary Fair held.

1865

Benjamin Guggenheim was an American businessman who was born in Philadelphia and died aboard RMS Titanic when the ship sank in the North Atlantic Ocean. His body was never recovered.

1866

August: National Union Convention held.

Birely, Hillman & Streaker (shipbuilders) and Green's Hotel in business.

Chestnut Street Bridge opens.

1868 – Strawbridge & Clothier in business.

1869

Knights of Labor established.

N.W. Ayer in business.

1870 - Population: 674,022.

1873

Philadelphia Fire Department established.

Masonic Temple built.

Dutrieuille caterers in business.

1874 – Philadelphia Zoo opens.

1876

May 10: Centennial International Exhibition opens.

Workingmen's Party of America founded in Philadelphia.

1877 – Pennsylvania Museum and School of Industrial Art opens.

1878 – October 24: Storm.

1882 – Philadelphia Association of Textile Manufacturers formed.

1883 – Philadelphia Phillies baseball team formed.

1884

Starr Centre founded.

Post Office opens on 9th Street.

1887 – September: U.S. Constitution centennial.

1890

Mother Bethel A.M.E. Church built.

Population: 1,046,964.

Frankford Camera Club organized.

1891 – Free Library of Philadelphia and Geographical Club of Philadelphia established.

1892

Electric trolley begins operating.

Genealogical Society of Pennsylvania founded.

1893

Reading Terminal station opens.

Wilstach Gallery opens in West Fairmount Park.

1897 – American Negro Historical Society and Berean Manual Training and Industrial School established.

1898 – October: Peace Jubilee held.

1899 – Penn Museum building constructed.

1900s-1940s

1900

June: 1900 Republican National Convention held.

Philadelphia Orchestra founded.

North American Building constructed.

Population: 1,293,697.

1902

Automat eatery in business.

Corn Exchange National Bank building constructed.

1901 – Philadelphia City Hall built.

1903 – Textile strike.

1905 – City Club of Philadelphia chartered.

1907 – Broad Street Subway begins operation.

1909 – Bureau of Municipal Research established.

1910

Philadelphia general strike (1910).

Population: 1,549,008.

1914 – Empress Theater and Christian Street YMCA open.

1915 – Martin Nodell was born in Philadelphia.

1917 – American Stores Company in business.

1918 – Airport opens.

1919

July: Racial unrest.

Aero Service Corporation in business.

1920

Colored Dunbar Theatre built (approximate date).

Population: 1,823,779.

1921 – Municipal piers built on Delaware River.

1923 – Philadelphia trolley bus (trackless trolley) system opens.

1924 – Curtis Institute of Music established.

1925 – Philadelphia Daily News begins publication.

1926

Roosevelt Theatre and Benjamin Franklin Bridge to Camden, New Jersey open.

May 31: Sesquicentennial Exposition opens.

1927

Philadelphia Municipal Airport dedicated.

Parkway Central Library opens.

1928

Forrest Theatre and Boyd Theatre open.

Philadelphia Museum of Art building constructed.

1929

Uptown Theater opens.

Rodin Museum dedicated.

1930 – Population: 1,950,961.

1931

Municipal Auditorium opens.

Girard Trust Building constructed.

Philadelphia Society for the Preservation of Landmarks founded.

1932

Philadelphia Saving Fund Society Building constructed.

Market Street Bridge rebuilt.

1933

Pennsylvania Station–30th Street opens.

Philadelphia Eagles NFL team founded.

1935 – United States Post Office-Main Branch built.

1936 – Democratic National Convention held.

1937 – Philadelphia Housing Authority established.

1938 – Jack and Jill (organization) founded.

1940s – Apex School of Beauty Culture in business.

1940

Philadelphia Transportation Company begins operation, replacing the Philadelphia Rapid Transit Company

Population: 1,931,334.

1941 – Philadelphia History Museum dedicated.

1943 – September 6: Frankford Junction train wreck.

1944 – August: Philadelphia transit strike of 1944.

1945 – Philadelphia Northeast Airport opens.

1946

University of Pennsylvania's ENIAC computer introduced.

Links women's club founded.

1948 – June: 1948 Republican National Convention held.

1949 – Philadelphia Textile Institute established.

1950s-1990s

1950

Philadelphia Civic Grand Opera Company active.

Population: 2,071,605.

1952 - Philadelphia City Archives established.

1955 – Philadelphia Historical Commission and Foreign Policy Research Institute established.

1956 – Independence National Historical Park established.

1958

Philadelphia Lyric Opera Company active.

Japanese House and Garden installed in West Fairmount Park.

