Page:The American Cyclopædia (1879) Volume XIII.djvu/406

 392 PHILADELPHIA dome 210 ft. high. The facade consists of a classic pediment upheld hy four lofty Corin- thian columns, flanked by pilastered wings. Independence Hall. The interior is cruciform, and is adorned with frescoes. At the intersection of Broad and Arch streets are the Arch street Methodist Epis- copal church, of white marble; the first Bap- tist church, of brown stone; and a Luther- an church, of green serpentine. The cen- tral Congregational church, in 18th and Green streets, is a handsome building in the late Norman style. The Beth-Eden Bap- tist church, in Broad and Spruce streets, is a fine structure of green serpentine. The Broad street synagogue is a handsome though pe- culiar building of the Saracenic order. The most prominent ob- jects of historical in- terest in the city are the Penn treaty mon- ument and Carpen- ters' and Independence halls. The monument is at Kensington (formerly Shackamaxon), and occupies the site of the elm tree, blown down in 1810, under which, according to tradition, "William Penn made his famous treaty with the Indians ; it is of stone and insignificant in appearance. Carpenters' hall, in Chestnut be- tween 3d and 4th streets, is the place of meeting of the first continental con- gress in 1774. It was built in 1*770 by the carpenters' company, which still owns it. It is open to visitors, and has been fitted up to represent its appearance at the time of the rev- olution, and its walls are hung with mementoes of that period. Indepen- dence hall signifies generally the whole of the old state house, but more spe- cifically the large eastern room of the lower floor. It was built in l732-'5. Here the second continental congress adopted the declaration of indepen- dence. In this hall Lafayette had a great public reception in 1824, and in 1830 a movement was commenced to restore it to its original condition, and to set it apart " for dignified purposes only." The portraits of the great men of the revolution were procured, and historical relics were placed there for permanent preservation. In 1854 the consolidated city took a renewed interest in it; the old independence bell was taken from the tower and placed in the hall, a large number of portraits from the Peale gallery were hung on the walls, and a keeper was appointed. It is open to visitors. In- dependence hall is the centre of a line of an- cient buildings, called State House row, those on either side of it being occupied by courts and city and county offices. They are on the S. New City Hall. side of Chestnut street, between 5th and 6th, fronting on a broad paved sidewalk, which is shaded with trees and contains a statue of Wash-