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Interesting and Fun Facts about Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

Philadelphia Fun Facts

Philadelphia, the “City of Brotherly Love” got its name from one of its most famous citizens, William Penn, who saw his tract of land as a place where everyone from every background could live together in peace and harmony. The Greek “brotherly love,” or philos adelphos (loving brothers), became Philadelphia.
Philadelphia was the birthplace of American opera, with William Henry Fry's “Lenora” (1845) probably the first public performance of an opera by an American composer.
The 2,080-pound Liberty Bell cracked the first time it was rung in 1776 due to a casting flaw. The name Philadelphia inscribed on the bell was misspelled due to an engraver's error.
The Philadelphia Museum of Art was made famous by being featured in the popular “Rocky” films, when Sylvester Stallone, as the boxer Rocky, made his famous training runs up the front steps.

In 1777 Betsy Ross (born Elizabeth Griscom) created the first American flag in her humble upholstery shop in Philadelphia.
The first fox hunting club in the U.S. was formed in Philadelphia in 1766.
Soda water (and then fruit juice-sweetened soda water) was invented by Townsend Speakman (a Philadelphia) in 1807.
In 1768 the interesting yellow spread, mustard, was first produced by Benjamin Jackson in Philadelphia.
Benjamin Franklin founded the first zoo in America, The Philadelphia Zoo.
The first computer ever was born in Philadelphia.
Johann Behrent built the nation's first piano in Philadelphia in 1775.

Many movies made by Indian-American director M. Night Shyamalan have been filmed in the eastern Pennsylvania region, such as “Signs,” “The Sixth Sense,” “Unbreakable,” and “The Village.” Few people outside of eastern Pennsylvania realize that this region is home to a prominent up-and-coming sub-continental Indian population; the reason why Shyamalan films in eastern Pennsylvania and not elsewhere is so that he can work and stay close to his family.