Robert Nix becomes U.S. representative for Pennsylvania's 4th congressional district.

1963 - Syracuse Nationals move to Philadelphia and become the 76ers.

1964

August: 1964 Philadelphia race riot.

Society Hill Towers built.

Sister city relationship established with Florence, Italy.

1965

JFK Plaza constructed.

Delaware Valley Regional Planning Commission and Society Hill Civic Association formed.

1966 - Sister city relationship established with Tel Aviv, Israel.

1967

Temple University's Urban Archives (of Philadelphia) established.

Philadelphia Flyers NHL team founded.

1968

SEPTA takes over the Philadelphia Transportation Company

Philadelphia Boys Choir founded.

1970

September: Revolutionary People's Constitutional Convention held in city.

Le Bec-Fin restaurant in business.

Population: 1,948,609.

1971 – Mariposa Food Co-op established.

1972

Frank Rizzo becomes mayor.

One Meridian Plaza built.

1974 – Philadelphia Green launched.

1975

August: 1975 Philadelphia Refinery Fire.

Opera Company of Philadelphia formed.

1976

African American Museum in Philadelphia and National Museum of American Jewish History established.

Gray's Ferry Bridge opens.

Sister city relationship established with Toruń, Poland.

1977 – The Gallery at Market East shopping mall opens.

1980

Population: 1,688,210.

March 21: Angelo Bruno assassinated outside his home. The murder was orchestrated by his consigliere, Antonio Caponigro, who was unhappy with Bruno's conservative leadership style and had been led to believe that, if he attempted a coup, he would have the support of the Genovese crime family. That April, Caponigro visited New York City, apparently under the assumption he was about to be confirmed as boss. Instead, he was tortured and murdered.

Sister city relationship established with Tianjin, China.

Philadelphia Phillies win the World Series.

1981 – Philadelphia City Paper begins publication.

1983 – SEPTA Regional Rail begins operating.

1984

Market East Station (now Jefferson Station) and Center City Commuter Connection open.

Ashram established by Prakashanand Saraswati.

Sister city relationship established with Incheon, South Korea.

1985 – The MOVE bombing in West Philadelphia kills 11 people and destroys about 60 homes.

1986

Wood Turning Center founded.

Sister city relationship established with Douala, Cameroon.

1987

One Liberty Place built.

The Roots (band) formed.

1988 – Vox Populi founded.

1989 – Dock Street Brewing Company pub in business.

1990 - Population: 1,585,577.

1992

First Friday begins in Old Town.

Sister city relationship established with Nizhny Novgorod, Russia.

1992 - Ed Rendell becomes mayor of Philadelphia.

1993 – Pennsylvania Convention Center opens.

1995 – Chaka Fattah becomes Pennsylvania's 2nd congressional district representative.

1996

City website online (approximate date).

Wilma Theater and CoreStates Center (arena) open.

1997 - October 25: National Million Woman March held in city.

1998 – Bob Brady becomes Pennsylvania's 1st congressional district representative.

21st century

2000

May 18: Philadelphia Pier 34 collapse.

December 28: Lex Street Massacre.

John F. Street becomes mayor.

Republican National Convention held in Philadelphia.

Population: 1,517,550.

2001 – Kimmel Center for the Performing Arts opens.

2004

Iraq Veterans Against the War headquartered in Philadelphia.

Citizens Bank Park opens.

2005 – July 4: Philadelphia Freedom Concert held.

2006 – PlanPhilly begins publication.

2007

Hacktory established.

November 6: Philadelphia mayoral election, 2007.

2008

Ignite Philly and 8static chip music event begin.

Michael Nutter becomes mayor.

Comcast Center built.

South Asian American Digital Archive headquartered in city.[3]

Philadelphia Phillies win the World Series.

2009

Technically Philly begins publication.

Extra Extra art space founded.

2010 - Population: 1,526,006; metro 5,965,343.

2011

October: Occupy Philadelphia begins.

November 8: Philadelphia mayoral election, 2011.

Philly Tech Week begins.[4]

Population: 1,536,471; metro 5,992,414.

2012

City open data and government transparency order enacted.

Barnes Foundation relocates to the Parkway.

2013

June 5: Building collapse in Center City.

Axis Philly begins publication.

2015

May 12: 2015 Philadelphia train derailment.

September 2015: Pope Francis' visit to the United States, concluding with the visit to Philadelphia, for the 2015 World Meeting of Families.

2016

January 4: Jim Kenney becomes mayor of Philadelphia.

July: 2016 Democratic National Convention held in city.