The following is a timeline of the history of the city of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.
17th century 1682 – Philadelphia founded as capital of the English Crown Province of Pennsylvania by William Penn 1689 – William Penn Charter School founded 1691 – Appointment of first mayor, Humphrey Morrey, by Penn
18th century 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. Foundation of the city's first permanent theatre, the Southwark Theatre in Philadelphia 1767 January 6: Pennsylvania Chronicle newspaper begins publication November: Dickinson's Letters from a Farmer in Pennsylvania begins 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 December 12: threat of British occupation of Philadelphia prompts Congress to move to Baltimore at Henry Fite House for two months 1777 March 5: Congress returns to Philadelphia September 11: British victory at the Battle of Brandywine forces Congress to flee from Philadelphia to Lancaster, and then York. Pro-Revolutionary civilians also flee. September 23: British troops occupy Philadelphia, greeted by Loyalist civilians 1778 June 18: British troops abandon Philadelphia in order to defend New York City; Continental Army forces retake Philadelphia the same day July 2: Congress returns to Philadelphia 1781 March 1: Congress of the Confederation replaces Second Continental Congress The Religious Society of Free Quakers founded 1783 June 20: Pennsylvania Mutiny of 1783 June 22: Congress flees to Princeton, New Jersey, due to the Pennsylvania Munity 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 1790 November: George Washington moves into President's House on High Street December 6: United States capital relocates to Philadelphia from New York City for a period of 10 years as the new national capital is constructed in Washington, D.C. 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. Construction started for the new President's House on Ninth Street. 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. 1800 – United States capital relocates from Philadelphia to Washington, D.C.
19th century 1801 Chamber of Commerce established. St. Augustine Church built. The Port Folio magazine begins publication. 1802 University of Pennsylvania starts classes in the President's House at its Ninth Street Campus. 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. Wooden pipes installed to carry water through the 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. 1825 - Erie Canal opened. 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. September: first national colored convention at Mother Bethel A.M.E. Church, Philadelphia 1831 June: first annual Convention of the People of Color at the Wesleyan Church, Philadelphia Baldwin Locomotive Works and Philadelphia Glee Association established. 1833 August: third annual Convention for the Improvement of the Free People of Color, Philadelphia December: American Anti-Slavery Society organized. 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. 1850 – Population: 121,376 1852 – AME Christian Recorder newspaper begins publication. 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 April 12: The 1856 Philadelphia tornado occurred. 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. McGillin's Olde Ale House opened on Drury Street. McGillin's is the oldest continuously operating tavern in Philadelphia and one of the oldest in the country. 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 Benjamin Guggenheim was an American businessman who was born in Philadelphia and died aboard 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. October - Celebration of the bi-centennial of the landing of William Penn. 1883 – Philadelphia Phillies baseball team formed. 1884 Starr Centre founded. Post Office opens on 9th Street 1887 – September: U.S. Constitution centennial. 1889 - The Park Theatre at the corner of at the corner of Broad St. and Fairmont Ave. opens on September 16, 1889. 1890 Mother Bethel A.M.E. Church built. Population: 1,046,964. Frankford Camera Club organized. 1891 December 17: Drexel University is founded. 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. 1900 June: 1900 Republican National Convention held. Philadelphia Orchestra founded. North American Building constructed. Population: 1,293,697.
20th century 1901 Philadelphia Mummers are inaugurated Philadelphia Athletics are formed Philadelphia City Hall built 1902 Automat eatery in business. Corn Exchange National Bank building constructed. Violinist and composer Frederick E. Hahn founds the Hahn Conservatory of Music in Philadelphia. 1903 – Textile strike. 1905 – City Club of Philadelphia chartered. 1907 Broad Street Subway begins operation. March 7: Market Street Subway begins operation. 1908 - Celebration of the 225th anniversary of the foundation of the city. 1909 – Bureau of Municipal Research established. 1910 Philadelphia Athletics win World Series over Chicago Cubs Philadelphia general strike (1910) Population: 1,549,008. 1911 Philadelphia Athletes win World Series over New York Giants 1913 Philadelphia Athletics win World Series over New York Giants 1914 – Empress Theater and Christian Street YMCA open. 1915 Martin Nodell was born in Philadelphia.