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Independence HallPhoto: Rdsmith4, CC BY-SA 2.5, via Wikimedia Commons
Walking tour · Philadelphia

Philadelphia Walking Tour: Independence Hall to Elfreth's Alley

Arguments, trades and graves in the birthplace of independence

1 h 16 min9 stops2 mi

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Stop 1 is free, no sign-up. All 9 for $4.99, refunded within 7 days if it isn't for you.

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The 9 stops

  1. 1Start hereFree

    Independence Hall

    The Quarrel That Put It Here

    Free sample · 2:54
    0:002:54

    You're standing on Chestnut Street, between Fifth and Sixth, facing the red brick building Philadelphians still sometimes call by its first name, the State House. Look at the tall steeple with the clock face, then let your eyes run out along the low arcades to the two smaller wings on either side. Everything is balanced, left against right. It looks calm and inevitable. It was neither.

    In spring 1729, proposals went in for a state house, and the colonial Assembly committed roughly 2,000 pounds to it. A committee that included Thomas Lawrence, John Kearsley and Andrew Hamilton was charged with choosing a site, getting plans, and hiring builders. Two of those three could not agree.

    Hamilton was a power in the Assembly. Kearsley, a doctor, is credited with Christ Church and St. Peter's Church. Each man had plans for the State House, and they couldn't agree on where it should go. Kearsley wanted it on High Street, today's Market Street, in the thick of town. Hamilton wanted Chestnut Street, here, at the edge of the city. Lawrence said nothing on the matter of the location, which may have been the most peaceful seat on the committee.

    Hamilton had a head start. He and his future son-in-law, William Allen, had been named trustees with authority to buy land, and by October 1730 they had purchased lots on Chestnut Street. By 1732 Hamilton held the deed to one of them. The quarrel was really about a site he already owned. In the end, on August 14, 1733, the Assembly voted to give Hamilton full authority, and the State House would rise right here.

    Here's what the plaque leaves out. This gently sloping, overgrown ground at the edge of town had been a camp for American Indians. The building that became a symbol of liberty went up on land Native people had used before the city spread outward. It was, as one description puts it, more suburban than urban.

    And the winner didn't get a quick victory. The State House was built piecemeal, over about 20 years, and was completed in 1753. Even then it was seen as "the greatest ornament in the town."

    Then came the history that made it famous. The Declaration of Independence was adopted in this building on July 4, 1776. In the summer of 1787, from May 25 to September 17, the Constitutional Convention met inside. Two of the great arguments in American history took place in a building that exists because of an argument between two men and a vote to settle it. Kearsley lost the site. The country got the room.

    Walk west, about 310 meters and five minutes, to the next stop.

The whole walk

9 stories across Philadelphia

1 h 16 min · 9 stops · 2 mi

Starts at Independence Hall and ends at Christ Church Burial Ground.

  • Plays right here in your browser, or in the app
  • One purchase for your group, on up to 4 phones
  • Refunded within 7 days if it isn't for you

Plan your walk

    How long

    About 1 h 16 min for 2 mi with all 9 stories. Going inside the sites adds time.

    Start and finish

    Starts at Independence Hall and ends at Christ Church Burial Ground.

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    Questions people ask

    Can I do a self-guided walking tour of Philadelphia?

    Yes. This walk plays a story at each of nine Old City stops, from Independence Hall to Christ Church Burial Ground, where Benjamin Franklin is buried. Start any time.

    Do you need tickets for Independence Hall?

    From March through December, entry to Independence Hall needs a free timed ticket from the National Park Service. The Liberty Bell needs no ticket.

    How long does the tour take?

    About 1 hour 16 minutes in all, walking 2 miles and listening to all nine stories.

    Where does the tour start and end?

    It starts at Independence Hall and ends at Christ Church Burial Ground.

    What stops are included?

    The nine stops are Independence Hall, Liberty Bell, Washington Square, Carpenters' Hall, Franklin Court, Christ Church, Elfreth's Alley, Betsy Ross House and Christ Church Burial Ground.

    Do I need the app?

    No. After you unlock, the tour plays right here in your browser: keep the screen on and tap each stop. The free Stories app adds GPS auto-play, so each story starts by itself when you arrive, with your phone in your pocket, and works offline.

    How many people can listen?

    One purchase covers your group on up to 4 phones. Share the link from your receipt, or everyone can sign in to the app with the same email.

    Does it work offline?

    In the app, yes: download the tour on Wi-Fi before you go. In the browser you need a signal, which is fine on most city streets; open the tour once before you leave.

    When can I start?

    Any time. It is self-guided, so there are no departure times and no group to keep up with. Pause for coffee and pick up where you left off.

    Can I give this tour as a gift?

    Yes. Tap "Give it as a gift", type their email and a note, and pick the day it arrives (Christmas morning works). They open it in their phone's browser; you get the receipt.

    Can I get a refund?

    Yes. If the tour did not work for you, email support@getstories.app within 7 days and we will refund it.

    Who made this tour?

    Stories writes each tour from public sources, checks every claim against them, and narrates it with a synthetic voice. The sources are listed at the end of this page; if you spot a mistake, tell us at support@getstories.app.

    About this tour and its sources

    You're standing on Chestnut Street, facing Independence Hall, the red brick building with the clock tower. It wasn't built for independence at all. It was built as Pennsylvania's State House. Proposals went in during the spring of 1729, and the colonial Assembly set aside roughly 2,000 pounds. Then the quarrel began. Dr. John Kearsley wanted the building on High Street, today's Market Street. Andrew Hamilton wanted Chestnut Street, where you're standing. Hamilton won, and in 1733 the Assembly gave him full authority over the project. Fitting, for a building best remembered for arguments.

    Those arguments carry through this walk. The Declaration of Independence was adopted in this building on July 4, 1776, and the Constitutional Convention met inside in 1787. But the liberty argued over here did not reach everyone, and we'll keep that in view as we head toward Elfreth's Alley. Abolitionists adopted the bell from this tower as a symbol in the 1830s and gave it the name the Liberty Bell. All of this sits on Lenape land, laid out for William Penn.

    So who gets to be independent, and who gets left out? Keep that question with you.

    Cross with the lights and watch for traffic on the old narrow streets. Take your time, then stop where you can still see the clock tower.

    Written from public sources, every claim checked against them, narrated by a synthetic voice. Last checked October 2026.

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