Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
It can difficult to define what makes a great city, but certainly its history plays a pivotal part. It difficult not to overstate the importance of Philadelphia in the birth of the United States: by 1750, the city was the largest in the Americas and its port was the second busiest after London in the British empire.
The United States Declaration of Independence was signed in 1776 in Philadelphia and the city served as the capital of the US from 1790-1800. In 1961 Jane Jacobs wrote the highly influential The Death and Life of Great American Cities, a critique of modernist urban planning which she held responsible for the decline in cities and believed that for cities to thrive, they required spontaneous interactions that were derived from organic historical development rather than ordered design.
After Midtown Manhattan, Philadelphia is the most populated downtown in the United States and I think these cities in part owe much of vibrancy and fabric to underlying historical development which has fostered successful city dwelling. The population of Philadelphia peaked at 2,000 000 in the 1960’s and continued to decline steadily until 2010, before starting to see growth.
Philadelphia has undergone somewhat of an urban renaissance over the past 15 years, and although far from perfect, is a city on the up with possibilities. Filled with bustling neighbourhoods, lively restaurants and some outstanding architecture, Philadelphia is our pick for most underrated city.
Images: 1 – @jesscarlen | 2 – @thephlosophy | 3 – @jesscarlen | 4 – @ryfellow | 5 –@jesscarlen | 6 –@ryfellow | 7 – @jesscarlen | 8 – @lacolombecoffee | 9 – @thephlosophy | 10 – @ryfellow | 11 – @jesscarlen | 12 – @lacolombecoffee | 13 – @ryfellow
